Digital Preservation Researcher

Description

 The JDC Archives is the institutional repository of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), the world’s leading Jewish humanitarian assistance organization since its founding in 1914. Holding over 3 miles of records documenting JDC’s global rescue, relief, and renewal work in over 90 countries in the past century, the JDC Archives is one of the most significant collections in the world for the study of modern Jewish history.

We seek students for an experiential education opportunity to support our digitization program, an ongoing effort that has digitized and made available online more than 2.4 million pages of text and 63,000 photographs. The position includes two main areas of activity:

As the volume of our digital assets has grown, we are increasingly aware of the need to prepare for their long-term preservation. The researcher will investigate best practices, explore the plans that similar institutions are implementing and the collaborations that are being developed among institutions, and propose recommendations. For students who receive course credit, this is an excellent opportunity to produce a written report on an essential aspect of digital asset management.

Responsibilities:
• Evaluate existing JDC Archives digital assets and preservation practices
• Conduct online research and literature review
• Consult with other institutions and archival organizations
• Assess current and future risks and needs

Qualifications:
Strong interest in digital archives; basic understanding of technical issues (e.g., fixity, authenticity, obsolescence, preservation metadata) through at least one relevant course and/or relevant experience.