Library Fellowship for Collections Management, Clark Art Institute Library

Williamstown, MA; July 2018 - December 2019

Digital Collection: Photographic Materials Fellowship Project 2019

As the Library Fellow for Collections Management at the Clark Art Institute Library, I developed a project centering on the identification, bibliographic record enrichment, and preservation of photographically illustrated books. The core component of this project began with a survey of approximately 250 volumes illustrated with original mounted photographs and photomechanical reproductions in the Library’s Stack collections. I reviewed bibliographies of photographically illustrated books and compared these records against the Library’s holdings. Noted titles held in the Library’s collection were paged first, then additional titles were located by sampling materials and extensively searching the catalog (Sierra). 

Selected materials range from the 1840s to the 1900s, and numerous photographic and photomechanical processes are represented. Once paged, the selected materials were assessed, starting with identifying the photographic illustration/photomechanical process present in each bound volume or individual print using Graphics Atlas. As materials containing photographic content were identified, I revised their bibliographic records to incorporate this information using descriptive cataloging in accordance with RDA/AACR2, MARC, LCC, and LCSH. Records were enriched with fields describing the volume’s imprint, binding notes, photographic printing or photomechanical reproduction process, photographer, and other elements.

I then completed preservation and conservation assessments to correct inadequate storage enclosures and remove deterioration factors, ultimately ensuring their longevity. Following this assessment and evaluation process, I reclassified 145 volumes into the Library’s Rare Books Collection in collaboration with the Collection Development Librarian, and selected approximately 70 volumes to be digitized at Boston Public Library (Digital Commonwealth/Internet Archive).

In June 2019, I had the privilege of attending a Rare Book School Course “The Identification of Photographic Print Processes” with the generous support of a Director’s Scholarship. This course enriched my understanding of the best practices for identification, dating, and examination processes for numerous photographic print processes, allowing for the most comprehensive and efficient approach in evaluating Clark Art Library materials. The skills acquired during this course were utilized throughout the Fellowship project workflow, as I identified prints, enriched bibliographic records, and addressed the preservation and conservation needs of each volume.

Browse project materials digitized by Boston Public Library here and view a description of the digital collection here.

View a list of books and photographs selected for digitization at BPL, with links to catalog records and e-books here.

View a list of books selected for transfer to the Library’s Rare Book Collection as a component of the project here.