A digital archivist organizes information into an electronic database, requiring computer skills and organization. They discuss archiving needs, locate materials, upload and organize them, assist in retrieving relevant items, and may give presentations.
A digital archivist is a person who adds and organizes information, such as documents or photos, into an electronic database. To be successful in this career, an individual generally must be interested in history, skilled in working with computers, and well-organized. In most cases, a digital archivist will be employed by a library, university or other organization. Some of the key job tasks include discussing archiving needs with managers, locating materials, uploading and organizing materials into a database, assisting in retrieving relevant items and delivering presentations.
Discussing archiving needs with managers is often the first thing a digital archivist will do when starting a project. The types of materials he can handle can vary considerably and can include items such as documents, photos, legal documents and newspapers. If he is working in a library, a digital archivist might be ordered to upload newspapers from a given year to a database. To perform his job efficiently, he must be able to listen carefully to instructions.
Once he knows what materials need to be archived, a digital archivist will locate those materials. This can be easy or difficult, depending on the nature and amount of materials. In many cases, he will need to be careful and gentle with sensitive materials, such as old documents that are of great importance.
After collecting the necessary materials, it is up to the digital archivist to upload them to a computer database. Typically this involves scanning each document and making sure it is clearly visible when viewed on a computer. Along with that, he will also need to organize the materials so that they can be found easily later on. This usually involves some sort of cataloging or classification system. Loading and sorting materials requires an individual with effective organizational skills.
Another duty of a digital archivist is to help people retrieve relevant items from a computer database. While the database it builds should be easily navigable, not everyone will understand how to use it. In this case, a digital archivist will help to familiarize a person with the database and find a specific item.
In addition, it can also run presentations from time to time. As a digital archivist usually has a background in history, it is relatively common for him to lecture on historical topics he has dealt with. If he’s working for a university, he’ll be lecturing to students. In a library work environment, he might lecture to patrons or the general public.
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