These objectives and priorities were developed in alignment with Harvard Library objectives and priorities as outlined in the Multi-Year Goals and Objectives document. We relied on HL objectives 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 16, and 17 most closely.
Diversity and Inclusion
Objective: Champion diversity, inclusion, belonging, and anti-racism in our mission to provide access, discovery, and preservation of collections in our care and foster a diverse, inclusive, and anti-racist working environment.
Priority 1: Adopt and begin to implement Recommendations from D&I Working Group on Description and Cataloging, with a FY21 focus on:
Draft description ethos statement
Begin to identify and analyze problematic descriptions
Staff education and training
Start work to define and document specific best practices as they pertain to Houghton collections
Priority 2: Prioritize support for digital projects of materials by/about/for traditionally marginalized peoples.
FY21 focus on supporting the digital project: Slavery, Abolition, Emancipation, and Freedom: Primary Sources from Houghton Library
Priority 3: Foster an inclusive and welcoming environment for all staff in our department.
Staff will actively participate in education and training centered around DIBAR.
Develop an informal system for TS staff to engage with one another.
User-responsive/user-centered practices
Objective: Prioritizing user needs, focus our description of both materials and the entities related to those materials to reflect inclusivity, conscientiousness, and anti-racism.
Priority 4: Implement the SNAC policy, in consideration of the opportunity SNAC offers to connect Houghton collection materials to related creators, subjects, and further records, providing a unique, free, and international resource to users.
Priority 5: Provide training and develop documentation to promote inclusive and conscientious description of people, families, and groups, which can include SNAC training given to interested Technical Services staff members.
Priority 6: Collaborate with Houghton staff, especially Public Services, to develop and implement workflows for receiving and integrating user feedback on records, with a focus on improving description to be inclusive, conscientious, and anti-racist.
Collaboration across Houghton, Harvard and beyond
Objective: Create an accepting, supportive, non-stressful environment to empower individuals to share skills and discoveries both within and outside of Houghton.
Priority 7: Establish regular information sharing forums between TS and PS, such as those implemented by the Music Library Association. Use these forums, as well as social media, for teaching and communication (TS Teaches) across the library, especially regarding intentional and early transparency around TS/accessions and curators throughout the cycles of our work.
Priority 8: Collaborate with other Harvard repositories on born-digital preservation activities to strengthen this growing area of work individually and collectively. Identify and coordinate strategic partnerships with membership organizations (e.g. SPN, BitCurator Consortium, etc.) among repositories to strengthen capability to provide access to born-digital archives. Educate staff about born-digital systems.
Professional development
Objective: In recognition of a different climate for professional development learning this year, staff actively identify and participate in professional development opportunities that enhance individual skills and skills that support the missions of Houghton Library, Harvard Library, and the University in consultation with supervisors.
Priority 9: Take advantage of online learning opportunities from a variety of sources including, but not limited to, professional associations, educational institutions, and Harvard University by attending webinars, conferences, classes, and other related delivery methods. Participate and support Year of Professional Engagement endeavors, especially collaborative projects. Engage with DIBAR opportunities as outlined in the Technical Services Diversity & Inclusion group objectives.
Priority 10: Create a learning environment
Share professional development opportunities and best practices with colleagues by posting them on Houghton Library Teams under the Professional Development channel
Present information from attended professional development opportunities with the Technical Services staff
Due to the nature of remote learning, this will be an organic process. To measure individual progress, staff can include their participation in these programs, classes, and webinars through their regular progress reports.