Technical Services Department FY21 Objectives and Priorities

Owned by Susan Pyzynski
Last updated: May 05, 2021 by Linda Isaac

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. 

Updates on progress were added on April 28, 2021.

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

Update: The ethos statement (Harmful Language on Archival Description) was implemented as a Harvard Library wide initiative. It is both a stand alone web page and also linked to from Hollis for Archival Discovery. A task group has been charged by the Joint Processing Guidelines Working Group (Reparative Archival Description Task Force) to identify harmful terms in Harvard Library finding aids. Additionally, the Manuscript Section has begun to analyze MARC records and associated finding aids that use the LCSH term “slave.” The MS Section has also begun a project to correct our instances of Mrs. Husband’s Name. We completed the 500 collection level instances and have begun to look at occurrences at the archival object level. 

The Book Section has created multiple analytics reports to compare holdings in libraries on problematic/offensive subject headings and has been meeting regularly to discuss alternative term recommendations.  The compiled recommendations will be funneled through the MSWG SACO DIBAR Task Group to effect global changes (“enslaved people” was the first term submitted to the Library of Congress for an open dialogue).  Problematic descriptions in name authority files are also being discussed with other HL/HCL stakeholders for proper standardized procedure recommendations.

The Technical Services Department has met monthly since October to engage with and discuss the Conscious and Inclusive Learning Agenda. Members of the department have reported positive experiences with the format of the learning agenda, gaining confidence with public speaking and developing working relationships with members of the department. Dorothy’s FY20 YPE project on Black Face Minstrelsy was completed. She produced a report outlining best practices for moving forward, which is in the early stages of implementation. Additionally, best practices are being developed for describing persons with disabilities in the performing arts and collections documenting Native Americans.

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

Update: This project is on track and running smoothly. Dorothy received an Advancing Open Knowledge grant that will allow for further development of transcribing handwritten manuscripts, funds for interpretive essays to be written, as well as exploring the collection/collection metadata and description as data.

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. 

Update: Members of the department are enrolled in the Houghton Library-wide DIBAR training options. Additionally, many have attended domain specific trainings and webinars. The informal system for engagement has not yet taken shape. 

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. 

Update: Complete! See on the TS Wiki: https://harvardwiki.atlassian.net/wiki/display/HoughtonTechnicalServices/Authorities

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. 

Update: Over the year, a number of staff have taken SNAC training (Annalisa, Michael, Lilli, Christina, Irina (May), Monique (summer)). The MS Section is creating roughly 20 SNAC records a month. Most Houghton SNAC editors attended an all-Harvard event with SNAC trainers for updates and troubleshooting.

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.

Update: Through Betts and Zoe’s YPE project, a proposed Harvard Library wide feedback form for incorporating user feedback into description and cataloging is being proposed with various standing committees and working groups.

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.

Update: This has yet to really take shape; however a new combined accessioning form is being developed which will provide opportunities for Collections and Technical Services to communicate in a more structured way around appraisal, research value, and collection development policy alignment. We will likely implement a way in both the combined accessions form and Alma to track collections that fall into the Collections Division Diversity initiatives. 

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.

Update: Harvard joined the Software Preservation Network and is participating in the Emulation as a Service Infrastructure pilot project. Monique is the project lead and Vernica serves in an advisory capacity. Monique has given several presentations to the MS Section as well as the Department on born-digital topics, with another one scheduled for May. Through her role on the Stewardship Standing Committee, Monique will lead a task group in surveying the digital preservation landscape at Harvard. A task force will soon be charged by the Joint Processing Guidelines Working Group to create a Harvard Library wide approach to describing born-digital archives.

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.

Update: Technical Services staff have continued to take part in online learning opportunities. 

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. 

Update: Technical Services staff generally present on a conference they attended at a Department or Section meeting. Francis started a page on our Wiki (Professional Development Presentations and Webinars) outlining the training opportunities he took advantage of; this is meant to be an active page, added to by staff members. TS staff are active on the Teams Professional Development channel.