VIVA Special Collections Committee
Minutes
February 13, 1998
University of Virginia
Attendance: Lucious Edwards (VSU), Edward Gaynor (UVa), Robert Vay for Paul Koda (GMU), Jay Gaidmore for Joyce Ogburn (ODU), Jodi Koste (VCU), Elsie Weatherington (VSU) chair, Theresa Byrd, Chair, VIVA Steering Committee
The Chair opened the meeting by introducing and welcoming Theresa Byrd, chair of the VIVA Steering Committee.
400th Timeline Project
A web print of the 400th anniversary timeline project was sent around the table for members to see the latest update made to the homepage. Chair encouraged coordinators to continue to send data to Gail McMillan according to the criteria established by the Special Collections Committee in Fall 1997. The timeline is very well structured with a wealth of information for the data that currently is linked to the homepage.
Grant Writer Position
The Special Collections Committee members discussed an alternative plan for securing the services of a grant writer who will be referred to as a consultant in future references. The term consultant provides a broader scope for the position. Because of the bureaucracy encountered in establishing a part time position, the consultant will be hired through VIVA as an organization. Funds will be redirected from the participating doctoral institutions, except ODU to fund the position. The goal is to hire a consultant who can write the grant in the current fiscal year. Timelines were established to advertise on the VIVA homepage, Special Collections listservs and personal contacts. By February 20, 1998 the ad will be posted by the following Committee members: Archives List and EAD, Edward Gaynor; ExLibris, Jodi Koste; Consort, Kathy Perry; and Virginia History, John Kneebone. Elsie will contact Robert Vaughn at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. The Special Collections Committee will begin to review resumes on March 1, 1998 (The ad will request that resumes be sent to Elsie for distribution). The Special Collections Committee will meet at VSU on Tuesday, March 10, 1998 to decide on a candidate.
The Special Collections Committee recognizes that a major task in the Project is the assessment of core archival collections at the public institutions which must be accomplished even if a consultant can not be secured in the current time frame. Therefore, the March 10, 1998 meeting will also be a working session designed to draft a survey instrument. After much debate concerning a definition or criteria for core collections at each institution, members decided that each Coordinator would determine their core collection as it relates to Virginia History. Some guidelines included condition of materials, format materials in machine readable format, etc.
The next meeting as mentioned above will be held at VSU, Tuesday, March 10, 1998, 10:30 am in the 2nd floor Conference Room. Lucious Edwards is making lunch arrangements.
GRANT WRITER FOR THE VIRGINIA HERITAGE COLLECTIONS PROJECT
VIVA, the Virtual Library of Virginia (http://viva.va.us...), is a consortium of 39 state-assisted colleges and universities within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The VIVA Special Collections Committee (http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/viva ...) seeks a grant writer to develop a funding proposal for a the Virginia Heritage Collections Project, a virtual archive of materials from all major research institutions in the Commonwealth.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS POSITION INCLUDE:
- Write a full project description based on the existing draft (http://www.lib.virginia.edu/speccol/viva/proposaldraft.html) to be used as the basis for grant applications
- Develop a long-range plan for continuing the work of the Virginia Heritage Collections Project at the completion of the grant period
- Investigate possible sources of funding
- Prepare a description of materials held by participating institutions
- Develop a technical plan for the Project
- Develop plans for disseminating the results of the Project.
QUALIFICATIONS:
REQUIRED
- experience in writing and securing grants
- ability to organize, plan, and meet deadlines
- ability to work with diverse personnel and groups form a variety of institutions
PREFERRED
- knowledge of special collections and archival (with historical, original, primary resources)
- experience working in a research library and/or academic setting
- experience with digitization projects and appropriate hardware and software (for example:EAD, SGML)
This is a full-time position housed at the University of Virginia Library, Special Collections Department. Employment period will be April 1 - September 30, 1998.
Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest, resume, and phone numbers of three (3) references. A writing sample may be requested later. The Search Committee will begin reviewing letters of interest on March 1, 1998 until the position is filled.
http://spec.lib.vt.edu/viva/minutes980213.html