Sample interview questions: Can you share an example of a time when you had to advocate for the digitization or online access of special collections materials to improve public engagement?
Sample answer:
In my role as a Special Collections Librarian at the University of California, Berkeley, I spearheaded a project to digitize and provide online access to a rare and fragile collection of 19th-century photographs depicting the early history of California.
The photographs, housed in the Bancroft Library’s Pictorial Collection, had significant historical and cultural value but were extremely vulnerable to damage. Digitization offered a solution to preserve the collection while making it more accessible to researchers, students, and the general public.
I recognized that digitization could enhance public engagement with the collection by:
- Increasing Accessibility: Online access would allow individuals from around the world to view and explore the photographs without having to visit the library in person.
- Expanding Educational Opportunities: Researchers and students could incorporate the images into their coursework and publications, broadening the impact of the collection.
- Preserving Cultural Heritage: Digitization would safeguard the photographs agains… Read full answer
Source: https://hireabo.com/job/18_0_6/Special%20Collections%20Librarian