The Association of Moving Image Archivists Pathways' Fellowship selects SSHMP as a host site to train and develop the next generation of diverse archivists

In collaboration with the Association of Moving Image Archivist’s Pathways Fellowship program (funded by the IMLS), SSHMP will provide hands-on training and professional development experience so that a person from a traditionally underrepresented community may have a pathway to join the field of moving image archives and audiovisual preservation.

The priority of the fellowship will be to support SSHMP’s effort to make unprocessed collections accessible online through digitization and cataloguing. Working with Project Archivist & Manager Justin D. Williams, the SSHMP Collections & Cataloguing Fellow will catalog newly added films and collections by creating metadata; generate descriptive information by identifying and researching subjects and places seen in films, and properly catalog all of this information in our online database following established guidelines. When not assigned new films, The Collections & Cataloguing Fellow will review the online catalog and identify opportunities for further research or detailed description.

Click here to learn more about the AMIA Pathways program, see the complete list of host sites, and how to apply for the AMIA Pathways fellowship.

SSHMP Collections & Cataloguing Fellow
10 Week Summer Fellowship (Chicago, IL, in-person)
DATES: Late June/Early July 2022 - Aug 2022
APPLICATION OPEN UNTIL APRIL 15th

Click here to download a PDF of the SSHMP Collections & Cataloguing fellowship description and application details.

Fellowship Description & Duties

In collaboration with the Association of Moving Image Archivist’s Pathways Fellowship program (funded by the IMLS), South Side Home Movie Project (SSHMP) is seeking a paid Collections & Cataloguing Fellow for the summer of 2022 to assist in archival processing activities, cataloguing and description of new films in the SSHMP archive, and provide limited support the activation and exploration of the catalog at public cataloguing events.

The priority of the fellowship will be to support SSHMP’s effort to make unprocessed collections accessible online through digitization and cataloguing. Working with Project Archivist & Manager Justin D. Williams, the SSHMP Collections & Cataloguing Fellow will catalog newly added films and collections by creating metadata; generate descriptive information by identifying and researching subjects and places seen in films, and properly catalog all of this information in our online database following established guidelines. When not assigned new films, The Collections & Cataloguing Fellow will review the online catalog and identify opportunities for further research or detailed description.

A secondary goal of the fellowship is for the Fellow to choose to support an ongoing community-engaged project. Possible projects might be: researching and creating a featured page on the project website about a related set of films that explores a certain theme; supporting community programming events during the summer, or conducting a watch party with a donor family to learn more about select films from their family collection.

Possible Duties would include:

• Regularly meets with Project Archivist to participate in collective assessment of new materials and to create an effective plan for processing and cataloguing the materials
• Creates metadata records and annotations for films using cataloguing guidelines and researching people, places or events in film footage
• Tasks associated with maintenance and improvement of digital archive including, reviewing captions, fixing annotations, determining subjects to be identified
• Assist with in-person community cataloguing programming
• Conducts a research project of their own design about a collection or themed content with tangible goals and outputs that can be hosted on our website and supports the mission of the South Side Home Movie Project

Required Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Strong research and analytical skills
Ability to work independently and attention to detail
Demonstrated interest in film, cultural studies, archives, or public history

Desired Skills and Qualifications

Film handling and film preservation experience
Familiarity with filmmaking principles and practice
Familiarity with databases, cataloguing, or project management tools
Familiarity with digital media assets, file formats, and editing software

Work Requirements & Compensation

In alignment with the AMIA Pathways program, the Collections & Cataloguing Fellow is intended to work for South Side Home Movie Project 30 hours a week (including the 3-hour PD workshops) on a fixed schedule determined by the Fellow and the Archivist/Project Manager. This practicum is intended to be conducted in Chicago, on-site and in person beginning in late June/early July. Hybrid or remote work will be implemented according to university or city COVID public health recommendations. Compensation will be $22hr for a total of $6,600.

Application Instructions

1) Please submit a cover letter and resumé to Justin D. Williams at jdwill@uchicago.edu for consideration by April 15th, 2022.

2) All interested applications must also submit an application directly to AMIA Pathways to be considered for this fellowship by April 15, 2022.

Learn more about the AMIA Pathways program here: https://amianet.org/about/amia-pathways/apply-for-a-pathways-fellowship/

Send application and inquiries to:
Justin D. Williams, Archivist & Project Manager
South Side Home Movie Project
jdwill@uchicago.edu