Portfolio
Foundations of Library & Information Studies
Project Title:
John Swenson Collection Survey, Appraisal, and Acquisition Project
Project Description:
This project involved the collaborative appraisal and survey of the John Swenson Collection, an approximately 34-linear-foot body of personal papers documenting the five-decade career of the late music journalist, critic, and author John Swenson. Working in tandem with a classmate, I conducted an on-site review of thirty-six boxes of materials–including manuscripts, correspondence, notebooks, photographs, and audio cassettes–housed in the donor’s home. We assessed the collection’s research value, preservation needs, and potential repository placements, ultimately recommending a split custodianship between Tulane University’s Hogan Archive of New Orleans Music and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Archives. The project combined theoretical readings on archival appraisal with practical decision-making, donor collaboration, and ethical and contextual evaluation.
Methods:
To carry out this project, my class partner and I conducted an on-site appraisal of the John Swenson Collection at the donor’s (his wife Barbara Mathe) residence in Brooklyn. Over the course of several weeks, we systematically surveyed thirty-six boxes of materials including photographs, manuscripts, press clippings, correspondence, notebooks, and audio cassettes with interviews, documenting Swenson’s decades-long career as a music journalist. We began by developing a box-level inventory and condition assessment, noting signs of deterioration such as brittle newsprint, rusting fasteners, and potential mold exposure. Using a shared spreadsheet, we recorded content summaries, format types, and preservation concerns for each container. As we progressed and became more familiar with the collection and its creator, we refined our workflow, moving from item-level to representative sampling in order to increase efficiency while maintaining descriptive accuracy. This process was supplemented by frequent conversations with the donor, Barbara Mathe, who provided valuable context about Swenson’s working habits, publication history, and professional networks.
Following our physical survey, we collaboratively drafted a comprehensive appraisal report that integrated both our empirical findings with theoretical frameworks studied throughout the semester. We evaluated the collection through multiple appraisal lenses, including Schellenberg’s evidential and informational value, Cook’s concept of macro-appraisal, and Caswell’s feminist and community-centered approaches to archival ethics. These frameworks helped us contextualize Swenson’s body of work within broader cultural, social, and documentary value systems. The final stage of the project involved proposing repository recommendations based on subject specialization, access potential, and alignment with institutional collecting policies–culminating in our recommendation for a split custodianship between Tulane University’s Hogan Archive and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Archives. Together, these steps formed a holistic, theory-informed, and practice-driven approach to archival appraisal.
My Role:
I co-authored this work with fellow student Allegra Mathew. All tasks and components were equally collaborative and shared, save for the post-project reflection paper which I authored alone.
Learning Outcome Achieved:
Foundations of Library and Information Studies–Apply core concepts and theories to information collection, organization and access in multiple environments.
Rationale:
This project demonstrates my ability to apply core concepts and theories of library and information science to information collection, organization, and access in a real-world archival environment. Working with the John Swenson Collection required me to translate theoretical frameworks from appraisal and archival studies into practical decision-making, bringing the classroom into the field. Throughout the process, I drew upon foundational theories from archival thinkers like Jenkinson, Schellenberg, and Cook to evaluate evidential and informational value, as well as more contemporary frameworks from the likes of Caswell, Samuels, and Fisher who emphasize ideas like inclusivity, social context, and community collaboration. Applying these theories allowed me to move beyond abstract principles and interpret a real collection’s cultural and historical significance within its creation and use environments. This experience reinforced how LIS theories actively shape appraisal practice, helping archivists determine not only what to preserve, but how to document the human and contextual relationships embedded within collections.
In alignment with the Foundations of Library & Information Studies learning outcome, this project showcases a strong understanding of how theoretical knowledge influences the organization and accessibility of information across diverse environments. It required me to combine critical analysis, ethical reasoning, and contextual awareness in order to develop a sustainable plan for preservation and access. By integrating theory with fieldwork, I was able to create an appraisal framework that respected the collection’s provenance while also considering user needs, donor relationships, and institutional contexts. Ultimately, this project exemplifies how core LIS principles like information organization, access, and contextual understanding can be deftly applied to a complex, living archival collection.
Technology
Project Title:
Text Message Acquisition Project
Project Description:
As an exploratory digital preservation project, I investigated the acquisition and preservation of text messages as born-digital materials, taking into consideration their potential archival and cultural value. Using the iMazing application and open-source tools like DBeaver, I developed a workflow to extract, query, and analyze text message data from an iPhone backup, ultimately producing a SQLite database of message records. The project highlighted both the accessibility of consumer tools and the technical and ethical limitations inherent in personal digital preservation.
Methods:
To carry out this project, I began by identifying text messages as a form of born-digital material with potential archival value but which currently present unique acquisition and preservation challenges. I first conducted background research on existing tools and methodologies used in digital forensics and personal archiving to understand how text message data can be extracted and preserved. From this research, I selected iMazing—a consumer-friendly application compatible with iPhones—as the most practical tool for this experiment. With iMazing, I created a full backup of my own device, ensuring all data remained within ethical bounds by using only my personal messages and redacting all potentially identifying information. I then located the backup file containing the text message database, identified its filename through technical documentation, and extracted it for further analysis.
Next, I employed DBeaver, an open-source SQL database management tool, to open and query the resulting SQLite file. This allowed me to explore the structure of the data, test basic SQL commands, and retrieve message content in both chronological and reverse order. I documented each step with screenshots and workflow notes in order to ensure that the process could be easily replicated by others. Through this hands-on process, I was able to bridge theoretical discussions of access, preservation, and file structure with practical technical application and ultimately produced a functional workflow for acquiring and examining text message data in a preservation context.
My Role:
I am the single author of this work.
Learning Outcome Achieved:
Technology–Students can select and apply tools and technologies used in the field to improve information functions.
Rationale:
This project demonstrates my ability to select and apply digital tools and technologies used in the field and in the real world in order to improve information functions, particularly in the areas of access, retrieval, and preservation of born-digital content. By designing and executing a workflow for acquiring and analyzing text messages, I effectively used a combination of consumer and open-source technologies–in this case both iMazing and DBeaver–to manage and interpret complex digital data structures. The project required not only familiarity with database management systems but also the application of SQL queries and command-line navigation, showcasing an understanding of how such tools can support digital preservation goals.
In line with the Technology learning outcome, this work illustrates my capacity to troubleshoot technology issues and articulate a clear problem-solving process. When confronted with barriers to accessing Apple’s proprietary data formats, I identified alternative tools, researched community-based technical documentation, and adjusted my workflow accordingly. Ultimately, the project serves as a practical application of theoretical knowledge to a real-world challenge, demonstrating my ability to leverage multiple digital tools to facilitate the preservation and management of personal digital archives.
Research
Project Title:
Social Media Archiving in Practice: A Troubled Landscape in Review
Project Description:
This research paper–which was eventually published in the peer-reviewed scholarly journal The Serials Librarian–explored the complex technological, ethical, and legal challenges faced by archivists in preserving social media content. Drawing from case studies such as the Library of Congress Twitter Archive, I examined how social media platforms’ structures and policies impede sustainable preservation, while highlighting the emergence of grassroots “community-built archives” as vital alternatives. The paper incorporates deep, multi-layered research on archival theory and digital preservation issues in order to articulate the stakes surrounding the loss of born-digital cultural material.
Methods:
For this research paper, I was meant to review an issue or trend in the information field, and I began by identifying a contemporary issue within archival studies–namely the preservation of social media. I then conducted an extensive literature review across scholarly journals, institutional reports, case studies and contemporary news sources while examining major theoretical and practical frameworks for digital preservation. I focused on works by scholars like Leisa Gibbons, Clifford Lynch, and Amelia Acker, whose research provided me with a foundational understanding of the technological and ethical dimensions of social media archiving. I then gathered case studies, including the Library of Congress Twitter Archive, and analyzed institutional responses to the challenges of archiving large-scale, user-generated data. Throughout this process, I synthesized information from both library science and media studies sources to create a balanced and interdisciplinary overview.
After compiling my research, I organized the paper around three key themes: technological/methodological, legal/ethical, and community-based challenges, in order to illustrate the interconnected barriers faced by archivists and institutions. I also incorporated examples from news articles and policy documents to demonstrate real-world implications of data loss and preservation inaction. My final paper was written with a clear narrative structure that could make the complexities of social media archiving accessible to LIS professionals and students alike, and was subsequently published in the peer-reviewed journal The Serials Librarian in 2024.
My Role:
I am the single author of this work.
Learning Outcome Achieved:
Research–Investigate information environments and users’ needs, behaviors, and experiences through appropriate research methods and analysis.
Rationale:
This thoroughly researched paper demonstrates my ability to investigate information environments and users’ needs, behaviors, and experiences through comprehensive research and analysis. My work here was guided by a clear research question–how archivists and institutions can effectively preserve social media content given its technical, ethical, and legal complexities–and the resulting review contributes to the field by addressing a relatively underexplored and unresolved area of digital preservation. The paper reflects goal-oriented research that combines archival theory with real-world case studies, offering a nuanced perspective on how social media platforms function as both sites of cultural and personal memory and barriers to preservation.
In alignment with the Research—Investigate learning outcome, I employed a wide range of scholarly and professional sources, from peer-reviewed journal articles to institutional policy documents, and even incorporated personal archival experiences. This breadth of evidence allowed me to critically analyze the evolving landscape of social media archiving while grounding my conclusions in data, precedent, and ethical reflection. The paper drew connections between institutional limitations and grassroots archival practices, resulting in a well-supported and thoughtfully cited piece of scholarship that can meaningfully contribute to ongoing conversations in the LIS field.
Ethical/Creative/Critical Practice
Project Title:
Invisible Histories Metadata Collection
Project Description:
This was the final paper for the LIS Practicum course, detailing my experiences working as an Archive and Research Intern at Invisible Histories Project (IHP), a community-based archival organization dedicated to preserving LGBTQ+ histories of the Deep South. The paper details the numerous projects I worked on and initiated while there, which included building and implementing a metadata collection manual and a donor database, along with working on a metadata collection project for an LGBTQ+ newspaper collection from Georgia.
Methods:
To carry out this practicum project, I first completed the only task assigned to me by Invisible Histories as part of their Southern Voice metadata collection initiative. My work began with the systematic review of digitized issues of the Southern Voice newspaper (1988–1995), from which I extracted and organized relevant data–including names of people, organizations, events, and places–into a structured Excel spreadsheet provided by IHP. Throughout this process, I encountered inconsistent data practices among my fellow team members both past and present, prompting me to document these challenges and propose methods for standardization.
Building on these observations, I independently initiated and developed two additional projects to improve the sustainability and consistency of IHP’s workflows. First, I created a comprehensive metadata collection manual that expanded upon the brief “Getting Started Guide” that was, at the time, the only set of instructions being given to IHP’s interns. To do so, I reviewed existing metadata files, compiled questions raised by my peers, and researched library and archival standards including Library of Congress Name Authorities, Subject Headings, ISO 8601 date formats, and Wikidata identifiers. The manual integrated these standards into clear, step-by-step instructions aimed at reducing duplication and improving metadata reliability across the work of future interns.
In addition, I designed a potential donor file to support IHP’s future collection-building efforts. Drawing from the names identified during metadata collection, I compiled biographical and contact details for potential donors, standardizing entries through authority control systems and linked-data identifiers. This process involved extensive independent research using both archival and public online sources. Together, these steps combined practical metadata work, applied archival theory, and research-based initiatives in order to strengthen Invisible Histories’ long-term documentation and donor outreach capacity.
My Role:
I am the single author of this work.
Learning Outcome Achieved:
Ethical/Creative/Critical practice–Apply core ethical principles to professional practice and understand the broad impact of information on society. Students can raise critical questions about information, its production, dissemination, storage and preservation.
Rationale:
My practicum projects with the Invisible Histories Project (IHP) demonstrate my ability to apply core ethical principles to professional archival practice and to critically interrogate the processes by which information is produced, organized, and preserved. In navigating the challenges of an under-resourced community archive, I confronted real-world questions about labor equity, metadata ethics, and the role of archivists and archival volunteers in shaping access to marginalized histories. Recognizing the absence of clear standards and the risk of inconsistent or exclusionary metadata, I developed a comprehensive manual that stressed utilitarian and ethical information practices like authority control, standardization, and inclusivity in description. By incorporating tools like Library of Congress Name Authority Files and Wikidata, I sought to both improve data consistency and ensure that the representation of Southern LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations was accurate, respectful, and discoverable. This work reflected an understanding of the broad societal impact of information and how even seemingly technical choices in metadata can reinforce or challenge systemic erasure.
These projects also pushed me to consider the ethical choices that archivists make and how those decisions affect what is preserved and shared. I questioned why redundant manual metadata collection was being undertaken when digitized, OCR-accessible versions of the Southern Voice already existed elsewhere, raising broader concerns about the value, visibility, and sustainability of community-based archival labor. In designing solutions to improve documentation workflows and donor outreach, I demonstrated not only technical competence but also an ethical commitment to transparency, efficiency, and care in the stewardship of underrepresented histories. I am including this project as evidence of this learning outcome because it captures my ability to move beyond procedural tasks and engage critically with the moral and social dimensions of archival work–applying ethical principles to practice while interrogating how information is produced, disseminated, and preserved within a broader cultural and institutional context.
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