Nadia Sophie Seiler Rare Materials Residency: Difference between revisions
(Re-worked from a position description to summary)
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:''It’s satisfying to put the pieces of a puzzle together when we can, but it’s just as exciting to think of the undiscovered treasures that might be hiding in this collection.'' — Nadia Sophie Seiler
:''It’s satisfying to put the pieces of a puzzle together when we can, but it’s just as exciting to think of the undiscovered treasures that might be hiding in this collection.'' — Nadia Sophie Seiler


[http://collation.folger.edu/2014/08/in-memoriam-nadia-seiler/ Nadia Seiler's] passion for rare materials and for cataloging inspired all of us at the [[Folger Shakespeare Library]]. The Nadia Sophie Seiler Rare Materials Residency ("Seiler Residency" for short) is a nine-month term-limited position for new library professionals made possible by the Nadia Sophie Seiler Memorial Fund and hosted at the Folger. We who worked closely with Nadia are pleased and honored to be able to help ensure that our beloved colleague's memory lives on. Seeing the spark of enthusiasm for rare materials ignite the mind of a new librarian is seeing Nadia's spirit in the next generation.
The Nadia Sophie Seiler Rare Materials Residency is a nine-month term-limited position that provides library professionals with substantive exposure to rare materials cataloging. The residency is made possible by the [https://nadiasophieseiler.org/ Nadia Sophie Seiler Memorial Fund], in memory of [http://collation.folger.edu/2014/08/in-memoriam-nadia-seiler/ Nadia Sophie Seiler's] passion for books and libraries, with a goal of encouraging similar enthusiasm and expertise in the next generation of special collections librarians.


== Position description ==
==Seiler Residency at the Folger==
The Folger hosted the Seiler Residency for its first three years. The residents were integrated into the full, day-to-day life of Folger staff, participating in departmental meetings, joining the Saturday Reading Room rotation, attending talks, and contributing to the collegial environment. They worked directly with curators, researcher services, and other staff at all levels in order to gain a thorough and practical understanding of rare materials librarianship.


The Seiler Resident works hands-on with rare materials in the collection while being actively trained and mentored by Folger librarians. The focus is on rare materials cataloging, but the Seiler Resident also works directly with curators, researcher services, and other professionals in order to gain a thorough and practical understanding of rare materials librarianship. We hope that this person will be inspired to learn new things, discover true passions, and make meaningful contributions to scholars and as-yet-unknown audiences, within a rich and supportive environment.  
The residency's primary focus is rare materials cataloging. Seiler Residents chose projects from among several offerings, all selected with an eye to accommodating their own individual interests, institutional priorities, and available staff expertise; and were carried out with training and guidance of Folger catalogers. The residency culminated in a public presentation.  
*2016-2017: Anna Loewenthal. Anna advanced her facility with cataloging early printed English books, with a focus on the library’s large collection of almanacs. Public presentation: [[:File:CatalogingAlmanacs_Loewenthal_201705.pdf | '''Cataloging Almanacs''']]


The Seiler Resident is an integral part of the Folger staff, participating in departmental meetings, joining the Saturday Reading Room rotation (working at the Reading Room service desk on a Saturday approximately once every five or six weeks), attending talks, and contributing to the collegial environment on a professional level in order to gain genuine career-oriented experience.
*2017-2018: Brittney Washington. Brittney continued with cataloging early English printed books, with a special side focus on English Civil War broadsides. Public presentation: [[:File:Cataloging_English_Civil_Wars,_Broadsides.pdf | '''Cataloging English Civil Wars: Broadsides''']]


==Application procedure==
*2018-2019: Sara Schliep. Sara's residency was marked by a multiplicity of activities, allowing her to accomplish an overall goal of mastering English secretary hand. Pop-up exhibit: [[Small Latin and less Greek: A WhanThatAprilleDay pop-up exhibit |''' Inkhorn Controversy''']]. Public presentation: [[:File:Schliep Seiler Residency Presentation.pdf | '''Recipes, Name Authorities, and rules, oh my!''']]
Applicants are required to submit a cover letter and CV, and must have received a master's degree within the 18 months prior to application from a program [http://www.ala.org/accreditedprograms/directory accredited by the American Library Association]. The application deadline for the 2018/19 Residency was July 15, 2018.
<!--APPLICATION PROCEDURE STARTS HERE
Please see [http://www.folger.edu/employment-opportunities Employment Opportunities] on the Folger website for details.
Applicants are required to submit a cover letter and CV, and must have received a master's degree within the 18 months prior to application from a program [http://www.ala.org/accreditedprograms/directory accredited by the American Library Association]. The application '''deadline is July 15, 2018.'''
APPLICATION PROCEDURE ENDS HERE -->
==Potential projects==
* Developing and testing an updated manual for manuscripts cataloging at the Folger (continuing the work in progress begun by the 2017/18 Seiler Resident in collaboration with Deborah J. Leslie, and Drs. Erin Blake and Heather Wolfe).  
* Cataloging manuscripts from the 17th and 18th centuries at the item level
* Taking ''Introduction to English Paleography'', a week-long skills course taught by Dr. Heather Wolfe, the Folger’s Curator of Manuscripts, that will provide an intensive introduction to handwriting in early modern England, with a particular emphasis on the English secretary hand of the 16th- and 17th-centuries;
* Curating a “pop-up” exhibition for staff, researchers, and visitors that will be documented in Folgerpedia
* Assisting curators and conservators with mounting “Before Farm to Table” an exhibition on the culture of early modern foodways (in connection with a Mellon Initiative in Collaborative Research). Exhibition opens in January 2019, and is curated by Drs. Heather Wolfe and Amanda Herbert.
* Creating a new Finding Aid for a specific manuscript collection, which will add a comprehensive overview of a unique Folger Library collection to our resources and will include progressively detailed descriptions of the collection’s component parts;
* Continuing work on the [[Uncataloged Wings project]], a special project to bring records into Hamnet, the Folger’s publicly available online catalog, of previously uncataloged Wing collection holdings (books published in England between 1641 and 1700). This is an ongoing project begun by the first Seiler Resident, Anna Loewenthal, and continued by the second Seiler Resident, Brittney Washington. As such, it forms a direct link between past and present Seiler residents


== Key personnel ==
Nadia Sophie Seiler’s passion for rare materials and for cataloging inspired all of us at the [[Folger Shakespeare Library]]. We who worked closely with Nadia were pleased and honored to be able to help ensure that our beloved colleague's memory lives on. Seeing the spark of enthusiasm for rare materials ignite the mind of a new librarian is seeing Nadia's spirit in the next generation.
Key personnel for the 2018/19 residency:
* Julie Swierczek, Associate Librarian for Collection Description and Imaging (supervisor)
* Erin Blake, Senior Cataloger
* Deborah J. Leslie, Senior Cataloger
* Heather Wolfe, Curator of Manuscripts


==Current status==
Since the 2021-2022 academic year, the Seiler Residency has been hosted by [https://britishart.yale.edu/nadia-sophie-seiler-rare-materials-residency/ The Yale Center for British Art]. New opportunities are announced on [https://rbms.info/blog/category/news-events/ RBMS News & Events], [https://listserver.lib.byu.edu/mailman/listinfo/dcrm-l DCRM-L], and other professional websites and lists. More information on the Nadia Sophie Seiler Memorial Fund is available [https://nadiasophieseiler.org/ here]. 


== Past talks  ==
*[[:File:CatalogingAlmanacs_Loewenthal_201705.pdf | '''Cataloging Almanacs''']] by Anna Loewenthal, 2016/17 Seiler Resident
*[[:File:Cataloging_English_Civil_Wars,_Broadsides.pdf | '''Cataloging English Civil Wars: Broadsides''']] by Brittney Washington, 2017/18 Seiler Resident
*[[:File:Schliep Seiler Residency Presentation.pdf | '''Recipes, Name Authorities, and rules, oh my!''']] by Sara Schliep, 2018/19 Seiler Resident
== Time-table ==
*'''May and June 2018''': Solicit applications through library schools and their alumni networks, discussion lists, and social media, and in person at the RBMS Conference and the ALA Conference.
*'''July 2018''': Review proposals and select candidate.
*'''October 2018''': Resident joins the Folger staff for nine months
*'''December 2018''': Resident takes week-long paleography course at the Folger
*'''February 2019''': Resident meets with representatives of the Nadia Sophie Seiler Memorial Fund
*'''April 2019''': Based on the Resident's experience, and in consultation with the Resident and representatives of the Fund, prepare materials for the 2019/2020 Nadia Sophie Seiler Rare Materials Cataloging Residency 
*'''June 2019''': Nadia Sophie Seiler Rare Materials Cataloging Resident attends the [http://rbms.info/conferences/ RBMS Conference].
*'''June/July 2019''': Residency culminates with the Resident's public talk on a topic relevant to the substantive experience gained during the residency


[[Category: Cataloging]]
[[Category: Cataloging]]
[[Category: Residency]]
[[Category: Residency]]
[[Category: Folger Shakespeare Library]]
[[Category: Folger Shakespeare Library]]

Revision as of 15:59, 29 March 2023

It’s satisfying to put the pieces of a puzzle together when we can, but it’s just as exciting to think of the undiscovered treasures that might be hiding in this collection. — Nadia Sophie Seiler

The Nadia Sophie Seiler Rare Materials Residency is a nine-month term-limited position that provides library professionals with substantive exposure to rare materials cataloging. The residency is made possible by the Nadia Sophie Seiler Memorial Fund, in memory of Nadia Sophie Seiler's passion for books and libraries, with a goal of encouraging similar enthusiasm and expertise in the next generation of special collections librarians.

Seiler Residency at the Folger

The Folger hosted the Seiler Residency for its first three years. The residents were integrated into the full, day-to-day life of Folger staff, participating in departmental meetings, joining the Saturday Reading Room rotation, attending talks, and contributing to the collegial environment. They worked directly with curators, researcher services, and other staff at all levels in order to gain a thorough and practical understanding of rare materials librarianship.

The residency's primary focus is rare materials cataloging. Seiler Residents chose projects from among several offerings, all selected with an eye to accommodating their own individual interests, institutional priorities, and available staff expertise; and were carried out with training and guidance of Folger catalogers. The residency culminated in a public presentation.

  • 2016-2017: Anna Loewenthal. Anna advanced her facility with cataloging early printed English books, with a focus on the library’s large collection of almanacs. Public presentation: Cataloging Almanacs
  • 2017-2018: Brittney Washington. Brittney continued with cataloging early English printed books, with a special side focus on English Civil War broadsides. Public presentation: Cataloging English Civil Wars: Broadsides

Nadia Sophie Seiler’s passion for rare materials and for cataloging inspired all of us at the Folger Shakespeare Library. We who worked closely with Nadia were pleased and honored to be able to help ensure that our beloved colleague's memory lives on. Seeing the spark of enthusiasm for rare materials ignite the mind of a new librarian is seeing Nadia's spirit in the next generation.

Current status

Since the 2021-2022 academic year, the Seiler Residency has been hosted by The Yale Center for British Art. New opportunities are announced on RBMS News & Events, DCRM-L, and other professional websites and lists. More information on the Nadia Sophie Seiler Memorial Fund is available here.