MLC Practicum

I have learned a lot during the time that I have been at the Mississippi Library Commission. I created a numbering system for the photographs that corresponds with a finding aid.  I learned how to create a finding aid, using metadata to describe each picture.  I also had to identify objects in some pictures (I had no idea what at TWX machine was!). After scanning each picture, I placed them in file folders labeled with the county name on it.
The numbering system will be beneficial when a researcher searches for a photograph on the finding aid. The researcher will be able to find the correct photo by the county name and the photograph number.
I learned how the libraries changed over time.  Most have been remodeled at some point.  Some of the pictures that I was working with dates back to the 1940's. Some photographs even showed libraries when they were segregated. 

TWX Machine

Sample of finding aid

The Mississippi Library Commission posted a blog concerning my internship.  The blog can be seen here: Mississippi Library Commission

July 25, 2016 through July 29, 2016

This week I will finish my practicum by completing the finding aid and scanning pictures for the following counties: Wilkinson County, Yalobusha County, and Yazoo County.

July 18, 2016 through July 22, 2016

This week I created a finding aid and scanned pictures for the following counties: Washington County and Webster County.

July 11, 2016 through July 15, 2016

I completed the finding aid and scanning of pictures for the following counties: Sunflower County, Tallahatchi County, Tate County, Tippah County, Tishomingo County, Tunica County, Walthall County and Warren County.

July 5, 2016 through July 8, 2016

This week, I started the finding aid and scanning pictures for Sunflower County.

June 27, 2016 through July 1, 2016

I compiled a finding aid and used the file names used in the finding aid to scan pictures in of the following counties: Sharkey County, Simpson County, Smith County, Stone County.

June 20, 2016 through June 24, 2016

This week I completed scanning pictures, and creating a finding aid for Quitman County, Rankin County and Scott County.

June 13, 2016 through June 17, 2016

I created a finding aid for each of the following counties.  I also labeled the back of each picture with pencil. Each picture has was labeled using the same file name that was used in the finding aid.  I completed the following counties this week: Noxubee County, Oktibbeha County, Panola County, Pearl River County, Perry County, Pike County, Pontotoc County, Prentiss County.

June 6, 2016 through June 10, 2016

This week I created a finding aid and scanned in pictures from the following counties: Marion County, Marshall County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Neshoba County, and Newton County.

May 31, 2016 through June 3, 2016

This week I completed Lowndes County and Madison County.  I labeled each picture with the corresponding code in the finding aid that I am creating so that each picture can be found easier. I also scanned these pictures in so that they are available electronically. I also learned what a TWX machine was. I had never seen one so I had to ask what it was and what it did.  I learned that it created a punched tape for interlibrary loan purposes.

May 23, 2016 through May 27, 2016

For this week, I completed the collections of Lauderdale County, Lawrence County, Leake County, Lee County, Leflore County and Lincoln County.  I started on the Lowndes County Collection. Each of these were described in a finding aid, labeled (on the back of each photo), and scanned.

May 16, 2016 through May 20, 2016

This week I completed the collections for Lamar County, and began on Lauderdale County.  These collections were described in a finding aid, and were scanned.  I labeled the back of each picture with the file name to coincides with the scanned image and finding aid so that they could be located at a later date. 

May 9, 2016 through May 13, 2016

In the second week of my practicum, I completed Kemper County and Lafayette County.   These collections were described in a finding aid, and were scanned. I also labeled the back of these pictures with the name of the file that was used when the pictures were scanned. 

May 2, 2016 through May 6, 2016

This was the first week of my practicum at the Mississippi Library Commission. I am excited because this practicum will enhance my knowledge of public libraries.  My experience has been mainly in the medical library field.
On the first week, I became familiar with how the project was set up by a former internist. I described pictures by adding them to a finding aid, and then scanned these pictures in. This first week, I completed the collection from Jones County, and began the collection from Kemper County.