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PCC Archives & Digital Collections and Digitization Skills Certificate Programs

A Guide for prospective/current/alumni students to learn more about the Archives & Digital Collections Assistant Certificate of Achievement and Digitization Skills for Libraries & Cultural Heritage Institution Occupational Skills Certificate Programs.

DIGITIZATION SKILLS FOR LIBRARIES AND CULTURAL HERITAGE INSTITUTIONS (Occupational Skills Certificate -  4 courses, 8 units) 

This Occupational Skills Certificate prepares students for work in digital repositories found in libraries, archives, museums, and business settings.

PCC interns helping Cal State LA to complete digitization projects of theses, newspapers and bookplates.

Digitization Skills Certificate: Program Description and Required Courses & Sample Schedule

DIGITIZATION SKILLS CERTIFICATE PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Preparation for work with digital collections in libraries, archives, museums, and business settings. Practical instruction in project planning, digitization, metadata, copyright, and end-user access to digital materials. Gain practical experience using industry standards. Courses are offered online as Distance Education courses.

*Occupational Skills Certificates are verified internally by each Division and are not noted on transcripts.


REQUIRED COURSES & SAMPLE SCHEDULE


FALL

LIB 121 - INTRODUCTION TO TECHNOLOGIES FOR DIGITAL COLLECTIONS (3 units)

Course Description: 
Basic processes of digital repositories including assessing collection materials, scanning, managing files for preservation, quality control and the use of digital asset management systems. 

Student Learning Outcomes - Students will be assessed on their ability to:

1. Identify the challenges and options relating to selection, imaging and delivery of digital objects.   2. Create digital objects using imaging equipment and digital asset management software

 

LIB 123 - INTRODUCTION TO COPYRIGHT ISSUES FOR DIGITAL COLLECTIONS (1 unit)

Course Description: 
Introduction to copyright and privacy issues relating to digital projects. Includes an overview of public domain, fair-use, licensing, copyright status as selection criteria, and rights metadata.

Student Learning Outcomes - Students will be assessed on their ability to:

  1. Apply general principles of copyright to assess the copyright status of original works of authorship to determine appropriateness for digitization. 
  2. Create a plan for communicating copyright status and use restrictions of digital content to online users.

SPRING

LIB 122 - INTRODUCTION TO METADATA FOR DIGITAL OBJECTS (3 units) 

Course Description: 
Study of the basic principles of metadata development for digital repositories. Includes a survey of the most commonly adopted metadata schemas and controlled vocabularies with an emphasis on using the Dublin Core schema to create shareable metadata records. Students will gain practical experience in applying a selected metadata standard to a collection of digital objects. Prerequisite: LIB 121.

Student Learning Outcomes - Students will be assessed on their ability to:

  1. Identify the options available to libraries and cultural heritage organizations when selecting and implementing a metadata schema for a digital collection.
  2. Implement a metadata schema for a digital collection.

SUMMER

LIB 126 ARCHIVES & DIGITAL COLLECTIONS INTERNSHIP (1 unit)

Course Description: 
Supervised practical experience working in an approved archives, specialized collection or digital project in a library, museum, or other type of organization. Pass/no pass grading. Required fieldwork for one semester unit.

Note: Internship site must be verified and pre-approved.  Prerequisites: LIB 121, LIB 122  

Student Learning Outcomes - Students will be assessed on their ability to:

1. Demonstrate processes and best practice techniques:

For Digital Projects Sites: Demonstrate processes and best practice techniques for creating archival images

and/or Demonstrate skill in creating complete metadata records following the best practices standards of the institution.

For Archives Sites: Demonstrate processes and best practice techniques for appraising, handling, organizing,  preserving and/or describing archival materials.  

2. Describe and evaluate participation in a digital project or archives as a tool for learning and potential employment