Volunteering: Content Development regarding scholarly texts from nonprofit organizations

 

This opportunity is currently not available

 

Resource Library has amassed considerable information covering many artists and topics. In late 2016 Traditional Fine Arts Organization (TFAO), publisher of Resource Library, changed focus away from adding additional articles and essays. TFAO is instead concentrating on furthering breadth and depth of information from other sources to place in Topics in American Art. In early 2017 TFAO added hundreds of additional museums to it's list for ongoing study. Find the covered museums here: A-C D-G H-L M-Q R-S T-Z.

For the indefinite future TFAO plans for Resource Library to remain inactive while accumulating data for Topics in American Art.

Volunteer opportunity regarding scholarly texts from nonprofit organizations

Identifying and processing paper-published scholarly texts on American representational art for inclusion in Resource Library within TFAO's topics of interest, not otherwise published online with open access. Volunteers may assist in any or all of the following:

 
(a) conducting online searches and reviewing other sources including indexes, bibliographies and other listings of essays and articles within paper-printed books and journals in order to identify potential scholarly material and the publishers of the texts. For tips on searching the Web see the indexes and information retrieval page in Resource Library. Potential sources are institutions listed in Resource Library's art museums, galleries and art centers index, and other non-profits that organize exhibitions. Institutions that organize exhibitions often provide more information than touring venues. Out of print exhibition catalogues yield a higher success rate than in-print catalogues.
 
(b) reviewing Resource Library's previously published texts using keyword searches within the contents of Resource Library and by reviewing the author and art museums, galleries and art centers indexes to prevent duplication. Searches within Resource Library are available through its home page.
 
(c) obtaining texts through email, the US Postal Service, inter-library loan, or OCR scanned format and reviewing them to see if the texts meet Resource Library's submitting materials guidelines.
 
(d) reviewing with TFAO names of publishers, authors and titles of identified texts.
 
(e) identifying copyright holders and obtaining written approvals for republishing.
 
(f) OCR scanning, proofreading and reformatting of approved texts, using Resource Library's content presentation guidelines.
 
(g) forwarding to TFAO via email completed packages including OCR scanned copies of original .doc files of digitized and, proofread and formatted texts and approval letters from copyright holders.

Note: TFAO's experience is that success in this particular volunteer opportunity requires use of the phone for parts (c) and (e). Phone conversations in some instances are followed by volunteer email letters confirming the conversations and providing additional information.

Please click here for examples of email letter templates used by volunteers.

Chapters of lengthy books can be distributed among several volunteers to lighten the work of each person.

 

Credits

Resource Library's chronological index refers to thousands of articles and essays made possible in part through the help of volunteers who have provided research assistance. Acknowledgements of their efforts are included in the credits for published texts.

 

Suggested experience

1. Experience including

2. BA or BS degree from an accredited college or univesity

3. Willingness to commit to a short term project.

 

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clipart courtesy of i2clipart.com; image of Heard Museum courtesy of John Hazeltine

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