Archives and Digital Collections

The associates of arts curriculum in Archives and Digital Collections is designed to successfully prepare students for employment at the entry level in archives, digital collections, and special library settings. Course content covers fundamental principles, terminology, organization, procedures, industry standards, and best practices for preparing and managing both unique physical and digital collections. Entry-level positions are available in this field as archival assistants, digital collections technicians, digitization technicians, and digital asset management assistants. To receive a Certificate in Archives and Digital Collections, a grade of "C" or better is required for each major course.

Between 12 and 20 annually

Archives and Digital Collections Mission: The Santa Ana College Associated of Arts Degree and Certificate in archives and digital collections are designed to successfully prepare students for employment as archival assistants, digital collections technicians, digitization technicians, and digital asset management assistants in archives, digital collections, and special library settings. Course content covers terminology, organization, industry standards, and best practices.

Goals:

• Provide the local community with graduates possessing the skills and training required to successfully work in entry-level positions within archives, digital collections, and special library settings.
• Partner with local archives, libraries, and cultural institutions for internship and employment opportunities.
• Foster outreach and engagement with the local community engaging with the advisory board and conducting surveys to ensure the program meets diverse and evolving needs.
• Continue to expand distance education offerings to increase enrollment and make the program more accessible to working professionals and non-traditional students.

Statement of Program Goals and Objectives: 

Archives and Digital Collections CA and AA Goals:

• Provide the local community with graduates possessing the skills and knowledge required to successfully work as a paraprofessional within libraries or information services.
• Partner with local libraries for internship and employment purposes.
• Explore outreach opportunities with the local community through surveys and an expanded Advisory Board with equity in mind.
• Expand distance education offerings to potentially increase enrollment while making the program more accessible to working people.

Catalog Description: 

Archives and Digital Collections AA Degree

The associates of arts curriculum in Archives and Digital Collections is designed to successfully prepare students for employment at the entry level in archives, digital collections, and special library settings. Course content covers fundamental principles, terminology, organization, procedures, industry standards, and best practices for preparing and managing both unique physical and digital collections. Entry-level positions are available in this field as archival assistants, digital collections technicians, digitization technicians, and digital asset management assistants. To receive a Certificate or AA in Archives and Digital Collections, a grade of "C" or better is required for each major course.

• Employ best practices and skills for handling, organizing, preserving, and providing access to both physical and digital collections, to perform tasks in various entry-level jobs in archives, digital collections, and special library settings.
• Apply basic image, text, and digital media processing skills, preparing students for digitization technician roles.
• Prepare for employment in diverse settings that manage digital collections by applying knowledge of metadata standards and descriptive practices to improve the discoverability, usability, and accessibility of digital collections.
• Apply learned skills and techniques for arrangement and description of archival collections, including the development of processing plans, creation of finding aids, and application of descriptive standards such as DACS, EAD and RDA, to prepare for employment in archival assistant positions.
• Gain exposure to and practice with various technologies, tools, and systems utilized in professional archives, digital collections, and special library settings to manage and maintain unique physical and digital collections, such as ABBY Fine Reader, Adobe Bridge, ArchivesSpace, Omeka, Preservica, or Photoshop.

Program Goals:

• Provide the local community with graduates possessing the skills and knowledge required to successfully work as a paraprofessional within libraries or information services.
• Partner with local libraries for internship and employment purposes.
• Explore outreach opportunities with the local community through surveys and an expanded Advisory Board with equity in mind.
• Expand distance education offerings to potentially increase enrollment while making the program more accessible to working people.

Program Requirements: 

Master Planning: (ways the program fits in the mission, curriculum, and master planning of the college and higher education in California)

The Santa Ana College Associate of Arts Degree and Certificate in Archives and Digital Collections are designed to successfully prepare students for employment as archival assistants, digital collections technicians, digitization technicians, and digital asset management assistants in archives, digital collections, and special library settings. Course content covers terminology, organization, industry standards, and best practices.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that employment of librarians and library media specialists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations, and according to “The Future of Skills: Employment in 2030”, by Pearson, there will be an increased call for librarians, curators, and archivists.

Santa Ana college has a related program for Library Technology which focuses on traditional library settings. This program provides coursework for alternative pathways in the field, focusing on archives, digital collections, and special library settings.

Only certificate or AA within Orange County for Archives and Digital Collections. In LA County, Pasadena City College offers a Certificate of Achievement in Archives and Digital Collections.

30 annual enrollments projected