Collections Data Management Intern

Description

ABOUT THE WALTERS ART MUSEUM

The Walters Art Museum is among America’s most distinctive museums, forging connections between people and art from cultures around the world and spanning seven millennia. Located in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood, the Walters is free for all. The museum’s campus includes five historic buildings and 36,000 art objects.

Today, the Walters serves Baltimore and Maryland by embracing its role as educator and storyteller, using the collection as a vehicle of knowledge and cultural expression to support learning, dialogue, and community engagement. The museum is committed to public education, offering essential programs that help people to connect art to their lives. The Walters Visitor Promise aligns staff and volunteers across the museum to preserve and share the works in our care for future generations, partner with communities, and create welcoming, accessible experiences for visitors. The museum offers challenging and creative work opportunities by promoting collaboration, teamwork, and a culture that celebrates the diversity and inclusion of all. In December 2020, the museum finalized a set of multiyear diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) goals in alignment with the museum’s Strategic Plan and grounded in the following commitments: expand the histories the museum examines and shares; partner with our communities; and center equity, inclusion, and accountability in our culture and decision-making.

Overview of Role

The Collections Data Management Intern is a team member in the Marketing and Communications Department. Reporting to the Manager of Web and the Curator of Decorative Arts and Design, over the course of this ten-week internship, the Collections Data Management Intern will work on a long-term project to assess the state of data contained within the current Walters collections database and will work to refine and add to the information represented there. This intern will work on two project areas, one to assess and refine bibliographic data of where and when Walters museum objects have been published, and two, to assess whether artist or maker information for 18th- and 19th-century decorative arts objects has been properly transferred from historic records into the current database, and if not, to recommend what should be added. This is an opportunity to learn how museums assess, collect, and organize data, working in a format that can be used with The Museum System (TMS), a prominent application for museum collection data management. The intern will review existing bibliographies for artworks in the collection and develop a spreadsheet with this information. Research opportunities include using a historic museum collection card catalog, object files, art and design publications of all types, and TMS records. Through this process, the intern will learn more about how data is used, stored, retrieved, and ultimately published. In addition to its central use within the institution, the museum’s TMS database also serves to feed the information presented in the Walters’ online art site, making the museum’s collection accessible to virtual visitors worldwide.

The Collections Data Management Intern is one of several interns in the Walters’ Summer Internship Program. Interns selected for this program will gain insight into museum work, broaden their understanding of the museum field, gain knowledge of and appreciation for the Walters’ historic collection, and receive mentorship and professional development from museum professionals while building peer-to-peer relationships with fellow interns.

Duties and Responsibilities:

a) Complete a long-term project directed by the Manager of Web which includes research and data entry surrounding a subset of museum objects to be selected in collaboration with the intern’s mentors

b) Create a scope of work proposal for long-term project

c) Review existing bibliographies for artworks in the collection and develop a spreadsheet with this information

d) Review existing artist / maker information for a subset of museum objects as represented in the TMS database in comparison to the same information in the card catalog, assess where information is missing and compile artist / maker information that should be added to the TMS database

e) Complete data entry in a format that will allow for bibliographic and artist/maker data to be uploaded to the TMS database and subsequently published online through the Walters art site

f) Develop a narrative of the starting condition of this data, their work with the data, and any ideas for future work. Through this process, the intern will learn more about how data is used, stored, retrieved, and ultimately published.

g) Attend Marketing and Communications, Curatorial Department, and other staff meetings as directed

h) Participate in an orientation to the museum and collaborate on and participate in continuing professional development designed with emerging professionals in mind

i) All other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

Candidates must be 18 years or older and preferably actively registered at either a community college, university, or trade school or, may have recently graduated from a community college or university.

Preference given to students majoring in or with completed coursework in Library and Information Sciences or Public History, or with relevant experience in library, archives, registrar offices, collections management, or data management; Graduate students or recent graduate of a Master’s program in Library and Information Sciences or Public History with coursework in archives or art history are encouraged to apply.

a.  Demonstrated proficiency with Google Suite and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook)

b.  Demonstrated experience with relational database

c.  Familiarity with TMS (The Museum System) a plus

d.  Excellent oral and written communication skills

e.  Excellent organizational skills

f.  Demonstrated interest in supporting diversity, equity, access, and inclusion (DEAI) through library and archival practice

g.  Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team

h.  Priority given to students who are residents of Baltimore City or County or whose colleges or universities are in Baltimore City or County

i.  Must be able to work on site at the museum 5 days per week

j.  Regular work week is Monday through Friday

Starting Hourly Rate/Starting Annual Salary: $17

The Walters Art Museum provides an excellent comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, prescription, vision, subsidized transportation and parking, museum membership, short term disability, long term disability, FSA (flexible spending account), 457b retirement, and free professional financial management counseling.

All employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. The museum does not sponsor work visas.

PLEASE NOTE:  The deadline for applications is APRIL 19, 2024.  Applications will not be considered complete until a Letter of Recommendation is received (we strongly suggest this be from a professor who can attest to your performance). 

          Letters of recommendation should be emailed as a PDF by your recommender to:  college initiatives@thewalters.org email address.