Leah Constantine

Category: Learning

  • Receipts or it didn’t happen: documenting reference for institutional memory

    As Archives Senior Manager at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) Archive, I’ve seen the enhancements that tasks from reference and research have on every aspect of archives, from writing finding aids, labeling boxes, and deciding processing levels. It is one of the most fundamental aspects of a proven functional archive that puts the organization to the test. To put the work of reference and research at the heart of our archive, I have enforced workflows that link this activity to the resource record in our ArchivesSpace instance.

    I knew the topic of reference was missing from public discussion as an attendee of most small and large conferences. I was happy to co-present on this topic with LCPA’s Reference Archivist and tie this to the importance of staff stability and public trust.

    ArchivesSpace Member Forum Presentation

    Presented on March 27, 2025

    The LCPA archive team has implemented workflows to build institutional knowledge into the collection catalog and system. Our goal is to enhance material use and support the transmission of knowledge from one generation of archivists to another using ArchivesSpace’s features for managing controlled values and creating events in parallel with a project management and document storage system. Reference Archivist Amelia Bathke and Archives Senior Manager Leah Constantine co-present the workflow following reference and research requests and explain how ArchivesSpace event creation maximizes access to archival collections.

  • That’s right—I made a spreadsheet resume

    I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of the same thing. I’m talking about document resumes.
    As an archivist, I spend most of my day exploring the complexities of a spreadsheet. Functions, data validation, text-to-columns, drop-down lists, and number formats make everything look better. If you are my intern at any point in your career, you will hear me say that the one thing no one will teach you, but is essential in any information science field, is proficiency in spreadsheets.
    You will bulk import and export data in spreadsheets. You will track changes to your data in spreadsheets. You will use OpenRefine to transform data. Data is translated better in organized sheets and tables, which is what makes them so essential. So why not make my data accessible in a spreadsheet?

    For your viewing pleasure, this is my new spreadsheet resume.

    Why?

    Live data is easier to update
    Easier control of formats
    Sorting values for essential skills looks better for resumes
    Notes hide and expand supplemental information that crowds a doc
    I want to prove my love of spreadsheets!

    This is not to say that this is the most beautiful resume spreadsheet that exists online. This is my first attempt at something new. I’m always looking for resources and webinars to fuel this monomania. Keep watch of this space for newer, better, and more beautiful resumes.

    Want to learn how to make your resume from a sheet? leaheconstantine at gmail dot com.

  • What is metadata?

    I was asked one of my favorite questions by a student recently: what is metadata? The joy I had in explaining is why I love my role in teaching.

    Of course, there are two ways of explaining metadata: the hard way and the “not so” hard way. I wanted to attempt the not so hard way with graphics and resources that can follow them through the many stages of being the one who asks “what is metadata” to being the one who provides the answer.

    All resources are free and available to the public. As always, please provide credit when used.

    © Leah Constantine 2024
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