Guides

Guides will walk contributors through the process, from check-in through checkout. They will need to be familiar with the whole process and will have prompts for the different stations. For this role, the volunteer should be comfortable with interpersonal communication.

Note that the order in which guides will visit the various stations will depend on:

  • Whether the contributor has a video/non-video object to digitize
  • If a video, the estimated length of the video

Guide will also be instrumental in helping contributors handle born-digital files (i.e. born-digital photos as objects, portraits, images from the internet as part of an oral history without accompanying artifact). For more on the digitization process, see Digitization and Photography.

The Basics

Below is a brief outline of the role of the Guide in the event process:

Welcoming Contributors

  1. Introduce yourself to the contributor.
  2. Confirm whether the contributor brought an object to archive, or whether they came without an object would still like to participate.

Select Digitization Station Order

  1. If the contributor has a video whose length exceeds your intended duration, they should be guided to the Video Digitization Station first.
  2. If the contributor does not have a video, or it is within your intended duration, visit the photography station first.

Born-Digital or Oral-History-Only Considerations after the Check-In Station but Before the Photography Station

For contributors with born-digital or oral-history-only contributions, the guide will help direct the contributor through their options.

  1. Ask the contributor whether they are contributing a born-digital object, or an oral history only.
  2. If they are providing an oral history only, ask whether they want a portrait of themselves, to search the internet for a photo, or a placeholder photo.
    • For portraits, the Photography Station volunteer will assist.
    • Otherwise, the guide and contributor should collaborate to complete the [Born-Digital Form].
  3. Fill out the Born-Digital Form according to the responses above.

Heading Toward Oral history

Ask the contributor whether they are comfortable with the guide being present (or not) during the interview.

Heading Toward Checkout

  1. Once the contributor is headed to check-out, ask them whether their consent level has changed or remained the same.
  2. Take the contributor to the check-out station.
  3. Thank the contributor for being part of the event.