LIS 512 Advanced Archival Processing and Finding Aid Development, NAASR Mardigian Library (Belmont, MA)
Posted June 18, 2026
Project Overview:
Students enrolled in LIS 512 will undertake advanced, multi-stage archival field experience at the Mardigian Library at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), located in Belmont, MA. The Mardigian Library is a specialized academic library holding nearly 40,000 books, pamphlets, periodicals, manuscripts, documents, and recordings — primarily in Armenian and English — with materials dating as far back as the 17th century. Its collections encompass a broad range of disciplines, including history, literature, art, music, architecture, linguistics, law, anthropology, and the natural sciences. Housing both circulating library materials and unique archival collections, the library serves a diverse community of scholars, graduate and undergraduate students, high school students, and independent researchers from around the world. Beyond its role as a research resource, the Mardigian Library functions as a vital repository of memory and identity for the global Armenian community.
Building on foundational archival coursework, students in this advanced field experience will move beyond basic organization tasks to engage in professional-level archival processing, critical analysis of existing finding aids, and collection management decision-making.
Project Description:
Each student (or team) will be assigned a discrete collection or sub-collection within the Mardigian Library’s holdings. Over the course of the semester, students will conduct a full archival processing workflow — from initial survey and appraisal through arrangement, description, and finding aid production — while critically engaging with any existing documentation for the collection. As part of this process, students will also perform basic conservation care on materials identified as being in poor physical condition, including surface cleaning, proper re-housing, and flagging items that require professional conservation attention beyond the scope of the project.
Learning Objectives:
By completing this project, students will:
- Critically evaluate existing finding aids against current professional standards (DACS, EAD)
- Conduct a professional-level appraisal and arrangement of archival materials
- Reconcile physical holdings with existing finding aid documentation, identifying discrepancies, gaps, and misdescriptions
- Apply conservation-informed ordering and housing decisions to their assigned collection
- Produce or substantially revise a finding aid that meets current descriptive standards
- Develop professional judgment about archival prioritization in a real institutional setting
- Reflect on the unique responsibilities of stewardship over culturally significant Armenian heritage materials
Setting:
This project will be conducted on-site at NAASR’s Mardigian Library, located in Belmont, MA. The course instructor and NAASR’s Library Director will work together to mentor and support students throughout the project, providing access to a unique collection of Armenian cultural heritage materials that serves researchers and community members from around the world.
Students will receive course credit for this field experience, and must be eligible to take LIS 512.
How to Apply
To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to Ani Babaian at [email protected].