Professional Experience
The Henry Ford, Benson Ford Research Center, Archives & Library, Dearborn, MI
Digital Access and Preservation Archivist August 2014 to Current
- Manage archival processing activities including re-housing, arrangement, description and digitization
- Coordinate usage of 40,000 cubic ft. archival storage area (stacks) spanning two floors
- Develop, test and implement processes and tools for preservation of digital collection assets
- Collaborate with Information Technology to facilitate digital collection asset preservation
- Serve as EMu Collection Management System co-administrator for end user and front-end system issues
- Define metadata, fields and data entry screens required for cataloging of archival collections in EMu
- Create and prototype tools and workflows for import of archival collection data into EMu
- Support instance of CDL XTF delivering full-text searchable archival description to institution staff
- Lead web archiving activities including seed selection, crawl scheduling, quality control and data storage
- Collaborate with Curators, Registrars and other staff in defining standards, processes and metadata for still image, text, moving image and audio material digitization and description
- Aid Conservation staff in identifying, documenting and scheduling material for review and treatment
- Author documentation for workflows including rapid capture, finding aid and CMS record creation
- Review potential acquisitions and provide justification for Collections Committee accessioning action
- Contribute to grant proposal activities by providing cost, time and other workflow data and details
- Manage staff, interns, volunteers and vendors performing preservation, digitization and processing tasks
- Provide reference services to internal and external patrons both in-person and remotely
- Assist with internal and external outreach efforts by taking part in institution-sponsored events and tours
- Promote institutional goals and achievements through participation in professional meetings, workshops and conferences and by contributing content to institution web blog and other social media platforms
- Maintained and operated rapid capture digitization equipment and workflow for imaging archival materials
- Created, configured and populated local instance of CDL XTF software to provide description access
- Established relationship with Detroit Area Library Network (DALNET) to host finding aids online
- Published first Internet-accessible Archives & Library finding aid
- Supervised 12-month grant funded project that published over 200 finding aids to online library catalog site
- Initiated access of MARC records and finding aids through OCLC ArchiveGrid site
- Researched, proposed and implemented rapid capture digitization equipment and workflow
- Supervised production of, and participated in creating, over 36,000 digital images from 2011 to 2014
- Created, tested and implemented process for mass import of image files and metadata into EMu
- Uploaded over 40,000 image files and associated metadata to The Henry Ford Flickr site
- Supplied text and edited successful Detroit Area Library Network (DALNET) finding aid grant proposal
Related Experience
The Henry Ford, Benson Ford Research Center, Dearborn, MI May 2010 to August 2010
Processing Archivist, Simmons Graduate Internship Program
- Processed the Phil Harms Collection of photographic images and auto racing statistics
- Performed inventory, identification, arrangement, and description of collection materials
University of Michigan, School of Information, Ann Arbor, MI January 2010 to October 2010
Graduate Student Research Assistant, Preservation and Access Virtual Education Laboratory Project
- Tested archival access and preservation technologies such as Archive-It, Archivist’s Toolkit and DROID
- Identified, and collected, datasets and other resources for testing of software tools
- Designed and implemented Drupal-based website
- Provided classroom technical support
- Participated in development and testing of learning modules and classroom assignments
University of Michigan, Special Collections Library, Archives Unit, Ann Arbor, MI
July 2009 to May 2010
Graduate Student Processor
- Created and populated Filemaker database of audio-visual material metadata for the Robert Altman Archive
- Processed selected portions of the Robert Altman Archive, including the Business and Financial Records, Legal Series and Chronological Files
- Processed collection of blueprints, photographs and correspondence from Brunn & Co. coachbuilders
University of Michigan, Clark Library, SAND, Ann Arbor, MI February 2010 to May 2010
Database Developer
- Supported adaptation of GIS metadata database from development to production web environment
- Teamed with five students, created MySQL GIS metadata database and interface as course project
State of Michigan, Records Management Services, Ann Arbor, MI May 2009 to August 2009
Records Analyst Student Assistant
- Drafted retention schedules, and conducted record inventory meetings, for Dept. of Human Services
- Conducted e-file inventory interviews, and developed file plans, for Dept. of Environmental Quality
- Assisted in conducting records management training held for state and local government employees
Education
University of Michigan School of Information, Ann Arbor, MI May 2010
Master of Science in Information, Archives & Records Management Specialization
University of Michigan, College of Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Other Experience
Ricardo, Inc., Belleville, MI November 1997 to March 2009
Senior Design Engineer
- Served as co-administrator facilitating group-wide Product Data Management (PDM) software installation
- Provided computer-aided design (CAD) and information system support to department design staff
- Produced departmental CAD creation guidelines Wiki focused on improving design quality and delivery
- Created, approved and presented design concepts, models, drawings, and data using CAD tools and methods
- Led and participated on design project teams ranging in size from 2 to 20 members
- Prepared and presented project technical reports, updates, and proposals to internal and external clients
- Assembled costing and timing information for project proposals ranging in value from $10K to over $1M
Batten Corporation, Romulus, MI July 1987 to November 1997
Project Engineer
- Created design concepts, layouts, drawings, and data using manual and computer-aided design methods
- Directed and participated on teams for various projects, including land speed record vehicle program
- Reviewed and approved engineering drawings and data
- Developed, approved and presented project proposals and quotations
- Prepared budgets, forecasts, planning and marketing materials
Skills
- Archives and Records Management: Arrangement and description; finding aids; reference services; file inventory; retention schedules; MARC, EAD and DACS standards; imaging; digitization; rapid capture; web archiving; digital preservation
- Library, Archive and Museum Software: Axiell (KE Software) EMu; California Digital Library XTF; ICA AtoM; Internet Archive Archive-It; Archon; Omeka
- Imaging Software: Adobe Photoshop, Bridge and DNG; Flickr Uploadr
- Web: HTML; XML; XSLT; CSS; PHP; MySQL; Drupal; MySQL; eXist; Oxygen; Apache Tomcat
- Mechanical Engineering Software: Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Pro/Engineer, SolidWorks, UniGraphics, Catia; Product Data Management (PDM) UGS Teamcenter, Windchill
- Other Software: Microsoft Office Suite; Microsoft Project; Filemaker Pro
Continuing Education
- Museum Computer Network (MCN) Annual Meeting
2011 and 2016 - Society of American Archivists Annual Meeting
2010-2016 - Michigan Archival Association (MAA) Annual Meeting
2013-2016 - Personal Digital Archiving Conference 2016
University of Michigan Library, Ann Arbor, MI, May 12-14, 2016 - Web Archives 2015: Capture, Curate, Analyze
Ann Arbor, MI, November 2015 - North American Axiell User Conference (for users of EMu CMS software)
2012-2015 - Network Detroit Digital Humanities Conference
Southfield, MI, September 2015 - CLIR Hidden Collections Symposium
Philadelphia, PA, March 2015 - THATCamp SHOT 2014
Held during Society for the History of Technology Annual Meeting
Dearborn, MI, November 2014 - Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study Workshop on Technology and Archival Processing
Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 2012 and 2014 - NEDCC Digital Directions Conference
Fundamentals of Creating and Managing Digital Collections
Ann Arbor, MI, July 2013 - Digital Forensics for Archivists, Part I and Part II (including BitCurator)
Society of American Archivists Digital Archives Specialist Curriculum and Certificate Program
Ann Arbor, MI, June 2013 - Digital Records Workshop: An Introduction to Issues and Practical Solutions
Pre-Conference Workshop, Michigan Archival Association Annual Meeting
Ann Arbor, MI, June 2013 - Midwest Archives Conference (MAC) Annual Meeting
2010-2013 - Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)
Society of American Archivists Workshop
Chicago, IL, August 2011 - MAC 2010 Fall Symposium: Archival User Studies
Dayton, OH, October 2010
Professional Affiliations, Publications, and Activities
- Society of American Archivists, Member 2008 to current
Member of Museum Archives Section Working Group 2012 to current - Midwest Archives Conference, Member 2010 to current
- Michigan Archival Association, Member 2010 to current
Board Member-at-Large June 2015 to current - American Alliance of Museums, Member 2014 to current
- Museum Computer Network, Member 2016 to current
Publications and Presentations
Merging Traffic: Accessing Archival Collections and Museum Artifacts Through a Common Interface
Presentation given during Mid Michigan Digital Practitioners Meeting
Michigan State Universities Libraries, East Lansing, MI, 14 October 2016
https://midmichdp.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/brianwilson_mmdp_october2016_final_withcites.pptx
Detroit 1967, 50 years later
Presentation given during American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) Annual Meeting
The Henry Ford, Dearborn, MI, 17 September 2016
Archives, EMu and New Roads to Access
Presentation given during North American Axiell User Conference
Penn Museum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 8 October 2015
Detroit 1967 and the Archives of The Henry Ford
Keynote presentation given during 2015 Network Detroit Digital Humanities Conference
Lawrence Technological Institute, Southfield, MI, 25 September 2015
Just Take Those Old Records Off the Shelf: Reconciling Legacy Digital Content with Current Preservation Practice
Session Panelist. Society of American Archivists Annual Conference. Cleveland, OH, August 2015
Slides available for download in PDF format:
http://schd.ws/hosted_files/archives2015/54/Session308_Wilson.pdf
Digital Content and Digital Preservation at The Henry Ford
Susan Manus, The Signal blog, Library of Congress website, 15 September 2014
Co-contributor with Ellice Engdahl
http://blogs.loc.gov/digitalpreservation/2014/09/digital-content-and-digital-preservation-at-the-henry-ford/
Improving Data Ingest and Preservation at The Henry Ford
Presentation given during Museum Archives Section Electronic Records Symposium
Society of American Archivists Annual Conference, Washington, DC, 13 August 2014
Slides available for download in MS Powerpoint format:
BrianWilson_SAA2014_MAS_ERecordsSymposium_ImprovingDataIngest.ppt
Thoughts on 4 Years of Thinking Digital
Presentation given during Michigan Archival Association Annual Meeting
Mackinac Island, MI, 26 June 2014
Slides available for download in MS Powerpoint format:
BrianWilson_MAA2014_ThoughtsOnThinkingDigital.ppt
EMu and Archives Management at The Henry Ford: An update
Presentation given during KE Software North American EMu User Conference
Winterthur Museum, Gardens and Library, Wilmington, DE, October 2013
Slides available for download:
http://emu.kesoftware.com/downloads/EMu/UserGroupMeetings/2013_NA/BrianWilson_KEUserConference2013_Final.ppsx
The Buildings Left Behind
Post on The Henry Ford blog. 9 October 2013
Via the Internet Archive Wayback Machine:
https://web.archive.org/web/20141013045555/http://blog.thehenryford.org/2013/10/the-buildings-left-behind/
Digital Curation at The Henry Ford
Presentation given during Mid-Michigan Digital Practitioners Meeting
Michigan State University Library, East Lansing, MI, August 2013
Pushing the Envelope: Using Object Collections Management Systems to Catalogue Archives
Session Panelist. Society of American Archivists Annual Conference. New Orleans, LA, August 2013
Slides available for download in PDF format:
http://files.archivists.org/conference/nola2013/materials/109-Wilson.pdf
This Year’s Model: Digitization and Delivery of Archival Materials
Session Chair. Midwest Archives Conference Annual Meeting. Indianapolis, IN, April 2013
Convergence of Practice: Merging library, archive, and museum collections management within EMu
Co-presenter with Pooja Budhraja
KE Software North American EMu User Conference, New Haven, CT, October 2012
http://emu.kesoftware.com/downloads/EMu/UserGroupMeetings/2012%20North%20American/KEUserConference_20121017_BudhrajaWlson_Final.ppt
Breaking Down Borders: Improvements in archival access at The Henry Ford
Presentation given at Museum Archives Section Meeting
Society of American Archivists Annual Conference, San Diego, CA, August 2012
Planning for the Long Term: Putting It All Together
Co-presenter with Judith Endelman and Lance Stuchell
Summer Educational Institute for Visual Resources and Image Management (SEI) 2012
School of Information, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, June 2012
Rapid Capture at The Henry Ford
Speaker
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study Workshop on Technology and Archival Processing.
Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, June 2012
Building a Highland Park plant for the digital age
Post on The Henry Ford blog. 9 February 2012
Via the Internet Archive Wayback Machine:
https://web.archive.org/web/20141013045549/http://blog.thehenryford.org/2012/02/building-a-highland-park-plant-for-the-digital-age/
Rapid Capture in Special Collections and Archives. OCLC Research webinar.
Speaker
October 2011
Slides available for download:
http://www.oclc.org/research/events/20111027rc.pptx
Application of Rapid Imaging Methods in a Library-Archives-Museum Environment
Poster presented at Society of American Archivists Conference Research Forum
Chicago, Illinois, USA
August 2011
Available in PDF format:
http://files.archivists.org/researchform/2011/Slides-Handouts-Posters/Wilson-ResearchForumPoster11.pdf
Erway, Ricky. 2011. Rapid Capture: Faster Throughput in Digitization of Special Collections. Dublin, Ohio: OCLC Research.
Contributor
Available in PDF format:
http://www.oclc.org/research/publications/library/2011/2011-04.pdf
Lights, Camera, Action: A Survey of Audio and Moving Image Material from the Robert Altman Archive
Co-author with David Quick
Poster presented at Society of American Archivists Conference Graduate Student Poster Session
Washington, D.C., USA
August 2010
Available in PDF format:
http://saa.archivists.org/Scripts/4Disapi.dll/4DCGI/store/PDFs/conf/dc2010/GraduateStudentPoster-QuickWilson.pdf