This post will support the archives strand of a large, multi-disciplinary research project ‘Our Heritage, Our Stories: Linking and searching community-generated digital content to develop the people's national collection’ (OHOS): http://ohos.ac.uk. It is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council through their Towards a National Collection programme: https[AS1] ://ahrc.ukri.org/research/fundedthemesandprogrammes/tanc-opening-uk-heritage-to-the- world/.
OHOS works with the national collection of Community Generated Digital Content (CGDC). This content has been developed as communities have adopted digital technologies to gather and record their collections in a form of 'citizen history', and it is distributed throughout communities, localities, and national organisations. Currently, it is untapped, hard to find, and at risk of disappearing altogether due to technological and organisational barriers. OHOS will make this content discoverable and linkable. Our partnership includes researchers in digital humanities, archives, history, linguistics, and computer science at the Universities of Glasgow and Manchester. The National Archives (TNA) leads on digital archives infrastructure development. This team is using cutting-edge approaches from cultural heritage, humanities and computer science to dissolve barriers and add meaningful links across these collections. We will also develop strategies for future management of CGDC as part of heritage practice and training.
The post and ‘Our Heritage, Our Stories’ Archives Lab
The postholder will be the lead researcher for the ‘Our Heritage, Our Stories’ Archives lab, working with Professor Lorna Hughes, the project’s PI and archives lead. The post will be based in the Information Studies Subject Area, in the College of Arts at the University of Glasgow. They will carry out research in key aspects of digital archives, including the ecosystem of community generated digital content, including its creation, use, and preservation. This research will be the basis for best practice frameworks for CGDC, including a semantics-aware, FAIR-compliant and sustainable post-custodial model for use across the archives and heritage sector.
The postholder will also engage with all members of the project team at regular meetings and with a range of other stakeholders including community heritage groups, archives, libraries and museums, as well as the funders of community and local history projects across the UK. They will also work with project partners including ALT, DPC, Wikidata, and our wider network.
The successful candidate will also be expected to contribute to the formulation and submission of research publications and other project outputs, including outputs that will be embedded into archival education and professional development.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
1. Perform the following activities in conjunction with and under the guidance of the Principal Investigator, including:
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Research and document all aspects of the information lifecycle of community generated digital content held by partner archives and heritage organisations in the UK.
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Research and document future models for managing, sharing and using community generated content, including post-custodial frameworks.
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Identify and liaise with existing and prospective community archive partners.
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Carry out co-produced research with community heritage organisations and other project partners.
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Contribute to testing and implementation of project outputs and deliverables, and to their documentation and dissemination.
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Collaborate with partners across the project, including technical partners, archives and heritage organisations, and digital infrastructures.
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Plan and conduct all assigned research individually or jointly in accordance with the project deliverables and overall research strategy.
2. Document research outputs including analysis and interpretation of all data, maintaining records and databases, drafting technical/progress reports and papers as appropriate.
3. Develop and enhance your research profile and reputation and that of The University of Glasgow, including contributing to publications of international quality in high profile/quality refereed journals, enhancing the research impact in terms of economic/societal benefit, and gathering indicators of esteem.
4. Contribute to the presentation of work at international and national conferences, at internal and external seminars, colloquia and workshops to develop and enhance our research profile.
5. Contribute to the identification of potential funding sources and to assist in the development of proposals to secure funding from internal and external bodies to support future research.
6. Collaborate with colleagues and participate in team/ group/ meetings/ seminars/ workshops across the research Group/School/College/University and wider community.
7. Contribute to the organisation, supervision, mentoring and training of undergraduate and/or postgraduate students and less experienced members of the project team to ensure their effective development.
8. Perform administrative tasks related to the activities of the project and the research team, including Budgets/Expenditure.
9. Carry out modest Teaching activities and associated admin as assigned by the Head of School and in consultation with Principal Investigator.
10. Keep up to date with current knowledge and recent advances in the field/discipline.
11. Engage in continuing professional development activities as appropriate.
12. Undertake any other reasonable duties as required by the Head of School/Director of Research Institute.
13. Contribute to the enhancement of the University’s international profile in line with the University’s Strategic Plan, World Changers Together.