[snca-list] Archival Consultants

[Rhue, Monika]

Dear All,

I think this is a good workshop as well. Although I am no-longer the archivist for Johnson C. Smith University, I still do consulting/training work in the Charlotte community, mostly for church or families. I decided to start an archival consultant business in February 2005, call Preserve Pro Inc. I have a DUNS number, Business License, and I pay taxes. I think the first thing you must do is determine

1. What type of services do you want to offer? (Training people to process collections, or contracting yourself out to process collections)

2. What type of agency do you want to market? (Corporations, Universities,  historical societies, etc.)

3. What will be your area of expertise? (Project Management overseeing a project, Assessment Consultant, Trainer, etc. )

4. What types of contracts do you want and what can you handle?

There are good books on becoming a consultant and  you can adopted their knowledge to what you are trying to do. I started out by developing a business plan. This helped me focus on what I can do, and who will be my demographics.

I hope this was helpful.

Nooma Monika Rhue, MLIS

Director of Library Services

James B. Duke Memorial Library

Johnson C. Smith University

100 Beatties Ford Road

Charlotte, NC 28216

704-371-6730

Email: mrhue at jcsu.edu <mailto:mrhue at jcsu.edu> 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: snca-list-bounces at rtpnet.org [mailto:snca-list-bounces at rtpnet.org] On Behalf Of ginny.daley at att.net
Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 1:19 PM
To: snca-list at rtpnet.org
Subject: Re: [snca-list] Archival Consultants

 

In some ways it is as easy as deciding you want to do this kind of work.  But how you find work and negotiate contracts are specifics that can be challenging.  And then there is the whole small business aspect with getting a DUNS number, paying taxes, health insurance (!), etc. and it can get complicated and time-consuming real quickly.

 

In areas or periods of economic "blight" there is often more contract work than regular jobs.  Sometimes it is easier for an organization or institution to come up with $15,000 for a 2-month project than to commit to position with benefits, etc.

 

I think a workshop for folks interested in doing consultation or contract work would be great.  I'm always glad to share how I do things and where I see opportunities for work.  However, I would also want to learn from others with more or different experiences than I've had.  Maybe bring someone in from one of the big contract work farms like History Associates.  And it would be useful to have someone cover the small business requirements aspect as well.

 

- Ginny Daley

 

 

-------------- Original message from "Dianne Johnson" <dyjohnso at wfubmc.edu>: -------------- 

	This sounds like a workshop idea to me. I’d be no help though since I have no knowledge but it does sound interesting. I’ve had people ask me for an archives consultant as well.

	--DJ

	 

	Dianne Johnson

	Wake Forest University School of Medicine

	Coy C. Carpenter Library

	Dorothy Carpenter Medical Archives

	Ph: 336-716-3690

	Fax: 336-716-2186

	E-mail: dyjohnso at wfubmc.edu

	Caring for history at WFUBMC - http://www1.wfubmc.edu/library/archives

	 

	 

	From: snca-list-bounces at rtpnet.org [mailto:snca-list-bounces at rtpnet.org] On Behalf Of Lee Cloninger
	Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 10:47 AM
	To: snca-list at rtpnet.org
	Subject: Re: [snca-list] Archival Consultants

	 

	     Could someone suggest some resources with information on how to become a freelance archivist?  Do you just "hang a shingle," so to speak?

	     Lee Cloninger

	     Durham, N.C.

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