Diversity Reparations and Increased Discoverability: Bridging Technical & Research Services​

Researched and maintained by the history librarian at Mississippi State University (MSU) Libraries, “Against All Odds” (https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/exhibits/show/legislators) is a digital humanities project that presents biographies, photos, and primary and secondary source excerpts for over 150 Black men who served in the Mississippi state legislature during the nineteenth century. Interested in the project’s base in accessibility and discoverability, the Metadata Librarian approached the Research Librarian about utilizing linked data tools to increase the accessibility and discoverability of the project.

Along with learning about the details of cross-departmental collaboration, attendees will learn about the Research Librarian’s crash course experience with Wikidata basics and learn her perspective on what first-time users need to know. They will also learn how the Metadata Librarian used the information in the “Against All Odds” project and Wikidata to create Name Authority files. Collaborating between departments can be challenging at times, especially when departmental tasks don’t seem to overlap much. However, we hope to encourage others to branch out in their daily work or research projects and gain new skills that can benefit their work environment.