Creating an Online Institutional Research Record in ArchivesSpace

Background : The School of Medicine was a pioneer in using problem-based learning and simulated patients in medical education. In January 2018 the Library was asked whether the School had a bibliography of the School\u27s contributions to these topics. We did not, but agreed it would be a useful and interesting resource. During this time the Library was also planning to implement an online catalog and finding aid for our archives using the open source platform ArchivesSpace. The death of a distinguished and emeritus professor in June 2018 fast-tracked these projects. Description : As a starting point for an institutional bibliography the Library first focused on four of the School\u27s earliest and most distinguished researchers. For each, librarians author-searched relevant databases while the archive specialist went through the Medical Library archives. After the bibliographies were complete, the Library procured a physical copy of each work. ArchivesSpace, which had been green-lit for installation by the School, was the most logical home for the digital manifestation of the bibliographies. Frustratingly, implementation stalled for months. With the support of the School\u27s Associate Dean of Education & Curriculum, who hoped to unveil the Founding Figures Collection of Medical Education at a memorial honoring a recently passed researcher and professor, the Library was able to install ArchivesSpace and begin data entry in November 2018. Conclusion: These two projects were not initially connected, but by associating our stalled project (ArchivesSpace) with a pressing matter (the memorial), we were able to revive it. The memorial was held in January 2019 with great attendance, and the Founding Figures Collection was well received. We continue to build an institutional bibliography bit by bit and have identified several researchers that build upon the collection. Now that ArchivesSpace is up and running, our archive specialist is working on inputting all archival collections and materials. We hope to digitize and, whenever legally possible, make our archive materials available online