This past March I participated in the School of Library and Information Science's annual Alternative Spring Break program, which pairs LIS students with national institutions for week-long mini-internships. I was fortunate enough to be placed at the Smithsonian Archives Center in Washington, D.C., where I contributed to its recently launched project, Organize It and Link It: Sharing Digital Content Using Archivists' Toolkit.

The Smithsonian Archives Center, located in the National Museum of American History, is home to more than 1,300 collections made up of a variety of physical and digital media formats. The Organize It and Link It project that I worked on was initiated to create a bridge between the Archives Center's existing cache of digital assets and the institution's online finding aids, which are publicly accessible through its website. To do this, the project utilized a number of software applications for first creating digital folder hierarchies that mirror the physical collections' series, box, and folder arrangements, and then for disseminating the digital surrogates (which are predominantly scans of papers and photographs) through slideshows connected to the online finding aids.

During my time as a SLIS student, I've been very interested in the growing impact of technology on the archival field, and my week at the Smithsonian Archives Center provided me with a window into the opportunities and challenges that repositories are encountering when leveraging technology to achieve institutional goals. I gained hands-on experience with a number of software platforms, such as Archivists' Toolkit 2.0.0 and the SirsiDynix Horizon 7.5.3 collection manager, as well as the Smithsonian's D.A.M. system, OpenText Media Management. I also got work with more than 20 different collections, creating hierarchies for and links to over 5,000 digital objects.

The staff at the Smithsonian Archives Center was exceptionally generous with its time and guidance during my week there. Particularly hospitable were my two supervisors on the project, Alison Oswald and Kay Peterson. Though most of my days were spent working at a computer, Alison and Kay frequently coordinated additional activities and personal "behind-the-scenes" tours of the museum to supplement my experience.

When I decided to pursue my MLIS, I really didn't think I'd someday find myself doing archival work for a prestigious institution like the Smithsonian-and certainly not while still a student. But that's exactly what I got to do this spring break. Beyond providing valuable work experience and a flashy new line on my resume, my week at the Archives Center also gave me a fresh perspective on my own competencies as an archivist. I'm proud to say that I exceeded the expectations of my supervisors and delivered quantity and quality to the Organize It and Link It project. As I look forward to graduation later this year, I do so knowing that I've developed a skillset that will allow me to not only be a competitive candidate for employment, but also one who can contribute quickly and in a meaningful way, wherever I may land.

Thank you to the Wayne State University School of Library and Information Science for sponsoring my trip to Washington, D.C., and to my hosts at the Smithsonian Archives Center for an incredible experience.

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For an example of Mike's work on the Organize It and Link It project, click here to view the digital objects from the Kenneth M. Swezey Papers via the Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives (SOVA).