About

Jeanne Kramer-Smyth

I joined the World Bank Group’s Archives of Development as an Electronic Records Archivist in July of 2011.  All content posted on this site is strictly my personal opinion and is not the opinion or policy of the World Bank.

With a Masters of Library Science from the Archives, Records and Information Management Program at the University of Maryland iSchool and 20+ years of experience designing relational databases, creating custom database software and participating in web based software development, I enjoy exploring the intersection of archives, technology, preservation, metadata, visualization, and the web.

I am the editor of the book Partners for Preservation which includes ten chapters by international contributors from diverse professions discussing their experience with and solutions to digital problems that share commonalities with those facing digital preservationists. Partners for Preservation advocates for archivists to recruit partners and learn lessons from other technical fields in order to work more effectively within the digital landscape.

When I started this blog in August of 2006 while I was enrolled as a student at the iSchool at Maryland, I created it as an outlet for ideas born out of my studies. I frequently explored the ideas that sprang to my mind during and after class.

As it has evolved, this blog frequently stepped away from ideas related directly to my coursework. My posts are just as likely to consider archival aspects of a news story as they are to explore a discussion from a class. Because of my technology background, I frequently consider issues at the intersection of archival science and IT. Considering starting your own blog? You might enjoy reading my recently published case study: Using Blogs as a Professional Development Opportunity.

I am fascinated by the way ideas from different fields intersect and relate to one another. I have a passion for understanding how things work. I love brainstorming and figuring out new ways of thinking about things. Here is a snapshot of the kind of interaction I enjoy most as blogged by Andrea on LibraryTechtonics.info (now saved in the Wayback Machine).

Please visit JeanneKramerSmyth.com to learn about my more creative projects.

Feel free to contact me via email at jeanne AT spellboundblog.com.