HELLO, I'M
Alanna Smollen.
Museum, Library, & Information Professional
Alanna Smollen
BA in History and French
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MLIS specialized in
Archives Management
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Certified LC 3 Librarian
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Museum Professional
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About
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I strive to use both my skills in museums, libraries, and archives and my passion for innovation to create an environment where history, art, knowledge, and culture are freely accessible to all.
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I aim to be a leader in interdisciplinary collaboration in the preservation community, to preserve the stories of people, cultures, and objects, and to help foster diversity, inclusion, and understanding through that work.
My Mission:
My Vision:
My Values
Access and Accessibility
I believe that museums should be accessible in every sense of the word: information should be made available to all whenever possible, physically or digitally, and that this access should be inclusive of all people, regardless of their abilities.
I strive to advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equity in all areas and to support and uplift others in their advocacy through my work. My position offers me privileges which should be used to highlight narratives and people who have been overlooked, not silence them.
Creativity
The world is constantly evolving, and so too must we evolve as professionals. In order to address the problems of the future we must respect and learn from tradition, collaborate with others, explore new paths, and move beyond current standards.
Preservation
The works of nature and humanity are neither immortal nor immutable. Through the preservation of the past and present we are able to develop a better understanding of ourselves, our shared heritage, and our world which will help shape the future.
Advocacy
Education
Experience
November 2023 - Present
August 2020 - December 2022
Indiana University - Indianapolis, IN
Master of Arts - Museum Studies
GPA: 3.90
January 2020 - May 2022
Indiana University - Indianapolis, IN
Master of Arts - Library and Information Science
Specialized in Archives Management
GPA: 3.88
August 2016 - May 2019
Valparaiso University - Valparaiso, IN
Bachelor of Arts Cum Laude - French, History
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Metadata Cataloger
Indiana Historical Society
Indianapolis, IN
April 2023 - June 2023
Test Scorer
Data Recognition Corporation
Indianapolis, IN
August 2021 - May 2022
Collections Intern
Masonic Library and Museum of Indiana
Indianapolis, IN
May 2021 - August 2021
Archival Intern
Conner Prairie
Fishers, IN
June 2019 - September 2019
Collections Intern
Saugatuck - Douglas Historical Society
Douglas, MI
January 2019 - May 2019
Archival Intern
Valparaiso University Archives and Special Collections
Valparaiso, IN
Skills & Languages
PastPerfect
Microsoft Office
CONTENTdm
Adobe Creative Suite
HTML & CSS
Unity
Research
Public Speaking
Academic and Professional Writing
English
French
Recordings at Risk
While working with the Indiana Historical Society, I have been able to help preserve recordings of "Like It Is", a local radio show covering news for the Black community from the 1970's-90's.
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