Bridging by Design: the Curation and Management of Digital Assets Specialization at the University of Maryland

The Curation and Management of Digital Assets specialization in the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland focuses on instruction in the creation, management and use, long-term preservation, and access to digital assets in a variety of disciplines and sectors of the economy. This paper describes the development of this new specialization, which will include students from two degree programs: a Master’s in Library & Information Science, and a Master’s in Information Management. The paper discusses interdisciplinary opportunities for the program, including a demonstrated cross-sector need among employers in the region, as well as the opportunity to strengthen the college’s interdisciplinary mission. It also discusses challenges presented by the program, including developing curriculum to train students with diverse work backgrounds and technical expertise, and bridging divergent expertise and skill sets among the faculty and professionals who will teach in the program. Keywords—Digital curation, curriculum development.