Completing Your First Sourcery Job

Completing your first Sourcery job might seem daunting at first. Use this guide to help you break down the steps and make the process as easy and painless as possible!  

➡️ You can view each step with more details through the Sourcerer Handbook and view technical steps through our tutorials, which should be available later this Spring.  

Step 1: 🔎 View available jobs & claim your first job 

First things first, let’s look at available jobs and select one to complete. 

1. The first step is to view available jobs in your area. Do this by selecting one of the “Find a Job” options located on the screen in Sourcerer Mode. Sourcerer Mode is indicated by teal accents and can be toggled via the switch located at the top left.  

2. Once you’ve navigated to the claim job screen, choose your city from the dropdown list. Don’t see your city? Select “Suggest a new location” located beneath the dropdown and put in your city. We’ll be in touch with you about possibly opening your location!  

3. Next, peruse any available jobs. If there aren’t any jobs available, you can toggle notifications by selecting “Sign up to get notifications when a job is posted in this area!” to get notified and ensure you never miss a new job. Read more Sourcerer notifications on our blog HERE.  

4. Carefully read through all of the job details, taking special care to note the maximum scan limit. That will give you an idea of approximately how long the job will take you. Keep in mind that all request details are input by the Researcher and might contain inaccuracies.   

5. Once you’ve found a job you’d like to complete, claim it by selecting “Claim Job” at the bottom of the page. You’ll have to do this twice and attest that you have the requisite skills needed to complete a Sourcery request.  

🌟 Note: you’ll want to report any events you complete in the Sourcery request to keep the Requester and Sourcerer Admin aware of changes and effort made to the job.  

Step 2: 💼 Prepare for your archival visit 

Schedule your appointment and gather all the information and materials you’ll need.  

1. First, take a moment to double check if all of the information provided by the Researcher is accurate. Double check call number(s), collection title(s), box and folder number(s), and any visitor information provided.  

2. Contact the holding institution and schedule an appointment and/or request materials from offsite storage, if needed either by the method provided by the Researcher or by instructions you found from the holding institution. This can include calling ahead to request an appointment, making a research account, filling out a form, sending an email, and more. If the holding institution allows walk-ins and you prefer that method, you can probably skip this step. 

3. You should also take a moment to review any posted reading room policies. This will help you prepare for any security measures, like if you need to show an ID for reading room access or will need a locker to put your personal items, so you’re not surprised day-of.  

4. Lastly, plan your route and gather what materials you’ll need. Figure out how you’ll get to the archive and have a plan in place for parking and/or public transit, if applicable. Make sure you bring a device for creating scans and your laptop, if you prefer.  

Step 3: 📜 At your appointment  

The time has come! View the materials and create the scans.  

1. First, complete any check-in procedures. This can include showing ID, putting your belongings in a locker, signing access forms, waiting for your materials, and more. Once you have the materials in front of you, take a moment to make sure they are the right items. 

2. Scan away! Pull the correct folder or item and begin scanning. View an in-depth scanning guide through the Sourcerer Handbook.  

Step 4: 💻 Prepare materials for upload & complete the request 

You’re nearly there! All that’s left is to prepare the materials for submission and complete the request in Sourcery.  

1. Generate collated PDF(s) of the materials to upload to Sourcery. Sourcery will only accept PDFs at this time. Sourcery does not currently have a standard file naming convention, but you should name the files so that the Researcher knows what to expect. Read more about file naming best practices HERE. 

2. Upload the file(s) to Sourcery and include any necessary metadata, notes, or corrected citations in the appropriate fields found in the form. You can view more details about each individual section in the Sourcerer Handbook.  

3. Once you’ve uploaded all of the files and added all details and notes, submit the job.  

And you’re done!  

⭐ If you’re interested in a more detailed guide, check out our Sourcerer Handbook. Keep in mind that your first job will always take the longest and be the most stressful while you create out a workflow that works best for you! Like with most new things, practice makes perfect!  

❓ Have a specific question about how to complete a request you claimed? Reach out to us at su*****@*********pp.org.