Abstract
This paper presents a detailed case study of the born-digital archiving efforts associated with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) Asteroid Sample Return Mission at the University of Arizona Libraries Special Collections. From the perspective of an archivist, the project exemplifies the integration of digital archiving into an active scientific mission, conducted in collaboration with multiple departments across the university. By preserving mission-critical content, including project management documents, social media interactions, and web content, this initiative serves as a model for resource light digital products utilizing batch descriptive techniques. The paper discusses the benefits of collaborating with project teams during the active phases of a mission, the strategies employed to manage digital assets, and the importance of cross-campus partnerships. The study also highlights the project's innovative approaches, such as minimal metadata practices and batch archiving, designed to enhance reproducibility for similar future projects.
Author Biography
Molly Stothert-Maurer is Associate Librarian (Archivist) and Head of the Library & Archives at the Arizona State Museum. Previously she served as Archivist & History of Science Curator at University of Arizona Libraries Special Collections and Archivist at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts. She holds a MA degree in Information Resources and Library Science from the University of Arizona and a BFA in Studio Art from Texas State University.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Stothert-Maurer, Molly
(2026)
"Archiving in Advance of Mission Completion,"
Journal of Western Archives: Vol. 17:
Iss.
1, Article 3.
DOI: 10.59620/2154-7149.1193
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/westernarchives/vol17/iss1/3
