Experiential Learning through Mural Documentation:

This paper describes a mural documentation project created to provide students with direct experience developing and preserving an online collection. The project’s background, steps, and required resources are examined, emphasizing how art facilitates the development of various library and information science (LIS) proficiencies among Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) students through experiential learning. By acquiring the skills needed to create and preserve digital collections, students prepare a collection of research-worthy content, preserve visual and intellectual records of these ephemeral cultural artifacts, foster community engagement, and enhance access to murals that enliven Detroit’s urban landscape. [This article is a revised version of a paper presented at the 52nd annual ARLIS/NA conference held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in April 2024, as part of the session “In Support of Digital Humanities.”]