Descriptive Entry

This accession consists of records created and maintained by Katherine P. Spiess documenting strategic planning, project development, policies, and professional outreach in relation to collection information management, digitization, digital asset management, digital outreach, and emerging technologies. Spiess began her Smithsonian career in 1975 as a collections registration specialist at the National Museum of History and Technology, renamed the National Museum of American History (NMAH) in 1980. In 1984, Spiess was named Chief of the newly formed Computer Services Center. In 1985, she returned to the Office of the Registrar as the Assistant Registrar and later the Deputy Registrar. In 1993, she was named Acting Assistant Director for Collections Management Services and was later given the permanent position. In approximately 1999, Spiess became the Assistant Director for Strategic Initiatives within the Office of Affiliations. Spiess left NMAH in 2007 to launch the Central Digitization Office within the Smithsonian Institution, Office of the Chief Information Officer and retired at the end of 2009. Materials include reports, meeting materials, correspondence, planning documents, policies, presentations, flow charts, bibliographies, notes, and related materials. A small amount of material may have been created or maintained by other staff.