Wellesley College is expanding its partnership with JSTOR Digital Stewardship Services by joining the Tier 3 charter program, a values-driven initiative advancing responsible, AI-assisted approaches to digital collections stewardship.
An early adopter of JSTOR’s stewardship programs, Wellesley already shares more than 31,500 items openly on JSTOR, including image-based collections from the College Archives, and Communications and Public Affairs. Through the Tier 3 charter program, Wellesley will have access to JSTOR Seeklight, JSTOR’s AI-powered collections processing tool, alongside an integrated environment for digital asset management, preservation, and discovery.
As a Tier 3 charter participant, Wellesley joins a global community of institutions co-developing AI-assisted stewardship practices with JSTOR through hands-on use, working groups, shared real-world use cases, and direct input on the ongoing evolution of JSTOR Seeklight and the broader Stewardship environment.
Wellesley is the fifth Oberlin Group member institution to join the charter cohort, alongside Drew University, Grinnell College, Occidental College, and Rollins College. Wellesley is also the second member of the Boston Library Consortium (BLC) to come onboard, joining Boston University through the BLC’s Digital Stewardship Services Community of Interest, which supports peer learning, helps influence JSTOR’s direction, and surfaces consortial opportunities among staff using (or interested in) JSTOR Digital Stewardship Services.
“Wellesley’s team approached this decision with close, intentional evaluation of both the technology and the values behind it,” said Jess Clemons, Director of Business Development, JSTOR Stewardship. “Their choice to join the Tier 3 charter program reflects trust in JSTOR as a long-term partner—and a shared commitment to applying AI in ways that prioritize accuracy, security, and sustainable, mission-aligned workflows.”
“This is an important step for Wellesley because the expanded offering will help our small but mighty team connect description, management, discovery, and preservation in an end-to-end workflow—at a scale we haven’t been able to reach before,” said Jenifer Bartle, Director of Library Collections, Wellesley College. Ravi Ravishanker, CIO and Associate Provost at Wellesley College, added: “We believe the thoughtful application of AI in library work is essential to advancing our mission and expanding our impact. We hold these tools to a very high standard and want to be confident they align with our values. In JSTOR, we found a trusted partner—and in JSTOR Seeklight, an initiative that reflects that same care.”
About Wellesley College
Wellesley College is a leading liberal arts college for women, located outside Boston, Massachusetts. Known for its academic excellence, commitment to access and equity, and a powerful network of alumnae leaders, Wellesley offers a rigorous curriculum across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences.
About JSTOR Digital Stewardship Services
JSTOR Digital Stewardship Services is a seamless, cloud-hosted platform that unites digital asset management, long-term preservation, and expanded discovery pathways—including sharing on JSTOR—with the AI-assisted collections processing tools of JSTOR Seeklight.