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Re: "Underpaid...and not Well Understood"



I think Fowler and Schultz have both made good observations regarding the
causes of our alleged invisibility. I think another contributing factor is
the large number of "lone-arrangers," archivists who are the only
professional in their unit, or perhaps even the only employee. Because of
their solitude, these archivists have to "man the fort" -- answer the phone,
assist patrons, supervise clerical help etc -- and find it difficult to get
out and about. I know this is true in my case. I would like to be more
active in campus committees and professional meetings, but if the archives
is going to be open, for the most part I have to be here.

Another factor is the inescapable and unpleasant fact that most people have
no need to use archives. Certainly, more people COULD find archival
collections useful than do at present, but our potential audience is, in
fact, not universal.

Thomas J. Wood
Archivist
Archives/Special Collections LIB 144
University of Illinois at Springfield
P.O. Box 19243
Springfield IL 62794-9243
217-206-6520 | wood@uis.edu | http://www.uis.edu/archives

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