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Re: Another Archive recruiters/Job hunting



Hello,
I'm not sure being willing to move somewhere for a job is a criteria we should employ to determine how committed one is to a profession. Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances that prevent a person from moving, as Katy just pointed out. As for me, I just moved from Durham, North Carolina to Los Angeles for an archival job--and, I have a PhD in anthropology (I work on the ethnohistory of 18th c. Pueblo Indians). I started working in archives as a graduate student. Just because I moved to L.A. doesn't mean I am any more committed to archival work than someone who wouldn't/couldn't make such a move. Perhaps I just wanted to live in L.A. so I could track down Brad Pitt. Maybe I hated Durham, N.C. with a hatred so intense that leaving was my only choice. Maybe I wanted to experience a five-day cross-country trip in a moving van with two cats on valium. Maybe I just wanted a change of pace....do you see what I mean? (By the way, the cats are fine.)

But I digress. I have been lurking on this list for a few months now, and it seems to me the profession has a bit of a inferiority complex--what with all this talk about certification and how it is we can determine who is a "true" archivist and who isn't. I'm sure I'd fall into the latter category (i.e. "isn't"), since I don't have formal graduate school training in archives and I am not certified.



Tracy L. Brown, PhD
Assistant Archivist
Research Center
Autry Museum of Western Heritage
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, Ca. 90027-1462
e-mail: tbrown@autry-museum.org
phone: 323-667-2000 ext. 383
fax: 323-953-8735
web: www.autry-museum.org

>>> Katy Smith <ksmith@IMAIL.SLCL.LIB.MO.US> 12/20/01 08:51AM >>>
Well, actually, I would be willing to move anywhere; however, my husband is awaiting a transplant.  We had moved cross-country previously (state not mentioned) where we anticipated that a major medical university would have adequate care, but we were wrong!  We moved back to St. Louis where we could be near two major medical hospitals and schools.  We would however be willing to live within a two to three hour distance.

I wouldn't say that I am less committed to archival work.  I volunteer for area archives, and, as a reference librarian, I am the "history specialist." in the reference department.

I have seen a few positions open in this area; however, for the most part, they are for year-long project positions.  One position was advertised by NARA, however, by the time I had completed my application, the opening was cancelled.

Sorry for the long-winded reply--I just wanted to clarify that some people have health or other concerns that will not allow them to move just anywhere.  (Although I would sincerely love to live in the Pacific Northwest!)

Katy
---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Alan Harris Stein, online" <asteinca@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2001 10:54:54 -0500

>More to the point of this discussion and these questions: who is willing to
>move to work as an archivist? For example, would Katy work in the Pacific
>Northwest  to do archives work? How many of you are that committed to the
>profession to move/relocate? I would like to hear your thoughts on that,
>since I'm also working on an article.
>
>Al Stein, C.A./M.L.S.
>Northwest Oral History Assoc.
>
>> Howdy all!
>>
>> Just some more two cents--
>> I have an MLIS (with 15 hours in Archives)and a BS in Historic Preservation
>> (emp museums and archives).  I am working as a reference librarian as I could
>> find no archival positions in the St. Louis area (still looking!)
>>
>> I wonder what the archival climate is of these areas where nonarchivists are
>> filling archival positions?
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Katy
>> ---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
>> From:         "Charles V. Mutschler" <cmutschler@MAIL.EWU.EDU>
>> Reply-To:     "Charles V. Mutschler" <cmutschler@MAIL.EWU.EDU>
>> Date:         Tue, 18 Dec 2001 09:01:11 -0800
>>
>>> Mark Walsh wrote:
>>>
>>>> Gunnar -
>>>>
>>>> <snip>
>>>>
>>>> So if we all want to watch for specialized training, backgrounds,
>>>> education, skills and so on, it looks to me like we are discussing
>>>> certification....BUT...until the market (i.e. employers) make the C.A.
>>>> designation a requirement, there will continue to be a variety of
>>>> backgrounds for individuals entering the archival profession.
>>>
>>> Or maybe instead of requiring a C.A, employers could look for a masters
>>> degree
>>> in Archives & Records Management with course work in the field they are
>>> hiring
>>> for, i.e. conservation, manuscripts, foreign language skills, etc.  I suspect
>>> the reality is, "one size does not fit all."
>>>
>>> Charlie
>>> Charles V. Mutschler, Ph.D.
>>> University Archivist
>>> Eastern Washington University
>>> -30-
>>>
>>> A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!
>>>
>>> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu 
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>>>
>>> Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
>>> http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html 
>>>
>>> Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>
>>>
>>
>> --
>> Katy Smith
>> Reference Librarian
>> Headquarters
>> St. Louis County Library
>> ksmith@slcl.lib.mo.us 
>>
>> "A dog reflects the family life.  Whoever saw a frisky dog in a gloomy family,
>> or a sad dog in a happy one?  Snarling people have snarling dogs,
>> dangerous people have dangerous ones."
>> ---Sherlock Holmes in "The Adventure of the Creeping Man"
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!
>>
>> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu 
>> In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
>> *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
>> To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu 
>>
>> Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
>> http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html 
>>
>> Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>
>
>

--
Katy Smith
Reference Librarian
Headquarters
St. Louis County Library
ksmith@slcl.lib.mo.us 

"A dog reflects the family life.  Whoever saw a frisky dog in a gloomy family,
 or a sad dog in a happy one?  Snarling people have snarling dogs,
dangerous people have dangerous ones."
---Sherlock Holmes in "The Adventure of the Creeping Man"


--

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

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                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu 

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
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Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>