Good
morning,
Ah,
the debate over Archives and education. Has anyone ever noticed that
this topic comes up right around graduation? I have worked in
Preservation, Archives and Libraries, and I can honestly say that although each
area is different, there are fundamental skills learned in Library Science which
pertain to all of them. One of my previous supervisors, the former Head of
Preservation, had worked in other Library-related jobs, including
being an Archivist and Reference Librarian. An MLS teamed with a
second Masters, perhaps History, is also versatile, and in some cases a PhD
could also lead to higher position. Before the creation of the MLS, many
Archivists had History degrees and previous experience processing and
arranging collections. The reason why many Archivist job postings require
an MLS is that institutions are trying to bring a professional outlook into the
organization, that and some Archives are part of a larger Library system or
Special Collections. In recent years, it has become increasingly important
to have experience in electronic records management and migration - to
keep up with changing formats and technologies, and at many schools,
Library Science has kept up with the demand for these types of skills.
Harrison Wick, MLS, MA
Acquisitions Coordinator
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana
-----Original
Message----- From: Gunnar Berg
[mailto:Gunnberg@AOL.COM] Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 7:23
PM To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU Subject: New
Member
Hello Molly, et al.
First of all I am of the school that does not see the need for an MLS
to be an Archivist. Although related, they are two separate fields with
different approaches to the task at hand.
When I see "MLS required" in
a job announcement I figure that the archivist's position reports to a
Librarian and they are more comfortable with "one of their own". I would
prefer a Masters in History, hopefully specializing in the area of the hiring
institution's holdings.
While there are basic standard practices in
Archival arrangement and description, I think that a lot of what I do involves
plain common sense; setting up a collection for ease of access for the
researcher. What I see as logical perhaps stems from my background as an
electrical engineer and computer programmer and I'm perplexed as to why an
English major or other creative type can't lay something out in an organized
way.
In my career change, I got a graduate certificate in Museum
Studies with a minor in Archival Studies. This came out of my love for art and
history. My interest was picqued by the archival part and I did my internships
at historical societies. After I got my certificate, I continued "working"
(pro bono) at historical societies and historic house museums, to beef up my
resume. The archival approach to a collection, with the definition of series,
etc. based upon the materials at hand, rather than strictly being locked in by
some SAA standard, allowed me to get a wide variety of experience in arranging
and describing.
Another route I would recommend would be to get into
local professional organizations. In the New York area, the Archivists
Roundtable and the multi-state Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference
(MARAC) are excellent groups, both for the educational seminars and workshops
offered and the networking (read job opportunities) that goes on. I have
found both groups to be filled with very friendly, supportive people; everyone
helping everyone else with no exclusive cliques. I can't speak for the SAA
since I'm not a member.
Well, so much for my opinion based upon my
experiences. Good luck in your future path and welcome to our profession !
Gunnar M. Berg
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