Where do you work? What is your favorite part of your job?
I work in John Jermain Memorial Library in Sag Harbor, N.Y. Within our little library, there is a local history room and within that, a Local History Archives Center – that’s my perch.
Frankly, I love everything about my job. It is a great fit for my skills set, personality, interests, etc. If I had to choose a favorite part, I would say it’s opening up an uncatalogued box for the first time. It sucks me back in time and gives me a rush of excitement and energy.
What’s a typical day like at your job?
This question always makes me chuckle because when is there a typical day for an archivist? Everyday is different because the projects I work on and the pace at which I work is all up to me. When I am pulled to cover the reference desk or for another duty, it is a good break to the week and the solitude of the archives. The most regular week I could describe would be checking email before the library opens, getting my supplies ready to work on cataloging, rehoming, metadata – whatever stage of a project I am working on, and then commence working. Interruptions are not frequent but happen every couple of hours. I stop to check my email after that interruption, and then get back into the groove (literally) – I can listen to music in my space, and I do.
When and how did you become an archivist or become interested in archives?
The roles of Archivist and Librarian is my third career. It should have been my first but I felt more strongly drawn to teaching. That path was a fraught five years and I was thoroughly burnt out. My family’s business needed me and I stepped in to work on a project and fill the gaps for what I thought would be 18 months at the most. During that time, I married and we decided to stay put rather than move away for better job prospects. This was 2012 and jobs were limited so I stuck with the family business. Low and behold 10 years later, I said to my folks – I’ll be 40 soon and we’re in a pandemic! I want to work with what I love! I went back to school for a MSIS. Archives had piqued my interest through FromThePage.com and a general love of all things old and mysterious. I chose it as my masters track and I was lucky enough to have this opportunity fall right into my lap – the timing and circumstances were in my favor.
What’s your favorite project or collection you’ve worked with in the past year?
Choosing a favorite project is like choosing a favorite child! I would say every time I work on a genealogy project, with a patron, I feel a wide range of emotions and am thrilled to help them discover new information and make new connections. I feel like a detective! If I have to choose from the archives themselves, I would say…cataloging and rehoming the collection of family bibles that we have. The genealogy information in them wasn’t unpublished information, but it was my first cataloging and project experience. I put to use a boatload of archives basics and brushed up on local history information, SkyRiver was a great resource.
What made you join PLASC Steering Committee?
I joined the PLASC Steering Committee to learn more about the field. I am new to Library-Land and the more I know, the better I will be able to serve our patrons and communities. I am excited to be helpful to our colleagues and make connections with other archivists.
The Finding Aid 