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Re: Another Archive recruiters/Job hunting



Katy,

It is coincidental that you mention the Pacific Northwest, as I moved TO the
Pacific Northwest five years ago.  I had been in Colorado for five years,
including the two that I was in graduate school.  I loved Colorado, had
relatives there, but could not find a job, after my first one year contract
position ended.  Because a great professor emphasized it in my undergraduate
years, I knew when I went into this profession that I would need to be
willing to relocate.  However, having never been further east than Chicago,
I preferred to stay in the west.  Probably if I ever visited the eastern
part of the United States, I would love it too.  In any event, I only
applied for positions that were in places I was willing to relocate.  I no
longer had a husband to complicate the move, but I did have an eight year
old daughter to consider.

I have to admit it has been a challenge, coming from a large family, to move
to a place where I knew no one.  But I have met some great friends and
co-workers here, who have always made me feel welcome. I was fortunate
enough to be hired after only a telephone interview, and fortunate enough
for OSU to pay my relocation expenses, too.

The holidays are celebrated in a different way, more of a solitare feeling.
However, we rise to the challenge as they say.  The alternative is to move
back to Colorado, or my native South Dakota, and work at a job that I would
hate.  I guess I am determined NOT to fail in this field, since one of my
relatives told me I was too old to go to college (at age 38), and since a
friend told me I would go to college, and end up waiting tables instead of
using my degrees.  There are some advantages to being stubborn, I have found
out.

I apologize for the ramblings here, but I feel strongly that one has to
accept the reality that you cannot have it all: a great job, in a choice
location, with fabulous pay.  Move with an open heart and eyes, and you will
find that there is something to love about everywhere you live, if you look
for it.

I have to admit that it would be a little harder to move again with a 13
year old, as she has made a lot of friends, does well in school here, and
I'm not sure if it would be fair to her to ask her to move, again.  We would
have to weigh the pros and cons.

Janet Wendt
Janet M. Wendt, C.A.
Staff Archivist
Oregon State University Archives
94 Kerr Administration Building
Corvallis, OR  97331-2103
Phone: 541-737-4050
Fax: 541-737-0541
E-mail: Janet.Wendt@orst.edu
Website:  http//osu.orst.edu/Dept/archives


-----Original Message-----
From: Katy Smith [mailto:ksmith@IMAIL.SLCL.LIB.MO.US]
Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2001 8:52 AM
To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: Re: Another Archive recruiters/Job hunting


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
>>> 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!
>>
>> 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
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

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>