[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: New Member



Well, Molly, it's been a long, strange journey for some of us.  I graduated
from the University of Kentucky in 1972 with a BA in Comparative Literature
and one course short of having a second major in Latin.  After working on a
masters in Comparative Literature (which I never finished) at the
Universities of Georgia and Virginia, I returned to the University of
Kentucky to get a Master's in Library Science in 1978.  While finishing that
degree, I worked part-time in the Library's Special Collections where I
helped process a collection of the papers of a prominant family spanning
almost 200 years.  I found that experience fascinating, both becasue of the
materials I was handling as well as the opportunity to work with the
wonderful staff of the Special Collections department (including but not
limited to Bill Marshall and Terry Birdwhistle).

After graduation, I applied for a position with the State Archives in
Frankfort, Kentucky which I had the great good luck to get.  The job was
funded by an NHPRC grant the purpose of which was to survey manuscript and
archival holdings of the state.  We then used a cutting edge (in 1979)
package called SPINDEX (and if you recognize that term you're like me, older
than dirt) to create a database of archival information which would be
compatable with data being created by three other states also participating
in the NHPRC pilot.  Once again, I was lucky enough to have the experience
of participating in this effort with such outstanding collegues as Lew
Bellardo and others in Kentucky; Nancy Sahli, Frank Burke and Eddie Headlin
in the Washington offices of the NHPRC; and fellow SPINDEX users in the
other pilot states such as John Burns in California, Max Evans in Wisconsin,
Tom Hickerson and Elaine Engst in New York and others.  These people were
and are shining examples of how a sharing, collaborative effort can magnify
individual contributions to a project into a truely awesome result.  I have
always found the diversity of the people involved in the records/archival
profession its greatest strength.  Whether they are focussed on the
technical, educational, administrative or service area of it, they have all
contributed in diverse ways to the mosaic which is necessary to offer a
well-rounded program to consumers of our profession's services.

Anyway, to conclude my own journey, after 6 years at the Kentucky State
Archives, I joined the U.S. Foreign Service and wondered the world for six
years, serving as a consular officer in Guatemala, Barcelona and finally
Managua, Nicaragua.  In 1991, as our daughter was reaching school age, I
left the Foreign Service to return to a more traditional life style.  I was
the head librarian for a couple of years at the National Archives in
downtown Washington.  In 1993 I saw an ad in the SAA newsletter for the
position as head of the records program for the Inter-American Development
Bank, a multi-lateral lending institution for Latin America and the
Caribbean.  I'll complete my 9th year in October and hope to retire from
here when our daughter graduates from college (class of '10).

To close, I'm not sure that my path to archivaria was typical, but I'm not
sure there is a typical path.  My avuncular advice is to find a path which
not only leads to the destination you choose, but is also a path which you
enjoy walking for its own sake.  Life's too short to wait to enjoy it only
after you've reached your goal.  For me, vacations start when I close the
front door on the way out, not when I get to the beach.

Regards,

Tom

J. Thomas Converse, CA, CRM, M.L.S.
Chief, Records Management Section
Inter-American Development Bank
1300 New York AV, NW
Washington, DC  20577
(202) 623-3010
(202) 312-4051 -- fax
thomasc@iadb.org



-----Original Message-----
From: Molly Odwyer [mailto:maidean@MAIL.MC.MARICOPA.EDU]
Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2002 4:10 PM
To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: New Member


Hello,

I am new to the list and thought I'd see if I could get some feedback
from all of you. I am not a professional but I am in school and wanted
to go into archiving. What I am wanting to get from this list is an
idea of the various majors that all of you have, perhaps the graduate
schools attended and maybe how you first got into archiving and museums
and the such.

<snip>

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>