Andrea Howard

-

 


Before graduating in 2014 from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, I had the good fortune of interning with Marian Matyn at the Clarke Historical Library. During my internship, I spent most of my time on the Aladdin Housing Company collection, sorting through the personal records of Aladdin founder William Sovereign and his son, Will Sovereign, Jr. I loved finding unexpected things, like photographs of pilot Jeanette Lempke (William Sovereign’s wife) and her trailblazing flights in the 1920s. I knew pretty quickly that I’d also found a new career path. 

Fast forward about 9 years- I now have a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. After a brief stint as a Local History Librarian in Ohio, I am currently a Visiting Processing Archivist at Grand Valley State University. Drawing directly from my processing experience at the Clarke, I am currently working to process a large collection of zoning and urban planning materials. I’m excited to contribute to the field in the next couple of years by becoming involved in professional archival organizations and giving conference presentations. 

Sometimes I wonder where I would be if I hadn’t been flipping through a course catalog my senior year, looking for a history course and noticing the archives internship option for the first time. My internship at the Clarke taught me fundamental archival principles and skills and kindled my love for archives, but it did so much more than that. I developed a lasting friendship with Marian Matyn; I regularly turn to her for advice and encouragement and highly value her opinions and insights. That internship was also the only hands-on, official archival internship I had before entering the job market. I know that the experience I gained at the Clarke was instrumental to my job search success. If you’re on the fence about interning in the archives, I say go for it! You never know what you might find.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

25th work anniversary

-
Image
Today is my 25th work year anniversary. I don't think anyone knows it but me. On July 5, 1996 I parked in the small lot west of Park Library and took the elevator to 4th floor. I had just cracked my windshield and was so embarrassed about it. My desk was in a work room with a kitchen where everyone ate, no privacy at all. My first job with a few students was processing Senator Griffin's 400 cubic foot collection. I had a brand new, huge computer that wasn't plugged in yet. It took up most of my desk space. When I taught Lib 197 we did so in a room where only I had a computer. My job has morphed so much since then. I am grateful for all the positives over the years and through my various jobs. Mostly it's been good. I try to learn from the good and the bad. I thank God for  this job and the interesting work I've done, and mostly for my amazing students throughout the years, and all the wonderful people on and off campus I've met and collaborated with and been pri...
Read more

Clarke Historical Library job announcement

-
 We have a new staff technical position in the Clarke Historical Library, the Archives & Reference Specialist. The person will work approximately 1/3 of their time with me processing and approximately 2/3 of their time with Bryan assisting with reference and outreach services. Applicants must apply on the CMU Jobs page by August 19, 2024. See https://www.jobs.cmich.edu/postings/41105. 
Read more

Meet my summer archives processing student Brandon Horn

-
Image
  Hello! I'm Brandon Horn, a senior at  Central Michigan University (CMU) studying Social Science with one more semester to go in my undergrad. During my two-month tenure over the summer, I processed CMU Athletics files, meticulously cataloging and preserving important historical documents and records. This involved examining a variety of materials, from game statistics, photographs, and event programs to media questionnaires, assisting Marian Matyn in ensuring they were accurately documented and stored from where they were previously in the Athletics Department's basement. Additionally, I played a crucial role in organizing and creating digital finding aids for these collections to help future researchers easily locate each item.   I was drawn to archival work because it allows me to connect with the past in a tangible way that tells an important part of CMU's storied past. Each document, photograph, and artifact captures a moment frozen in time, reflecting the experienc...
Read more