Wrapping up Fall term 2025

Fall 2025 has been a busy, satisfying term for me. I again successfully taught HST 583 Archives Administration, a class I created and taught annually  2012-2023. After a two year break, due to the budget, I'm shifting to teaching it every other year. A highlight of the course for me now is when I teach the students how to read penmanship using handwritten CMU postcards. Teaching is, of course, on top of my full-time job as archivist and subject bibliographer for combined History/World Languages & Culture department at CMU.

I am very grateful for all my students. This term I had film processors Max and Rebekah, paper processors Natalie, and my two volunteers, Kelsey and Hunter. We've been very productive. Next term I will happily have all those students again, except Hunter will intern with me, and I will have two more interns, Zoe and Maci. Our top priorities will be continuing to process Channel 9&10 film and inventorying a 167 cubic foot collection of Indigenous genealogical research. The inventory will help us prioritize which series to process beginning in summer. Good times! I LOVE being an archivist! 

The Dean of Health Professions toured the Clarke yesterday and noted that someone close to her wants to be an archivist and is pretty passionate about it. I replied, Yes, most of us are! And, of course, I also offered to advise.

To my great delight, I have again been re-appointed by our Governor to the Michigan State Historic Records Advisory Board. I have served continuously since January 2022. My new term will end in December 2029. I love sharing my knowledge and ideas with others to help save Michigan history and records. All of us appointees to SHRAB serve for free.

Lastly, I worked very hard on editing my MI circus book. I'm going to submit a sample of some chapters this month to MSU Press, which has changed its submission process.

Wishing you all a good 2026. Happy holidays.