I knew since my undergraduate years at both Florida State and South Florida that I wanted to ultimately work as an Archivist and manage historical records.  My undergraduate degree was in History with an eye always towards historical artifacts and materials.  I interned at a small, well-managed local museum, the Dunedin History Museum.  Even before graduating I snagged a job in the digital unit of the University of South Florida Library’s Special Collection.  This job has enabled me, among other opportunities, to  Experience archives firsthand .

In the master’s program, I have been able to significantly expand on my experience at the USF Library and truly position myself to manage archives.  Specifically, I developed a strong understanding and comfort with the general craft of librarianship through the Foundation of Library and Information Sciences and Organization and Knowledge courses. 

Even better, my electives built a robust base for mastering the art of archiving.  In Organization and Knowledge, I developed a strong grasp of managing records both in electronic as well as paper formats.  In Archives and Records Management, I captured how records are acquired, appraised, arranged, described, and preserved.  Government Documents challenged me to absorb legal compliance, decision making, and institutional record-keeping.  In Rare Books, I got a strong sense of how archival documents, in this case rare books, are preserved.  My practicum with the US Library of Congress is allowing me a hand-on, practical experience in building an archive.

The journey from undergraduate studies in History to a master’s in library science, with internships at a local museum and with the US Library of Congress, not to mention my ongoing, daily work in Special Collections, has been smooth, fluid and well-structured.  My challenge is now to take this new knowledge, my unique experience, and my passion to find a valued position as an Archivist.