Dear Jackie et al, I have a nice memory from a train I was on between Florence and Vienna a few months before 9/11. An American couple were in the same compartment and we struck up a conversation. When asked what I did I said I was an 'archivist'. They mistook my Aussie / Kiwi accent or just misheard me and thought I had said 'activist'. Possibly correct also but I agree that an additional explanation is often called for. Kind Regards Jenny Jenny Scott Collection Specialist - South Australiana State Library of South Australia +61 8 8207-7344 0417-899-967 GPO Box 419, Adelaide SA 5001 [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> www.slsa.sa.gov.au <file:///C:\Documents%20and%20Settings\jennys\Application%20Data\Microso ft\Signatures\www.slsa.sa.gov.au> ________________________________ From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jackie Shalberg Sent: Tuesday, 20 June 2006 7:06 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Archives as a profession I found saying "I'm an archivist," then following up with "I preserve paper, film and photographs and make them accessible to the public," usually works pretty well. I am always surprised to find people who know exactly what I do. Usually I find out they're either researchers, history majors, museum and library staff or, interestingly enough, sci-fi junkies such as myself who refer to obscure archivist references in science fiction novels. Talking about professions and degrees, as you all may well know, I have a Museum Studies masters degree, specializing in Archives Management. I found that the museum studies courses really helped me understand the preservation side of the archives and the additional duties I perform working in a museum setting...but, no matter what degree people ask for (MLS/MLIS/History...), it is really the archives-specific courses, and the additional education received through internships, seminars, conference and on-the-job training, that gave me the know-how to be good archivist. It is too bad that we do not have a full Archives masters program in the U.S.. Nonetheless, I am thankful for the many opportunities I have been given for additional training, as they are truly worthwhile. ***The comments above are exclusive to the writer, and do not reflect the opinions of the organization she works for. She wrote the above message off the clock. *** Jackie Shalberg Archivist / Assistant Historian National Model Aviation Museum A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org. For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname *or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] 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 <[log in to unmask]> A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org. For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname *or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] 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 <[log in to unmask]>