As a newly minted archivist six months on the job, I’ve learned several lessons that I hope will help my fellow professionals make the transition from student to full blown archivist.
- Enacting or bringing about change in any organization is challenging. As a new professional or as someone new to a job we have a window in which we can propose and hopefully make change happen. As new staff members our voices may be heard and listened to, but that doesn’t mean we should rush to change everything. It’s tempting when you come into a new organization to believe you have the right answer for everything. Take the first 2 or 3 months to learn how your colleagues perform traditional archival practices: processing, reference, outreach, collection development, etc. During that time you can form any suggestions you have but wait to share them until you have a better understanding of the organizational culture. It can take the first few months to feel out who potential allies to your ideas might be, and who you’ll have to win over to make change.
- Don’t forget the little guy or gal. It’s tempting now that we’ve landed this “grown-up” job to forget the kinds of tasks we were assigned as volunteers, student interns and workers. These staff members are invaluable. Having interns copy patron requests and re-house materials may be unavoidable but be sure and give them the option of bigger projects and the opportunity to share ideas of projects that interest them. Some will take us up on these offers and could be potential archivists in training and others will be happy to plug in their Ipods and make photocopies. It takes all types to keep our repositories running.
- Get involved outside of your department. Many of us will find ourselves working in archives and special collections departments that are physically near other library departments or other libraries. It’s easy to remain in our comfort zones and only interact and exchange ideas with coworkers in the next cubicle over. By “sticking to our own kind” we miss the opportunity to learn about what’s going on in the wider organization. Maybe there’s a speaker series committee you can serve on in which you’ll work with administrators and other library staff or even faculty? Or perhaps there’s a library event put on for the community that could use another volunteer? These opportunities give you the chance not only to meet more people, but also to share what your department is up to.
- Keep your archival mind sharp. Don’t abandon the American Archivist just because you’re no longer required to analyze case studies for your research methods class, or because your potential boss wrote it. Attend conferences if you can, write articles yourself, keep up on blogs (like this one) and stay connected to the profession even when your job security and comfort levels are at their highest.
- Try saying “Yes” before saying “No.” As all those committees you’ve signed up to serve on, class sessions you’ve agreed to teach, conference programs you’ve agreed to chair, etc., etc., etc. begin to pile up it becomes much easier to say “No.” Resist the urge! We can’t do everything, but we can do many things to meet the needs of our researchers, communities and fellow professionals. By starting from “Yes” we’re more likely to expand our professional horizons and expose ourselves to new ways of doing things.
Go forth and triumph!!!
What are your thoughts on working with or being a new professional?