After growing up on Whidbey Island in Washington state, I attended Whitman College for my undergraduate degree in history. I first discovered the archival profession in my sophomore year of college, working in the college archives. Like a typical information professional, I did extensive research before deciding to follow this path — three years of working in the archives and two summer internships later, I was sure this was the right profession for me.
I came to the University of Michigan School of Information to specialize in Archives and Records Management. This program opened my eyes to the interdisciplinary field of information science, which encompasses everything from bricks-and-mortar libraries, museums, and archives to the virtual world of digital libraries, Facebook, and Second Life. After taking a variety of classes at SI, I’ve found that I’m much more comfortable inhabiting physical library space. I see great possibilities for improved access to information online, but I also think the physical object itself is still worthy of attention.
After graduating in May, I’m now working as the Assistant Curator of Books at the William L. Clements Library on the UM campus. The transition from graduate school to work has been a constant barrage of new information and ways of doing things, but I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.
I’m particularly interested in:
- Incorporating new technologies into existing library practices
- Improving online access to collections
- The relevance of special collections in a digital age
