On Mon, Jan 24, 2011 at 11:54 AM, Patrick Cunningham <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

>
> She may really need to come over to the dark side and join us records
> managers.
> We're not elitists, the pay is often better, and we have chocolate (ok, we
> do in
> my office). Feel free to point her to me as a fellow public historian who
> has
> evolved his role over time. As much as I enjoyed doing research in archives
> and
> making cool discoveries, I would have lost my mind talking to genealogists
> and
> processing collections had I stayed in that field. One of the fun things
> about
> records management as a recovering archivist is that you still get to
> discovery
> stuff of historical import and preserve it. It is a great asset to have
> that
> perspective and make appraisal decisions in the field. That's why I tend to
> like
> people with archival training because they can better identify critical
> historical records.
>


I see it more as the "right side" rather than the "dark side". and don't
forget that Records Management is at the front of the lifecycle while
archives is at the tale end.

I, too, have a MA in History plus a Certificate in Archival Administration
from UTxArlington. I worked as a photographic archivist for 4 years in a
public library where the genealogy section was separate from the Archives
section. Enjoyable work, learned how a lot on how to exhibit design, etc,
but lack of promotion opportunities, low pay (seems to be part and parcel of
archives work) and more led me to enter the realm of records management.
Like Patrick mentions as a RM you get to discover, save and protect items of
historical import. Knowledge of the entire process gives one perspective. In
RM you have a greater opportunity to experience new technologies as well as
greater mobility. In 30 years I've worked for 10 different organizations.
Positions that sent me to places I never thought I would get to go to in my
lifetime. Each position added to my knowledge set while expanding my
opportunities.

During my undergraduategraduate school days people would I ask what I was
going to do with it? Teach? didn't have a clue, but the degrees did teach me
how to research and analyze, to think critically and to write in a clear
and concise manner. Wouldn't trade my experience for the world.




-- 
Peter Kurilecz CRM CA
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Richmond, Va
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