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INFO 256 Module #7 Assignment: Personal Reflection

Personal Reflection Taking the class Information 256, Archives and Manuscripts has been beneficial to me. Not only has it provided a great introduction to formal education in archival science, but it has also served as a reminder that we develop the skills we aim to achieve through teaching. The end of this semester marks a significant milestone in my career as an archivist. I began working in an academic archive in 2015 as a graduate student in my university’s history department. The opportunity to work in an archive meant that I would be among history enthusiasts who could sift through their collections and uncover wonderful hidden treasures to share with the academic community. In addition to my ten years of experience in archives, this course has demonstrated that it is not about why we do this work. We preserve the records and describe them to serve others, not ourselves. My initial goals for entering this profession were misguided, if not naive. Recently, while preparing formal ...
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INFO 256 Module #6 Assignment: Exploring an Ethical Dilemma

For Module 6’s ethical dilemma assignment, I chose to examine the first option, where, as an archivist, I have received a collection of papers from a prominent individual, who already has a substantial amount of their documents housed in another archive. The challenge I face in this situation involves adhering to the Society of American Archivists' (SAA) Code of Ethics and deciding whether to accept the donation of these papers into my archive. In making this decision, I will consider how it serves the best interests of users and how separating an individual's papers might negatively impact the historical record. There is no clear right or wrong answer to this dilemma. In the SAA’s Code of Ethics, there is no explicit solution to this specific situation. However, the Code does provide guiding ethical principles of how this situation should be approached. These stated responsibilities include that archivists are to preserve the integrity and context of archival materials , act w...
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INFO 256 Module 5: Build a Historic Timeline- Sega home consoles

Link to History timeline.  It was quite fun to research and build this assignment using this software. I learned about the history of some of my beloved childhood video game consoles. As a child, one of my favorite things to read was Video Games Magazine and learn about the release dates of upcoming video games, their reviews, and hardware specifications of the home consoles. Despite my best efforts to learn everything about my favorite video games and their parent companies, I had to rely upon the magazine's monthly issues to satisfy my thirst for this knowledge.  I know now that I was only able to learn a fraction of the history of these consoles from reading those magazines. One of the reasons I chose to use this theme for my timeline was that I read that another student had already made a Nintendo home console timeline. The proverbial fires of the console wars of my youth were stoked, and I had to prepare a response. Throughout my youth, I had friends who had some strong ...
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INFO 256 Module #4; Assignment: Describing Archives in "Plain" Words

To some people, understanding what archives are and what the people who work in them do isn’t widely understood. To help clarify some misconceptions about archives and archivists let’s discuss the things people may think archives are. A common misconception about archives is that archives are a place where old things are stored. If I were to assign a point value to this idea on a scale from one to ten, I would say that this only scores one point, meaning that they only account for one thing of what an archive is responsible for maintaining. There are several main practices and principles that archivists follow daily. These include deciding which collections to accept into the archives and managing those records using a record inventory system. Archivists protect records from deterioration by placing them in folders and boxes that extend their lifespan. They organize materials into coherent collections and create indexes for researchers. Most importantly, they provide access and referen...
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Module #3 Assignment: Scope and Content Note & Container List

Ted Carlson Papers  Scope and Content Note: This collection includes the outgoing and incoming correspondence, newsletters, and other ephemeral materials related to the academic and professional career of Eric Theodore "Ted" Carlson from 1944 to 1946. Most of these materials consist of personal and professional correspondence. Also included are newsletters and military documents. These letters and documents reflect his time as a student at Iowa State College and his military service in the U.S. Army. After completing his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, he began his career at the Monsanto Chemical Company in Dayton, Ohio, where he worked as a laboratory engineer on the Manhattan Project.  These letters illustrate the relationship between Carlson and his parents, as well as provide insights into their lives. The other letters originate from various colleagues and acquaintances of Carlson, highlighting activities during the late World War II period while also of...
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Module 2 Abstract and Biographical Note for the Ted Carlson Papers

Abstract for the Ted Carlson Papers:      The Ted Carlson papers include newsletters, ephemera, and correspondence documenting life in the U.S. from 1944 to 1946. This collection chronicles his experiences as a student at Iowa State College and Wesleyan College, a WWII military scientist working on the Manhattan Project, and a corporate scientist during his time at Chrysler and Monsanto. Biographical Note-      Eric Theodore “Ted” Carlson attended Wesleyan University, earning a B.A. with high distinction in Chemistry in February 1944. During the summer of that year, he worked as a graduate assistant at Iowa State College. Carlson's military service began in 1944 when he was inducted into the Army at Fort Snelling in August. He served in the Enlisted Reserve Corps and went on active duty on October 15, 1945. After completing his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, he achieved the rank of Technician 5. In 1946, he began his career at Monsanto...
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Interview an Archivist

  Info 256 Section 10 Module #1 Assignment: Interview an Archivist The archivist I had the opportunity to interview for this assignment was Ashlee Chism. She serves as the Archivist and Research Center Manager in the Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research at the world headquarters of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Her education includes attending and earning her Bachelor of Arts in English in 2012 from the Southern Adventist University. She also earned her Master of Science and Information from the University of Michigan Specializing in Archives and Records Management 2015. Ashlee explained that while in library school she gained work experience as a student librarian in the Gerald Ford Library. She began her work at the Archives, Statistics, and Research Center, as an hourly staff member before receiving a promotion to manager. Her work includes preserving, describing, and cataloging the materials of this repository. Ashlee mentioned the Seventh-Day Advent...
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