Long time and no posts

Hello

Well it has been a year since I have posted on the site. After moving to North London, things got a little serious in the job line which I am still trying to sort out but we will get there. I am determined! I have also been tackling a lot of other things that I had been ignoring or pretending were not there. So with all these new leaves and the new year approaching, I thought I would reach back to a place that has always been good to talk about things (archival ish!) that have been on my mind. All your suggestions as ever welcome for natter too.

It just leaves me to say I hope you have a very lovely Christmas and Happy New Year.

Archive Girl

Accreditation...

I have been thinking for a while about taking the plunge and starting the Accreditation Scheme. So much so that I have booked myself along to a workshop. I know it will be good for me as I think it will focus my thoughts on what I do on a day to day basis in my projects and where I am lacking in certain areas of expertise. Ultimately, making me realise that I should do more professional development and not shy away from that whole malarkey!

If people are going through it or have been through it, I would love to hear your experiences and views on the matter. If there are people like me who are starting out on this new adventure too please let me know. A support group of sorts would be welcome!

Archive Girl

Archive Girl has

Relocated!

Archive girl and her business has moved 'up north'! Well, only so far as North London to be precise. I am slowly getting used to the new commutes and budgeting on a new scale. So far so good. I can safely say that it has been better for my projects too as I can spend more time working than travelling. That has to be good right?

I am currently working on a new page for my website called Recent Projects to help people get an idea of the type of work that I have been doing as I really haven't been spending a lot of time on my Blog of late.

Growth of archive blogs.

Sub heading: Archivists reaching out to the world through different mediums!

Really good news that more archivist are taking up the mighty pen, or the keyboard. Writing about what they do daily and when faced with big challenges. We really aren’t as scary as people think!

AG

You have arrived...

I must say that occasionally I get the attack of nerves. I nod, smile and pray that they don't ask me any questions. This kind of behaviour doesn't help when you are self employed.

Last Wednesday was a case in point, I met an university lecturer from years back, who then had a reputation of being 'fierce'. I, as the meek flower I can be steered clear of this man throughout my 3 years at Uni. Plus he didn't really do the subjects I was interested in so that helped too. Yet the creeping fear returned on Wednesday even though he was very charming and interested in what I was doing. I stuttered my way through the whole conversation and turned a nice shade of scarlet to match.

It was only afterwards, when I had opened a window and could feel the nice spring breeze, that my colleague said that I had no need to feel nervous any more as I had now 'arrived'. I have to say that I had never really thought of arriving anywhere! Yet I know he is right and that I am now a professional (albeit a young one) and that I must get some perspective and believe in what I am saying professionally (as I know it is correct).

Does anyone else feel this sometimes? It would be nice to know how other people combat this type of thing.

Is now working on...

Hello,

I have now been working at The Oxford and Cambridge Club for two months, I am part time two days a week. Splitting the rest of my time to my other jobs (archival and administrative at present)

Recently I have just starting listing the architectural plans that they hold. So far these are mainly working plans with an engineering bent to them, for example a plan of floor's hot and cold water supply. Alongside this I have started building up an list of words used solely in the plans (a tiny specialised dictionary) for ease of use later for researchers and also my own benefit while cataloguing.

While I am doing this, it has come to my attention how insular people are within any given profession and how as archivists we seek to expand (through catalogues) records that were meant at the time of their creation for a select few to as many as possible. As you can probably tell, through this process of listing I am becoming somewhat frustrated at the amount of code, abbreviations and what can only be known as 'squiggles'. I am indebted to the articles that go a lot of the way to demystify these terms and notation and am really happy when legends are put on the plan itself.

It also made me think about how many archival terms we bandy about and if we are as diligent at explaining these terms even if we do not know the last person who would be using the document that we will create.

No desk should be without one (Friday afternoon musings)

Hello,

 

On this grey, rainy and also surprisingly warm for November day. I thought how often I need notepaper. The V&A must have known as they have come up with an fun and fruity way to write notes. The pear memo pad!

 

No food near the archives please!