Archives are for all of us
That is how I ended my last newsletter. I have always had a passion for sharing archival materials and resources with anyone who asked. I have also felt strongly that information can change lives for the better. Historical information found in archives can inspire people to continue on a difficult path knowing they are not the first to encounter these barriers or help people feel like they belong by learning about their family history.
History can teach us that we all fit in somewhere, but only if we are allowed to learn all of history and not a single perspective. For that reason, archives can be dangerous and powerful. When we learn about those who came before us and what they accomplished or tried to, it provides us with perspective which, for me, is the the whole point of history. How do we learn from what happened before and try to do something different and perhaps better.
I am starting to receive feedback from readers of my novel, The Traveling Archivist.1 They are enjoying the archives specific content. I wrote scenes from a real live archivist perspective, the parts that are fun and the parts that are mind numbing. I had never seen a fictionalized account of the work we do that felt accurate. Telling people I am an archivist evokes reverence and comments like and “I wish I could look at cool stuff all day.” I know there are lots of jobs that are misunderstood, but I can actually help with understanding archival work.
I did worry that my descriptions of archival processing and scanning might be a bit much for folks outside the profession. However, when my editors and beta readers (only one is an archivist) called out that they loved learning about the intricacies of processing and concepts like original order and provenance; I was thrilled. Not only because I loved writing it and wanted to keep those parts in the novel, but for many learning more about archives makes archives more accessible.
Archival accessibility is the whole point. We can all feel intimidated when we don’t know something and are worried about looking stupid or asking dumb questions. The idea of archives can create a deterrent. When people can learn through a story about the inner working of archives, it can gently open doors to resources that felt out of reach. Archives are for all of us, because we are the ones who create the archives.
In case you missed the links before, learn more about my novel and where to find it. Buy Direct - Buy The Traveling Archivist directly from me via the links on my website via IngramSpark.
Buy the book anywhere you buy books including your local bookstore, Bookshop.org or Amazon. Local independent bookstore can usually purchase through IngramSpark (not Amazon). If they need details and specs on the book send them here for the one-sheet.
Leave a review - If you like the book think about leaving a review on GoodReads or Amazon or wherever you like to leave book reviews.
Share with your communities wherever they exist - online or in person. I am working to keep my website up to date and adding in new links as needed.
Request The Traveling Archivist at your local library - Most library systems allow library card holders to request 1- 2 books a month in whatever format you want. I mostly read eBooks on the Libby app, so I requested both hardback (more durable) and eBook formats for my local library.
I feel like everyday I read about another erasure of history - website info on the indigeneous Code Breaker heros from WWI and WWII being the latest. It’s elevated the role of archivists for me. So grateful you have passion for this work.
It seems I should say now more than ever, but it is really now and always that archivists and people who care about learning and preserving our collective history are needed. The story you are telling about Jo VanGogh is in the same vein. We need to continue to tell these stories so they do not get lost or hidden again.