Repeat to Remember
There is a prevailing notion that things need to be new. Every post, every video, every public interaction should be new and exciting. The latest news, the latest announcement, new, new, new.
I was once criticized when working on an information guide/booklet for the archives as repeating myself too much through the pages. I let it go and accepted all of the edits, but thought to myself “you have never worked with researchers who need to hear things over and over to actually take the information in.” It would be lovely to give instructions once about how to handle archival materials and have people remember. However that has never been my experience. I believe repetition helps people learn.
This notion comes to mind whenever I check my previous newsletters to see if I have already written about a subject. I have reposted some of my earlier newsletters as my subscriber list increases, but I think reposting and repeating is more than just reaching new people. I think the more we hear or read information, the more it settles into our bodies.
I have posted here and LinkedIn about how to do archival research. There is a wonderful guide from the Society of American Archivists that can help people get started with archival research. I posted about it on LinkedIn a few years ago and then again a few months ago. I started with “Always good to have a refresher on how to do archival research.”
I have never had any LinkedIn post go farther than a few reposts and 20 reactions at most. This post kept going up to 593 reactions and 110 reposts. Quite a bit of traction on a subject I have already posted about. The power of the repeat and timing.
When I reflected on what made this resonate with so many people, I realized there was quite a bit of myself in the way I wrote about the process of archival research. I have helped many people figure out their information need and find a resource in the archives or somewhere else - I just want people to have success. I love to hunt for information no matter what it is.
The response to the post gave me an idea - write a zine about how to do archival research, a practical guide including years of insights from an archivist. I want people to feel like archives are accessible and useful. I want people to be inspired and comforted by old records, photos and maps. I want people to find where they belong in our collective history.
(I am in the middle of edits now on the zine and will keep you posted.)
This recording is not my best, but I do hear from people that they like having an audio version. So here you go.
Information is just data. Helpful, useful at times. But information provided with experience, perspective and empathy is insight. I imagine you have LOADS of meaning to convey. Bring on the zine!