New Student Volunteer

Posted on 02/04/2015 by Katharine Short

A History student from DMU has started volunteering in the Archive. David is currently volunteering in another archive and hopes to broaden his skillset by working here too. For my part an extra pair of hands is always welcome! Volunteers offer archivists the chance to progress projects which they would love to complete but often don’t have the time to work on. It is also rewarding to help someone learn more about archives as a profession and act as a mentor.

David’s first project is creating an index of our press cuttings albums. These are an invaluable resource for activities at the University from 1900 onwards and are often the best source of information about a particular student or member of staff. Having a searchable computer index to the volumes will be a much-used research tool. I expect that we will be blogging some of the fun things David comes across as he works through the volumes!

P1000454

Page from press cuttings volume 2, showing clippings from 1929.

About Katharine Short

When I was 13 every careers questionnaire I did at school suggested I become an archivist. In rebellion I studied History of Art at Cambridge and the Courtauld Institute before giving in to the inevitable and undertaking a qualification in Archives Administration at Aberystwyth University. I worked at King’s College London Archives and the London Metropolitan Archives before becoming the Archivist here at DMU in January 2013. My role is hugely varied: answering enquiries and assisting researchers, sorting, cataloguing, cleaning and packaging archival material, managing our environmentally controlled storage areas, giving seminars, talks and tours, researching aspects of University history, liaising with potential donors and advocating for the importance of archives within the organisation. I am one of those incredibly fortunate people who can say ‘I love my job’ and really mean it.
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