To the Editor:
Alice Dreger’s essay, “The Delicate Art of Dealing With Your Archivist” (The Chronicle Review, July 29), is a most helpful guide for academic researchers who navigate the treacherous waters of archives and special collections libraries. Based upon her three decades of interactive experience, she has categorized our profession’s ranks — and there are thousands of us — into a precious and handy-dandy short list of a half-dozen personality types for her fellow academics to understand better.
Indeed, this is a remarkable service for information consumers everywhere, and she accomplished this by bravely enduring all six kinds of our ilk over time. Like many consumer guides, however, Dreger’s falls short in its comprehensiveness. In my own experience working not only with dedicated colleagues, but also with researchers who have a wide range of needs, I notice that Dreger failed to identify several other categories.
So, as a public service — after all, isn’t that what we do? — I have identified seven additional types of archivists and special collections librarians for Dreger to consider. Perhaps she can publish an epilogue to supplement her at-present inadequate study.
The subject specialist has acquired a particular area of expertise, based perhaps on geographic location or discipline. Iowa radio history? Go to the Archives of Iowa Broadcasting at Wartburg College. History of racism in popular culture? Contact staff at Ferris State University in Michigan.
The special collections mediator possesses a broad understanding of the holdings in their department. He might not be an expert in, say, rare books, but he will investigate your question and respond with the information you need.
The K-12 instructor and teacher’s aide is loved by organizers of National History Day and similar public history educational programs. This type gets into the nitty-gritty of showing beginning researchers what records meant when they were made, and what they mean today. These archivists know that the 1967 anti-war petitions signed in blood are especially cool with middle school students.
The grief counselor recognizes, and responds sensitively to, difficult circumstances that a donor faces. A death in the family, the closure of a department or program, or retirement: all represent difficult passages. It is this archivist’s responsibility to conduct herself appropriately and to work with others in stressful situations.
The knowledge developer makes the collections — and the ensuing research — possible. When he has accepted a collection that includes, among other items, a rare 1963 audio recording of Fannie Lou Hamer recounting the brutality she experienced in a Mississippi jail, he contributes to the information universe like no other.
The argument settler enjoys — let’s be honest here — a guilty pleasure that they celebrate — quietly, of course — after tracking down information that resolves a long-standing family dispute.
The keeper of the flame recovers documents from disaster, and ensures that there is a future for uninterrupted research opportunities.
I am sure that more categories will come to mind but, for now at least, this expanded list should allow Dreger’s guide to be of greater use to all researchers, beginners as well as advanced. Even those with three decades of experience.
David McCartney
Archivist
University of Iowa
President
Midwest Archives Conference
