Every year, the Society of American Archivists sponsors Ask an Archivist Day, a chance for people in the archival profession to answer questions generated by the public. This year, we asked our archivists in the Baylor Libraries to answer from a range of questions related to their work. Their answers are below!
What is the most underrated or unexplored archival collection in your area?
Most of our classes and researchers interact with our national collections – papers of former U.S. Representatives. That is great to see, but I would say our state-based collections are relatively unexplored. The largest collection we have at Poage Library is the Bob Bullock papers. Bullock served as the Comptroller of Public Accounts and Texas Lieutenant Governor, so he was influential in state politics for decades. We have so many collections of Texas Representatives, Senators, and judges that provide insight into state politics and history. I would love to see more researcher interactions with these materials.
What do you love most about being an archivist?
What drew me to archives and what continues to make my job fulfilling is the element of story. When I process historical materials, I have the privilege of learning about people of different careers, time periods, ethnicities, religions, etc. Yet even as I see the wide scope of human experience, I often notice some unifying characteristics that make us “human.” On some level, people from the past are markedly different. And yet, they can be surprisingly similar.
What kinds of archival materials do you want people to consider donating to your library?
In recent years, we have made a more conscious effort to add local collections. For example, we acquired the papers of longtime McLennan County Commissioner Lester Gibson, our first African American collection. We want to continue those efforts to document the contributions of local government officials, political activists, and political party records to reflect a morecomplete history of Waco.
Is there a major success story of a researcher using an archival resource you’d like to share?
A few years ago, we had a history master’s student conduct significant research at Poage Library, looking at how Texas women and churches viewed the Civil Rights Movement. The researcher shared some of his findings with the archivists as the process moved along. Interestingly enough, we often highlight some of those sources in our class presentations.
If you weren’t working in archives, what would be your backup career?
Since it is unlikely that I can start a meaningful professional baseball career in my late-30s, I think I would have made a good accountant with my attention to detail. Admittedly, that job would not have been as rewarding as my career in archives has proven to be.
One underexplored archival collection that comes to mind at BCPM is the Clark Thompson papers. Thompson was the son-in-law of Galveston financier and philanthropist William L. Moody, Jr., and represented Texas’s 9th congressional district from 1947-1966, encompassing Galveston and the coast. His papers cover some fascinating pieces of Texas history, including the deadly Texas City Disaster in 1947, when a docked ship exploded in the harbor and caused a massive chain reaction of explosions and fires, and Hurricane Carla in 1961. The papers also contain matters of national importance, like the Panama Canal Zone.
Is there a major success story of a researcher using an archival resource you’d like to share?
We have had several history master’s students use the congressional archival collections at BCPM to explore themes from the twentieth century in their theses, especially Civil Rights and segregation. We always love this – and be sure to tell your friends about what you found!
If you weren’t working in archives, what would be your backup career?
My dream job, aside from being an archivist, would involve being a foodways writer. My history master’s thesis explored the language surrounding tea in colonial America, and I love exploring the history of food and drink and the great variety of food cultures across our globe. Someday, I might try writing a cookbook combined with food history and culture.
What do you love most about being an archivist?
For me, working as an archivist isn’t just a job. No matter what you do, from working with donors to processing a collection, you are bridging the gap between people and the histories and truths they seek – and that is the guiding force. The better we know where we come from, the better we know where we’re going. Archivists have a serious responsibility in facilitating that.
Is there a major success story of a researcher using an archival resource you’d like to share?
A couple of years ago, my uncle visited the National Archives in St. Louis to learn more about my Grandpa Milo’s journey in the U.S. army overseas during WWII. My uncle utilized all the archival materials he found to create a video presentation of my grandpa’s journey with photos of archival materials alongside animations of maps. When I saw how my uncle utilized archival resources, I was truly taken aback. He even put in a sound clip of what storming Omaha Beach would have sounded like for grandpa, and it was harrowing. I was also completely unaware that my grandpa had fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Even though my uncle did all of the work, his work in accessing archival resources helped me learn things about my grandpa I never knew.
What kinds of archival materials do you want people to consider donating to your library?
The University Archive wants to encourage Baylor University employees to help preserve the university’s story through their unique lens. Whether your department has contributed materials to the archive for many years or has never donated before, your participation is essential. Only together can we diversify the holdings—across both physical and digital formats—and ensure the preservation of Baylor’s record.
If your department has physical or digital files that have not been accessed in the past 18 to 24 months, please consider contacting the University Archivist to arrange a transfer of these materials. From personal papers to departmental meeting minutes, agendas, scrapbooks, and more, each contribution provides a valuable perspective on the function, operation, and mission of the oldest continually operating institution of higher education in Texas.
Let’s Sic ’em and strengthen Baylor’s University Archive—making it great for both today and tomorrow.
What do you love most about being an archivist?