Mid-Semester Update

Posted February 24, 2023 by Rebecca Devereaux

And just like that, we are almost halfway through the semester! It’s crazy how quickly it
has been zipping past. At this stage in the semester the larger projects are beginning to loom
large in my to do list. My class on reference librarianship asks each of the students to develop a
research guide. This is a cool project because I can add this to my resume not only as a skill but
as an example of my work. In my archiving class we are learning the theory and practice behind
processing plans and writing finding aids. On the library side of things this semester’s homework
feels very practical. I get to try my own hand at things which librarians regularly need to
accomplish. Slowly but surely, I am developing into a librarian!
On the history end of things, I am off to a nerdy and exciting start. My history class this
semester is Transnational Labor History with Professor Sullivan. The topic of my final paper for
this course is loosely going to be tied to the labor of central Washington’s fruit industry. I am
looking forward to delving deeper into the digital archives to learn more about the history of my
home region. I worked the cherry harvest a couple summers while I was in high school. This
history really matters to me because my previous co-workers matter to me. Their work ethic,
generosity, and sense of humor helped me to gain a strong appreciation for their stories.
One final bit of news to share with you! This semester I was assigned an internship at
Harvard’s T. H. Chan School for Public Health in their archives. I get to work on processing a
new collection on Deborah Prothrow-Stith. I have been really interested by the intersection
between science and libraries/archives. This is such a cool opportunity for me to learn firsthand
about this point of connection. Plus, this place is just cool! They have Phineas Gage’s skull!
Can’t wait to share more about what I am learning in my next post. Cheers!