Category: Public History Career Info

Here is my interview with Mary Cory, curator of the El Dorado County Historical Museum in Placerville, CA, and she is the secretary of the El Dorado County Historical Society.  I chose to interview her because I worked for the museum last summer. Her interview provided insight on working in a small town museum and the difficulties and opportunities that come with it.

What sort of education did you get in order to hold your current position at the museum?

 After college, I eventually got a job working as a paid guide at a historic house museum, and decided that I wanted to make museum work my career.  So, I got a masters degree in Museums Studies from The George Washington University in 1989.

 

How did you come to working at the current museum? What about that museum attracted you and made you want to work there?

After working in historic house museums, I was interested in working in a more general history museum.  This position was advertised nationally in a Museum publication (put out by the AAM) and so applied.

 

What projects are you currently working on?

The El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park, of which the El Dorado Western Railroad is a part of.   

Improving the condition of the artifact collection through inventories, re-housing, improving storage conditions, and most recently, the disposition (and deaccessioning) of objects found to be outside the museum’s mission or in poor condition.

 

In class we’ve been discussing how museums repatriate objects to those they belong to. Has your museum encountered this and if so how often? 

The museum had a human skull that was repatriated to a local Native American group in 1993, before I was here.  So far, no other objects have been identified to be repatriated. 

 

What do you want people to get out of the museum? What is it you want them to leave with?

More of an appreciation and interest in some, any or all aspects of El Dorado County’s history

 

In a digital society, how has technology affected the museum? What are the positive and negative aspects of it? Also, how have you incorporated that technology into the museum? 

The Museum has a large collection of historical photographs.  Starting in about 2003, equipment was purchased through a grant to digitize the entire collection of photographs, and to create a catalog.  This was completed in a couple of years, and now all new photographs are scanned and added to the database.

Certainly, keeping complex information in a digital format, such as in a database or a spreadsheet has helped make the information more accessible.  An example is a spreadsheet of all the burial permits issued in El Dorado County.  Genealogists are looking for that information, and the spreadsheet makes it much easier to find.  

However, we continue to use and add to our extensive (low tech) Master Index Card Catalog.  This was started by volunteers in the mid-1970s and has yet to be digitized.  So far, it continues to serve its purpose.

Because I am dependent on volunteers for all of these projects, I do not always have a guarantee that the volunteers, usually older and not very computer literate, will be able to use or contribute to these digitizing projects.  As a result, I’m careful about committing time, money, and energy to a project that may not get completed if it requires a high level of technical know-how.

 

What aspects of the museum would you like to change in the near future? What are some of the obstacles preventing you from doing that?

More covered or enclosed space  – space to exhibit and store artifacts, space to store archives and create a public reading room (currently our public space is in the middle of the storage space), and covered space for the outside artifacts, more enclosed space for the El Dorado Western Railroad program for storage, restoration and maintenance.  I guess the main obstacles for creating all of this space is the money to build it, and the personnel to plan it. 

 

What kinds of skills are applicants expected to have for an entry-level position as a curator?

 I focused my master degree classes on Collections Management.  I wish I had taken more classes on planning and installing exhibits.  The degree helped me get an entry level job as the manager of a house museum, and after a few years, I was promoted to Curator of Collections.

 

Do you get many donations from visitors and from the community? 

All new acquisitions have come to the Museum as donations.  We get, on average, one or two offers of artifacts a week.  We probably, on average, accept about half of what we are offered.  Money donations come in as a $2 request at the door.  Most people seem very willing to give that.

 

How has the city of Placerville helped draw attention to the museum, if it has at all?

I can’t think of anything the City has done.  The County Chamber of Commerce (located in Placerville) distributes our brochure, has a link on their website, and will include a blurb about the County Museum in their annual visitors guide. 

 

What project did you enjoy working on the most?

Recently, I worked with another volunteer on researching and installing two historical quilt exhibits at the County Museum with quilts from the Museum’s collection that have been in storage for many years.  We found one crazy quilt with a ribbon sewed into it that commemorated the coming of the railroad to Placerville in 1888. 

 

What advice do you have for those interested in the field?

Jobs are so hard to come by.  Volunteer in the type of museum or historical agency that you would like to work for.  Also, volunteering in a larger organization that has some turn over in positions may put you in a better position to get a job there.

 

What are some of the challenges of your job?

As the only paid person, I’m dependent on volunteers to get the jobs done that I determine are priorities.  However, volunteers come to the museum with a certain set of skills and usually an idea of what they want to do….which may not fit my priorities.  So – staying flexible has been very important in order to take advantage of the people that do volunteer and are reliable and dedicated.

 

Would you say the museum operates from a business perspective or no?

Since this is a County supported museum, I don’t need to make enough money to fully support the operation.  However, in the past few years, the county budget has been slashed, so now the county covers my salary and basic building support and pays for the utilities.   Our non-profit support organizations have stepped up and funded the Museum’s expenditures above and beyond the county’s support.  The Museum’s Book Store and photo sales, along with the train ride donations, keep these programs, like the El Dorado Western Railroad going. We are trying to operate this in a more business-like manner.

 

How is the museum funded?

County General Fund, grants, and through the fund raising efforts of the El Dorado Western Railway Foundation and the El Dorado Museums Foundation, the County Museum’s two non-profit support organizations.

 

Before curator, what other experience did you have with museums?

Guide, Visitor Services Administrator, William Paca House Manager, Curator of Collections for Historical Annapolis Foundation.  My position here is “Museum Administrator” which is equivelent to Director, and includes Curator, Museum Education, Registrar, Volunteer Coordinator, etc.

 

What are the positive and negative aspects to working in a small town museum?

Positives are having an opportunity to get familiar with all aspects of museum work.  Negative is not having other professional support at hand.

 

Do you feel the museum is appreciated enough by the public? If not, why do you think that is?

Yes – we can always use more appreciation, but what has always impressed me is the interest and pride I see in the public that does visit.  What we could use is more publicity in order to increase the museum’s visitation. 

 

How has the museum improved since you first started out there?

One important improvement is I wrote and implemented the museum’s first Collections Management Policy.  That greatly improved the process for accepting artifacts.  It has allowed us to refine the museum’s collection so it reflects the mission of the museum.  

 

Why do you think it’s so important to bring history to the public?

Having an appreciation of local history helps a community have pride in itself, and museums are a focus for that history, and can have a very positive effect on what is now called “quality of life.”   That’s a somewhat pat answer to what is very hard question to articulate.  The connection that we feel to “history” whether it’s our own or someone else’s, provides an important foundation to understanding the world around us….

 

What is one of the biggest challenges when setting up a new exhibit? Are you worried about how visitors will interpret it? What goes into the process of creating an exhibit?

For me, the biggest challenge is having enough dedicated time to work on it!  It’s what I enjoy, and I always want to spend more time researching.  My exhibits tend to start with an idea that is inspired by the artifacts, then doing the research, then selecting and arranging the artifacts and then creating the labels and graphics. 

As far as how visitors interpret it, I’m usually looking for something that will trigger their interest and try to convey what makes it interesting to me. 

 

Is there any other museum you would like to work for and why?

Sometimes I think it would be fun to work for a large museum with many departments and specialties, in order to have a chance to really focus on a particular skill or specialty of knowledge (like being the curator of a particular department at the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History.)

Another “what if” is working in an art museum with a collection of European Masters.  My undergraduate degree is in Art History, and if my first paying museum job out of college had been as a guide in an art museum….

 

 

 

 

 

 

When people think of historians they picture someone working in a museum or a classroom or an archive.  Not many think of the Grand Canyon, Little Big Horn, or Gettysburg.  The National Park Service, knowing that much of history has occurred outside, has a huge number of historians working to educate the public about the events that have often shaped the country.  Those who are lucky enough and tough enough to work as park rangers interpret the past for all visitors who come to a national historic site.  For those working in the Park Service, history is not enclosed within a building, rather it resides wherever man has managed to interact with nature.

Park rangers are not just the people who wear funny uniforms and tell you how to get around Yellowstone.  They are historical interpreters who bring to life significant sites.     For those who love history and education but have no interest in working a typical 9-5 job behind a desk, the Park Service is the perfect answer.

Rangers come into the job in many different ways.  Some enter knowing that this is what they want to do and some, like Mike West, fall into it by accident.  Mike, a 32 year veteran in park management, earned a degree in human resources with a minor in film studies.  After his job evaporated Mike found himself looking for temporary employment.  He wanted something that he could do in the short term to earn money while he attempted to find another professional position.  The National Park Service was hiring for the summer season and Mike accepted what he thought was a six month job and saw it as an opportunity for further training in his chosen profession.  He discovered a passion for the work and when he was offered a full time position, accepted it and never looked back.

Mike said that the Park Service is highly competitive but that there are still opportunities if someone is dedicated.  Field rangers are generally hired as temporary, seasonal employees and seldom stay in one location for very long.  The frequent transfers were a part of the fun for Mike in the beginning.  He said that making the yearly move from park to park can be draining and many rangers give up the life after a few years.  “Knowing that you can fit everything you own in a car can suck”, but for those who stick it out, the opportunity for full time employment does eventually occur.  He recommended that anyone interested in being a field ranger get training in multi media or films.  Mike found that his education in those areas has served him well as he is responsible for creating documentaries and interactive media shows for visitors.

Rangers have the monumental task of keeping tabs on all the people that visit the national parks across the nation.  Because of the uncontrollable nature of the parks and their visitors, there is not a typical day.  Mike said that rangers have to be prepared for anything.  One of his most memorable visitors was a man who argued with him regarding the use of a metal detector at Little Big Horn.  Guess who won that argument.

According to Mike the most difficult part of the job is the overly needy people who want their hands held and who take no responsibility for creating their own dream vacation.  Rangers love to teach, but they don’t like to parent.  Ironically, people are also the best part of the job, according to Mike.  He loves interacting with those who come with a passion for learning about the site and an interest in the environment.

Mike stated that his path was not a typical one and did not recommend it for others.  “I got lucky,” he said.  “I thought I wanted to work in human resources.  Looking back the best thing that ever happened to me was getting laid off.”  Mike has turned down several promotions in order to continue being hands on.  A field ranger is not an administrator and had no paperwork, a job bonus as far as Mike is concerned.  Administration is not for him.  He likes to be in the field, teaching people about the history of sites like Little Big Horn and the Grand Canyon.

Mike laughed when I asked him what advice he has for people who want to work as historical interpreters for the Park Service.  “Bring a lot of patience and humor.  Being a ranger means having a plan for the day but knowing that your plan is subject to sudden and drastic changes.”  He laughed again then added, “For example, I didn’t expect to spend an hour talking to a history student today, but this kind of stuff is the best part of my day.”

Mike also said that interpretative field rangers have a lot of leeway in how they impart information regarding the history of the parks.  “Some monuments have a pretty bloody history and you learn to tone some of that down when you have a group of kids.  You get pretty good at reading a crowd and tailoring your talk to the group.”

Mike said the single most important factor in working with the park service is enjoying people.  “So much of our job is about interacting with the public.  Liking the outdoors is another vital part of the job.  People get excited when you’re excited.  If you dislike hiking and going out in all kinds of nasty weather then this is probably not the job for you.”

According to Mike working for the park service means that you are an educator, conservationist, nature expert, camp counselor, and guide.  He ended with this thought.  “No matter what else happens during the day, I get to watch the sun set over the Grand Canyon.  How can you not love that?”

The person that I was privileged to interview was David J. Skal.  He is an esteemed lecturer, archivist, film historian and documentary maker.  He did commentaries/documentaries for the release of the Universal Monsters series, (i.e. Dracula, Frankenstein, etc.) on DVD and on the new series of Blue Ray disks that were released last year.  He is very active in writing about how the monster movies were made in the 1930’s and 1940’s.  He was very gracious to do this interview for the class.

• What path did you take to get to your current position?

I came to my present career after 20 years employment in the non-profit performing arts world (theatre, dance, and music) where I specialized in public relations, fund-raising and marketing. I began writing books and documentary scripts in the 1990s, when there was a major recession that made it impossible to work in the nonprofit sector any longer

• What kinds of projects do you work on?

I write books, essays and articles, occasionally produce, write and direct video documentaries, and guest-lecture at colleges, universities, and cultural organizations.

• With what kind of people (demographics, occupations, etc.) do you typically work?

Mr. Skal did not address this question.

• Do you have autonomy to pick your own projects, or are projects generally assigned to you by others in your organization or elsewhere?

I work by myself and choose/propose my own projects (which, of course, are approved and contracted by my publishers. Occasionally a publisher will approach me on a work-for-hire basis for a project it has developed in-house.

• What are the current issues in your field?

Current issues in my field are dominated by the massive consolidation of publishers and the proliferation of e-books, which has had a negative effect on the earnings of many freelancers like myself.

• What skills are expected of applicants for an entry-level position?

The only entry-level requirement for a freelance writer is to produce a manuscript a publisher deems publishable.

• What is the current starting salary for entry-level positions in your field?

I’m not a salaried employee, and there is no guaranteed minimum compensation outside the advance offered by each publishing contract. Lecture fees are also widely variable.

• How is your position funded? Is this typical for positions in your field or organization?

Publishers offer advances based on their own calculation of potential sales and this can vary widely from project to project. Lecture fees are usually paid from an educational institution’s special fund for this type of activity.

• What level of education is necessary for advancement to the different levels of this profession (e.g. entry-level, mid-level, and senior positions)? Are there specific degrees that are favored, and if so, what are they?

There are no educational requirements for my type of work, only the ability to produce work by which a publisher can make a profit. I have a bachelor’s degree with a split concentration in English, theatre, and journalism.

• What advice do you have for people interested in entering this field?

My advice to people seeking a similar career is to always have a back-up source of income. In other words: never quit your day job until you are very well-established professionally.

Again, I would like to thank Mr. Skal for taking the time to answer these questions.

 

The field of public history offers professionals interested in historical study an opportunity to work with historic artifacts and collections, interact with researchers and academics, and present innovative and exciting historical interpretations aimed at a broad audience. While I find everything about this profession fascinating, many people are unaware that such a professional field exists. When friends and acquaintances learn that I am pursuing my Master degree in History, I usually get a response that sounds something like, “Oh, you want to be a history teacher.” I sigh, and reply, “no…” Based on this oh-too-familiar conversation, it seems as if the general public is unaware or unable to disassociate history from the profession of teaching. In an effort to shed light on the importance of the field of public history, I have conducted an interview with Keith Schrum, Curator of Archives for History Colorado. I hope to use the information gained through this interview to expand my own knowledge of public history while at the same time increasing the general awareness of public history as a professional field of study.

Although it was my childhood love of history that encouraged my decision to major in history in college, I understand that not everyone follows that trajectory. In fact, as a young child, Keith only had a “passing appreciation of the subject.” This was due to the fact that he grew up in Virginia surrounded by an abundance of Colonial Era and Civil War history. Although this early interest in history was not enough to sway his interests away from religious study, it eventually inspired his decision to add history as a second major.

After college, knowing that his passion was working with the ministry, Keith pursued a Master of Divinity with Religious Education. As part of his training for both pastoral and educational work, Keith had opportunities to study “organizational behavior, administration, as well as counseling and some psychology.” With these experiences under his belt, Keith, at the age of 38, decided to return to higher education to pursue a Master of History degree with a focus on Public History and a concentration in Archives and Records Management.” Keith’s previous experience with education spurred this “minor mid-life change” and he intended to use this history degree to get into teaching. After having an opportunity, however, to intern for History Colorado, Keith decided to “turn his attention to a more business-related approach to history.” His initial work as a graduate student eventually led to an opportunity for full-time employment. Keith is now celebrating twenty-one years of work within the Archives Department, the same department that hired him as an intern, more than two decades ago.

As the Curator of Archives, Keith relies heavily on his training and education; however, he also draws on experience from past professions. Over the years Keith worked in the ministry, retail, sales, and in managerial capacities. Through these experiences Keith developed and maintained “people skills, communication skills, and customer service skills.” He also learned the importance of having  an eye for detail and he understands the importance of maintaining product knowledge. In the museum world, Keith explains that these skills translate more directly into “knowing the collection, where it is, its condition and how to access it.” Keith explains that the Archive at History Colorado currently manages sixteen formats of material, including microfilm and sound recordings, and he estimates that their collection holds over “eleven million pieces of something.” This expansive collection is managed in a way that encourages a “collaborative approach to collection building.” Keith explains that this method in turn allows for “better and more efficient use of space and resources.”

In spite of the many success accomplished through this collaborative effort, Keith is also very aware of the challenges he, and his team, face on a daily basis. Many of these challenges stem from a lack of sufficient financial funding and a backlog of work. Keith also acknowledges the difficulty of staying on task with an assignment, especially in light of the fact that History Colorado places an “emphasis on providing service in a proactive, timely manner.” As Keith explains, “the biggest challenge is remaining focused on the long-view of things and not getting lost or too distracted by minutia.”

Although Keith recognizes that his training for and experiences in the archives usually revolve around material things, he urges young professionals to be aware of importance of relationships and people within the field of public history. Keith explains that history “will always be about relationships.” Keith appreciates that “working with objects, archives, or photos calls for a relationship with the material world.” But he also reiterates that “those things do not exist for themselves – they exist to serve people.” Keith explains that “people want to trust you with their “stuff”- the evidence of life, memory and heritage.”

Having had the opportunity to peer into the experiences of Keith Schrum, I can honestly say that I know I am pursuing a career in the right field for me. With this newly acquired knowledge I look forward to honing my skills and completing my training as a public historian. As Keith so poignantly states, “our work keeps human memory alive,” and that is definitely something that I am honored to be a part of.

Terri Schorzman, Director of the Boise City Department of Arts and History

The Boise City Department of Arts and History operates programs relating to public art, history and culture in the city. I talked to the Director, Terri Schorzman, about her position and a little more about what her department does.

The department contains three branches relating to public art, cultural programs and history. They offer online resources and guided tours of Boise’s public art, and their cultural programs include art classes, the Mayor’s Awards for Excellence in Arts & History (held every two years), and seasonal events. Their history section, which includes the office of the City Historian, offers historical research services for those who inquire for help. History events the department operates include the Fettuccine Forum, a series of lectures held each year on topics including history, architecture, transportation and politics, and Depot Day, celebrating the historic Boise Depot and the city’s rich history of rail travel.

Terri Schorzman, the department’s Director, earned her Master’s degree in public history, and she supplemented her education by working for a state parks department cataloging artifacts and setting up an oral history program. She polished her skills as an archivist by completing an internship for a corporate archive. Her other experience includes running an international research program on science and technology history. Other necessary skills she developed for her position include marketing and communications, strategic planning, and grant writing.

Though her position as Director, she supports the department’s staff in running their projects. Through her position, she works with people holding many different occupations, including historians, artists, teachers and educators, graphic designers and technology specialists, communications professionals, politicians, accountants and attorneys.

The Department of Arts and History works to meet the goals of their (and the City’s) strategic plan. Because this is a chief goal, they often pick the projects they work on based upon the plans. They also work on projects that the City’s leadership requests. The department also works with citizens in completing some projects. These include grant programs and requests, as well as opportunities for public input on projects.

Schorzman says the salary level for those starting in her field is around the mid-$30,000s. While her skills that she honed before she took on her current position include research, archival work, cataloging artifacts, oral history, marketing, communications and grant writing, she noted that “curiosity and a willingness to figure something out” are essential skills to have as well. She recommended that diversity in your skills, and the willingness to try new things will help as an applicant. A Master’s degree would be necessary for advancement within the field. Her department looks for degrees within the fields of history, art and communications, as well as American Studies.

She told me that the issues facing her field are those that many fields face today, including a lack of funding and available jobs. In addition, people in her field face the issue of relevancy. People working in history, art and humanities careers find themselves having to convey the importance of their fields to many people.

In closing, she offered some extra advice for those starting out in the field of public history. She noted that job seekers should be mobile and willing to look all over for new opportunities, as there are often more openings in other regions, especially in larger cities. She stresses the importance of diversifying your skills and certifications, and also taking courses on technology applications.

I appreciate Terri Schorzman for answering my questions, and also for the work that the Boise City Department of Arts and History does in advancing appreciation for art and history in the city.

I have been interning at the Idaho State Historical museum now for over a year. I have always been interested in the difference between archival work versus museum studies. I do not think I would enjoy working with documents as I do artifacts. I chose to interview research assistant Elizabeth Shaver at the Idaho State Archives. What follows is her interview with my questions and her answers in italics and then my thoughts one each answer in comparison to my intern experience.

What path did you take to get to you current position? Did it require a certain degree or internship?

 

 I have a degree in Museum Studies/Art Education from CSU Monterey Bay and am working on a Masters of Applied Science in Security Administration at the University of Denver. I did an internship with the Fort Ord Museum and Archives before graduating and taking a position at the Monterey Museum of Art and then moved onto the City of Monterey’s Artifact Specialist. I moved to Boise and saw a position offered with the Idaho State Archives as a research assistant.
 
I am always been interested in the other majors that universities offer. Museum studies/ art education sounds very specialized. I think it would be difficult to find a job with that specific degree. Her answer though illustrates the variety of occupations open to that degree. Her masters degree is “applied” which I loved. To me the “applied” studies give a hands on experience that, I think, a lot of employers are looking for. Internships give the on the job training that you are expected to know once hired.

What kind of projects do you work on?

I work on patron requests into family and general subject information as well as fulfilling the requests of city, state, and county agencies for records. Also, I work on the disaster and emergency response plans for the Idaho State Archives.

 

 This is exactly the answer I would see from the registrars I work with at the museum, public interaction to internal requests with the historical society. This has always appealed to me because it is an assortment of projects. I like to always be working on something new constantly.

What kinds of people (demographics, occupations, ect.) do you typically work with?

 

I work with the general public, professional researchers, and employees of different government agencies.

 

Again, this is similar to the museum field.

 
Do you have autonomy to pick your own projects, or are projects generally assigned to you by others in you organization or elsewhere?

I have some input in the projects that I work on, but the majority of projects outside of research requests are assigned to me by my supervisor.

 

 If I had the chance to interview other occupations in the field of history, I would be interested to find one that allowed for autonomy to your own projects. While I enjoy working with the public and other researchers it would be nice to have a project going that was vested in my interest and hopefully by employer’s interest as well.

 

What are current issues in your field?

 

Management of electronic records is a major topic of conversation in the archives field.

 

 This is also so an issue for the museum. We have to not only convert our records to electronic, but keep our electronic programs up to date. This way they are more user friendly and would encourage more public use. 

What skills are expected of applicants for an entry-level position?

 

I would expect that an entry-leveled position candidate has a fundamental understanding of how to process and catalogue a collection. Knowledge of electronic records management is also essential. A candidate to have public speaking and customer service skills to be able to work with the general public and be able to clear explain what an archives is.

 

 In the field of history, and other fields I am sure, an internship is invaluable to job training. Not only does it familiarize you with the cataloguing systems set up, but should introduce you to electronic record management.  I believe what she is saying is that an internship enables am entry level candidate with the confidence to explain the field that they want to work in. I like that she noted customer service. I think customer service “phone jobs” are overlooked as a valuable skill. My undergraduate education was paid for by my customer service job. I went through numerous paid trainings on how to handle the general public from calming down a tense situation to conveying a point in a concise manner. I would argue that these skills are needed for any “applied” field that wants to engage the public.

What level of education is necessary for advancement to the different levels of this profession? Are there special degrees that are favored, and if so what they?

 

A masters degree is essential to advance in this field. The preferred course of study would be in Information and Library Sciences focusing on Archives or masters in IT administration. Any field of study should include electronic records management and the function and structure of government.

 

I think it is interesting that she mentions an IT degree here. It shows the field of history trying to embrace technology. It would not surprise me to see IT classes as required courses for any major in the near future. It could be argued that it is needed now. Advancement in any field seems linked to education combined with technology level.
 
What advise do you have for people interested in entering this field?

 

The best advice I can give is to participate in professional organizations and make professional contacts.

Get yourself known. Again this is something that is gained via internship opportunities in my opinion. This interview illustrated to me that variety of jobs out there for the field of history/ museum studies and the path that will help you get there.

The Shoah Foundation

Public History Career Introduction

Historical Authority Supervisor

The Shoah Foundation was founded by Steven Spielberg after he completed the film, Schindler’s List.  Prior to filming of the movie, research included interviews of Holocaust survivors.  Spielberg decided to use the earnings from the movie to start a foundation to interview additional survivors, and preserve the films/oral histories.  He set up a temporary location, on the back lot of his Dream Works studios located at Universal Studios, in Los Angeles, California.  Shoah in Hebrew means the Holocaust.  Staff of the foundation were asked to refer to the foundation as the Survivors of the Shoah.

I interviewed David; he has a B.A. in history, and was fortunate to have a paid position for the foundation.  His job title was a Historical Authority Supervisor, or a cataloging reviewer.  David’s job was to catalog the interviews into a computer archive, and organize the interviews based on key words.  The reason for this was so people could search a particular interview by topic.  They would segment the interview by keywords, so it is searchable by computer.  The index included the names of people mentioned and the content, place, time and summary of what happened.  For example, conditions in Germany, Ghetto intake procedures, children’s testimonies, liberation of camps, etc.

Cataloging the interviews was a large job.  The foundation had a total of 52,000 interviews; however they were not all fully cataloged but are accessible in the archives.  Two thousand of the interviews are fully catalogued.  Jewish volunteers interviewed Holocaust survivors all over the world.  The interviews included men and women from 57 countries, and speaking 32 languages.  Using volunteers saved money, however the quality of the interviews varied.  There were always professional videographers used during the interviews because film quality of course was important to Spielberg.

Some issues that David experienced at Shoah was that he questioned how neutral or balanced did the archive turn out?  Because they were looking for certain information in the testimonies.  Only 2,000 testimonies were fully catalogued out of 52,000 interviews.  Is that a balance?  Also, most of the money for the foundation was based on fundraising.  He questioned if this practice may lead to bias because the organization relied on wealthy investors.  At the start of the foundation, 48% was funded by Spielberg, and 52% was community based funding.  One woman who was prominent in the foundation, and helped to raise money, also raised questions as to her survival of the Holocaust.  She told employees that as a child she had survived the Holocaust.  However, she remembered the events as an adult under hypnosis.  When she was interviewed, her memories did not relate to historic facts.  She was considered a prominent person in the community; however her testimony didn’t have credibility.

In order to work for the foundation, it was recommended that all catalogers had to be Jewish, because many people interviewed used Yiddish words, and spoke about religious practices.  At one point they did have some non-Jewish staff, however it took additional training to teach them about Judaism and Hebrew words.  It was also important to have a background in history, European history, and World War II knowledge.  David is Jewish and he went to Hebrew school for 7 years.  After David was hired, more employees were hired that had foreign language degrees, and master’s degrees.  Most of the foundation staff were volunteers and interns which was considered an unpaid position; however they did receive a small stipend that basically paid for gas.  David recommends working as a college professor and to try to become published in your area of interest.  When working for a non-profit organization it is difficult to find a paid position.

The interviews are archived at the USC library, as well as the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C., and the Yad Vashem in Israel.  Now, USC runs the program and preserves the archives.  If you are interested in watching any testimonies the website is below.  The last website provides free videos and materials to teachers ( Holocaust video & Civil Rights Movement videos).

Websites

Foundation Website http://college.usc.edu/vhi/?gclid=CPr-o8fol6cCFa1d7AodG2k2cg

Article about foundation  http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/16298/spielberg-s-shoah-foundation-shifts-to-educational-role/

The website below provides free materials for teachers that includes:  lesson plans, videos, posters, maps and other materials.  Fill out the form provided on the website, choose which materials you wish to order and have your administrator sign the form.  There is a video titled One Survivor Remembers, based on the autobiography of Gerda Weissman Klein, All But My Life.  It is the most interesting and informative biography I have every read.

http://www.tolerance.org/?source=redirect&url=teachingtolerance

For those who prefer to work in a more “behind-the-scenes” capacity, the public history profession offers a variety of options that do not necessarily require much interaction with the public at all. A museum exhibition project manager is not one of those options. This position would, however, provide an exciting and rewarding career to anyone who is energized by both individual projects and social interaction. I learned about this career from an exhibition project manager currently working at one of our nation’s most renowned natural history museums.

My interviewee (who shall remain anonymous) did not anticipate having this particular career—or even a career in the natural history field at all—when she was pursuing her education. While she claims that she always had a personal interest in natural history, her undergraduate degrees were in art history and material culture. She went on to obtain a Master’s in History Museum Studies expecting to find employment at a living history museum, a field in which she worked and gained experience during graduate school. Her background in solid history as opposed to natural history, however, has most likely been an asset to her and to the museum; because natural history encompasses so many different narrower disciplines, it allows for people of varying interests to work together on projects, making the projects themselves more diverse. The people with whom my interviewee works closely, for example, have backgrounds in areas such as anthropology, paleontology, and education.

As exhibition project manager, my interviewee describes her primary responsibility as “coordinating” exhibitions that the museum hosts. This task includes organizing an “internal team” for each exhibition to develop projects and conduct marketing and PR related to the exhibition. The exhibitions can be permanent, temporary, or even traveling exhibits, but my interviewee works most frequently with the permanent exhibits due to her personal knowledge of the building’s architectural and spatial requirements. In addition, her job requires a great deal of interaction with the public. While she does work some with museum patrons, her public role extends mainly to the news/media side of the public; for example, she participates in interviews and makes television appearances to promote new exhibitions. “The job is half people skills and half museum skills,” she says.

One of the advantages of this job is the wide range of opportunities that it offers. While project managers are assigned to a specific project, they can “rally” for a project in their area of interest or expertise. The position is also dependent on visitor experience and interest, so projects related to non-permanent exhibitions change frequently, allowing for a great deal of variety. Also, since the museum is large, it is able to host numerous projects with a vast scope.

The only frustration with this career that my interviewee cited–a frustration which all museum careers face–is the issue of funding. Her particular museum is privately endowed by its original donor, but funds still have to be raised for specific projects. As with all museums, funding is not always a certainty and must be consistently sought after.

Despite this frustration, she emphasized that her job is genuinely fun for the opportunity it provides her to work with other people who are highly passionate about sharing their interests with the public. For those who are interested in pursuing a career in this field, she offered the following advice: first, know what types of projects you are interested in working on so you can be sure that a prospective museum will appeal to you with the opportunities it offers; second, consider what level of public interaction you are comfortable with. Because of the highly social nature of this particular job, she emphasized that you can not be in a “bubble” in her position; you must be willing to interact with people.

Much like a history teacher or professor spends time planning lessons and catering to student interest, the museum exhibition project manager organizes exhibits and tailors them based on public interest and response. Perhaps a career as an academic historian is not so different from that of a public historian after all…though it may carry less risk of running into a reanimated Tyrannosaurus.

National Parks were places my family visited on driving vacations. As a very young child I was happy to note that these parks were run by people dressed appropriately like Ranger Smith in the Yogi Bear cartoons. These rangers worked outdoors and told us about animals and plants and camping. What puzzled me was when we would take guests from our suburban New Jersey home into New York City to Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthplace and people in ranger uniforms would lead the tours. Eventually I figured out that the National Park Service was not all about “parks”, but also about historic sites.

By chance this past January a cousin of mine was telling me about one of his in-laws who has worked for the National Park Service for years. Through my family connections I decided to inquire if anyone knew a NPS Historian I could interview for this assignment. I received an e-mail informing me I had “hit the jackpot” and was given contact information for “my dear, long-time friend Dwight Pitcaithley” who served for a decade (1995-2005) as the Chief Historian of the National Park Service.

Before I tell his story I want to jump ahead to Dwight’s advice to people thinking about a career in Public History. “Be open!” I suspect that that is more an attitude toward life he embraces and is what led Dwight down some roads and paths he never expected to follow as a young man.

Dwight grew up in Carlsbad, New Mexico in the 1940s and 50s. He’s gone full-circle and returned to that part of the country in the semi-retirement phase of his life. He currently is a history professor at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. In the early 1960s he was a talented enough drummer/percussionist that when he headed off to college ( the name of which he didn’t divulge) he had every intention of earning a degree in music. After 2 frustrating years he and his music department agreed he was failing miserably. He could read and play rhythms, but that did not compensate for his inability to read music. He didn’t have an educational backup plan and though it was a risky choice at that period in time, he signed up for 3 years in the Marine Corps.

He did return to civilian life and he did re-enroll in college, just at a different institution, Eastern New Mexico University. He took a required History class, it captured his interest and he never looked back. By 1976 he had worked straight through his B.A., M.A., and PhD, all in History. While in his PhD program at Texas Tech University in Lubbock the National Park Service came looking for a graduate student who would be willing to spend a summer in Arkansas. The NPS was compiling a history report on the Buffalo National River and needed a researcher. That project started his extensive life-long writing side work. (I counted over 30 publications listed on his Curriculum Vita..) His work also caught the attention of the NPS to the extent that as he finished his PhD they offered him a job with their Southwest Region based in Santa Fe. His work in that office as a NPS Historian focused on the Third Fort Union.

In 1979 he was promoted and moved with his family to the Boston area where he was a Regional Historian for 10 years. In that position he considered himself a coordinator. He was a cultural resource manager. He dealt with historic properties and made sure everything was in line with the National Register and the National Preservation Act. In 1989 he went to Washington, D.C. to become the Chief of the Division of Cultural Resources, another administrative coordinator position covering the National Capitol Region. When the Chief Historian for the National Park Service retired in 1995 Dwight took over what he calls “the best job in Federal government”.

He saw a need for National Park Service historians and interpreters to receive more and different training. They all had been given plenty of help with how to give a presentation, but not so much concerning what information was being presented. He had some heated years with Park Superintendents because he wanted to incorporate new scholarship into park programs. For example, not everyone liked the idea of having to talk about the causes of the Civil War ( that slavery issue) rather than just the movements of the battles. It was essentially a change in a policy that had been around since 1933. He encouraged more reading, more course work, more workshops and increased understanding of history.

Dwight’s professional experience goes way outside the bounds of the National Park Service. He has been heavily involved with the National Council on Public History. He served on their Board of Directors, was the President of that organization, writes for their journal The Public Historian, and is on that editorial board. He was an adjunct professor at George Mason University. He also was on the Board of Directors and was President of the George Wright Society for protected area professionals dedicated to preservation of cultural and national parks and reserves.

Dwight’s current classes at NMSU include one on Civil War politics and one called Interpreting Historical Places. He uses computers and recognizes that mobile and digital devices are the way of the future. He thinks he’ll leave that technology to up and coming historians. Going back to his advice…”Be Open!” to opportunities to do something extra: learn new technology skills, photography, inventorying, volunteer, build your resume, join the National Council on Public History (they have student memberships), read voraciously, travel…

 　

　

　

 

　 

　

　

　

One of the great thrills for me as a historian is finding old pictures, books, or documents and looking through them.  This provides a tangible link to the past that an article or history text book cannot provide.  Last semester when I started my grad program at Boise State I had the opportunity to meet Erin Passehl, an archivist and librarian at the school’s library.  Erin did a presentation in my History 500 class last fall that gave a great introduction to her job and the resources that are available for historians on campus.  Erin brought out several old manuscripts that are housed at Boise State during her presentation and this piqued my interest in her career.

Archivists and historians have a longstanding relationship where archivists find, preserve, and make available material that historians use for research.  But archivists also serve many other fields.  Journalist, genealogists, medical researchers, and lawyers are a few other fields that also depend on historical documents organized and maintained by an archivist.  Erin mentioned that when ESPN Game Day game to Boise last Fall they used Boise State’s archives to find past game footage for their show.  Erin oversees the digital collections at Boise State where she scans material that will go online, writes descriptions for online collections, and designs web pages.  She also gets the opportunity to assist students and community members with their requests and is a liaison with the History Department where she consults with them in developing collections and instructing students.

Most archival positions require and undergraduate degree (in almost any field) and then a graduate degree in history or library science with some practical training in archival coursework.  Erin earned a B.A. in history and political science and then an M.S. in information where she concentrated on archival and records management.  Volunteering and researching at a variety of archives gave Erin a lot of practical experience and helped her to decide if she wanted to pursue this field as her career.  Because the responsibilities of an archivist vary widely, Erin recommends gaining experience in many aspects of the field, and researching online to determine your potential interests in this career path.  Internships in a variety of archival environments would also prove helpful in discovering which type of job is appealing to you.  The pay scale of archivists depends  on they type of archive and the location; entry level archivists in big cities can plan on starting at $30 K-$40K.  At a university, some archivists only hold part time positions; at Boise State Erin works full-time and is on a tenure track as an assistant professor.

One of the current issues in this field is the rise of digital technologies.  As people utilize Twitter, Facebook, and other online resources archivists must determine the best way to preserve these mediums within an archive.  Archivists also have to decide the best way to preserve paper manuscripts in a digital format so that they are more accessible.  Erin has some flexibility in selecting which projects she would like to work on and collaborates with people within her department to plan digital projects, exhibits, collections, and curriculums.  The highest priority in her job is assisting patrons who need access to the archives and making sure that the materials that are available are getting used.

If you get a chance you should take a look at the work that Erin and others in her department have done on the library website in terms of aids for history students and the digital resources they have put online.