An Intern’s Perspective
The Special Collections Department at Joyner Library feels like an entirely different world compared to the rest of the library. Upon entering, you can immediately sense the quiet atmosphere. You are told to put your bags down in the lobby, and to wash your hands before entering the rotunda room. The history stored within the walls is just as mesmerizing as the architecture that pulls you in. A large skylight is centered in the middle of the ceiling that provides a gleaming, natural light that illuminates the entire room. I became familiar with this wonderful place after my professor took us to have class there. I had been searching for a place to intern, and after my experience in that class, I knew I had found the perfect place. Little did I know the lasting impact that trip would have on me.
I began my journey processing the Mattie Sloan Collection of Black Minstrel Ephemera: Winstead’s Mighty Minstrels. Ironically, I ended up finishing the process started by someone else. This made it easy and showed me what it was like to input a collection for public use. It felt good to be able to provide material to the public that could be used in their research. This is what makes it so exciting to me: the idea that you are processing history that others will need.
After I finished that, I took on a genealogy collection. I was given the important task of processing genealogy documents from a woman who had been collecting for over 80 years. Lida Archbell Overton began the search for her family history in 1939. With the hope of connecting various family lines, Lida worked through several health concerns, the death of family members, and even a global pandemic. Her personal correspondence with other researchers and possible kin shows her organization in searching through history. She travelled not only throughout the U.S., but also overseas to prove connections. Lida’s enormous collection of family documents including stories, biographies, wills, family newsletters, family bibles, pedigree charts, photographs, and more, is evidence of her intense determination to trace her family history.
As an intern in the Special Collections Division at Joyner Library, I’ve learned many things. None would prepare me for the vast emotion that comes along with sifting through pieces of history. Working on Lida’s collection provided me with experience as an archivist, and Special Collections provided me with what I had been searching for, a career. I’ve had the pleasure of working with an amazing, knowledgeable staff who are quick to answer any questions I might have. I was lucky enough to be asked to return as a student worker to continue working on Lida’s genealogy collection. I can’t express in words the gratitude I have for this opportunity and will forever be indebted to the staff in Special Collections for showing me what a career as an archivist is like.