A New Perspective: Student Experiences in Special Collections

Joyner Library Special Collections is an invaluable resource for both students and researchers. The student workers here each have different roles that ensure the overall success of the library’s archives. Four such student workers have provided their personal experience of the work they’ve done. Each has added their own unique way of making archival materials more accessible for researchers.  

Jennifer Beatty- I’ve been working in Specials Collections at Joyner Library for almost a year. I began as an intern for the spring semester of 2024 and got hired during the summer to finish the project I was working on. My first major project was with the Lida Archbell Overton and Roy A. Archbell Jr. Research Collection. This is a vast genealogical collection that includes over 50 families in or around Beaufort County, North Carolina. After I finished that project, I worked on several other assignments including updating finding aids and processing a new collection from ReLeaf of Greenville. These various assignments have provided me with the knowledge that I need to further my own career as an archivist. I have learned from many employees who specialize in many different areas and, because of that, I have an extensive understanding of the various positions available in an archive. Working in Special Collections at Joyner Library has been one of the best experiences I’ve had in my life, not to mention the best job I’ve ever had. I’ve had the opportunity to process collections, learn from others, and get a better understanding of what a job as an archivist would entail. 

Autumn Gollick- I have been working in the archive for just over two months as part of my internship for the Library Science Master’s program. Specifically, I am working under the digital archivist, which has allowed me to engage with both physical and digital archive materials. This experience has been both enlightening and rewarding! In my internship, I have been able to completely process a physical collection, Women for Women of Pitt County. I also processed digital accessions for collections like The Thomas Lundin Collection, and the Halifax Historical Society. I have imaged, carved, and ran virus scans on multiple forms of carrier media such as compact discs, floppy discs, and thumb drives. I have even had the chance to write a blog using University Archives materials titled From Folklore to Fame: Bigfoot’s Place in Pop Culture and North Carolina. 

I have two other jobs here in Joyner and both have allowed me to engage with archival material, but never at this depth. Special Collections operates a bit differently than the rest of the library; it feels much more behind the scenes. It involves less direct interaction with patrons, unless I am assisting with an instructional session. This department has more rules and less flexibility than some other areas in the library. This is with good reason, of course. Overall, my time in the Special Collections has given me a deeper understanding of archives and helped shape my future as a librarian! 

Madison Howlett- I have been working for the Manuscripts & Digital Curation Department for almost two years now. I started working in the spring semester of my freshman year as a work-study student assistant and have been working here ever since. My situation is unique, given my status as a work-study student, since my major is not related to history or library sciences at all, but I have learned so much that relates to my STEM heavy major. During my time here, I have learned skills that have translated easily into my major and career prospects. I have been able to assist on many projects, exhibits, assignments, and with researchers. My main assignment has been conducting the planned repository survey of what we call the “stacks.” This is where I help update information and inventory of the collections we hold here at ECU. It’s a huge task that has kept me busy and on my toes as a student worker (as you can find all sorts of stuff in our collections). My job is constantly growing and evolving, as I work with my boss and other student workers. Overall, my time here at Special Collections has been very refreshing and equally rewarding. I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything.   

Brennan Jenkins- I have worked as a Manuscripts and Digital Curation assistant in Joyner Library since September 2023. During my time here, I have had the pleasure of getting acquainted with a large collection titled The Ralph Hardee Rives Papers. Dr. Rives (1930-2016) was an English professor here at East Carolina University. He taught at the university from 1960 to 1990 and through the years, he has donated numerous materials about his life. My job has been to process the collection and make it easier for researchers to use. This involves organizing it based on thematic and chronological principles so that it is easier to find certain documents. Due to the size of the collection, it has been a very long process of trying to figure out the best way to organize the material. However, my advisor, Mrs. Martha Elmore, has been there to help me the entire way and clarified any inquiry I might have. I am currently in the process of neatly arranging the individual series I have created to ensure everything is in order and that all the documents fit in their respective categories. As an aspiring historian, this experience has been invaluable because it has provided me with insight into the process of archival work, of which I will have ample experience in the future. 

The time each of us has spent in Special Collections has been a truly wonderful, productive, and enlightening experience. Each one of us will walk away with important lessons that will define our future careers. Not only did we get to work in such an essential part of the library, but we also got to work with some amazing colleagues who never ceased to teach us or support us through our various endeavors. The privilege of working in Special Collections has given us a deeper appreciation for the role of archival work, and the ever constant need to preserve history for posterity.