The New School Libraries and Archives was recently contacted by a media archivist at the University of Georgia about an intriguing movie reel in one of its collections. Our Georgian counterpart, Margie Compton, was examining what looked to be a fabulous costume party.

Each time a class visits the New School Archives and Special Collections, the same general conversation transpires.

Students: Can we take pictures?

Me: Yes, as long as you cite your sources.

Many researchers who visit the Archives feel overwhelmed by the amount of information there is to take in. Luckily, we allow visitors to take photographs of material so that they can go back and read documents more closely.

The Temple bell stops
But the sound keeps coming out of the flowers

– Basho

In archival terms, this assemblage of objects is known as “realia”- ie. three-dimensional objects (man-made or naturally occurring) such as coins, tools, and textiles and anything else that cannot be described as a document.

Today is my first post for The New School Archives blog, but also my last day of working at the New School Archives (I’m a student and I’m graduating up!). In honor of this fact, I thought it would be appropriate to tell the story of how I became interested in archival research.

They say that history is made in the margins. Or maybe they don’t say that, exactly, but it’s probably true, and one of the joys of working as a processing archivist is having the chance to explore (and to help others explore) these marginal histories.

As a university archivist I sometimes feel like I see almost the reverse image of what others see.

Being able to identify the origins and historical significance of archival materials is truly satisfying, and—dare I say it?—quite fun.

There’s nothing less utopian and avant-garde than the New York City loft. A symbol of gentrification in Manhattan and Brooklyn, teeming with tech-bros and slumming Wall Street workers, when you see loft construction you can be sure that the artisanal mayonnaise shop won’t be far behind.

I was recently trying to remember when and how I first learned to write a letter.  I asked some colleagues and many responded that they learned in high school in typing class. In my high school, we also learned typing.