Careers Angel Profile: Catherine Victoria Holmes
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| Name | Catherine Victoria Holmes |
|---|---|
| Email Address | c.v.holmes@dunelm.org.uk |
| Industries/Sectors | Museum / Heritage sector |
| Employer | Royal Holloway, University of London |
| Position | College Archivist |
| Experience | 20-25 years (approx.) |
| Degree | History (graduated in 1999) |
| Other Qualifications | MA in Archives and Records Management, Liverpool University, 2000 |
| Internships | |
| Information | Despite the stereotypical image of an archivist as someone cataloguing obscure old manuscripts alone in dusty rooms, the job actually involves engaging with people and using technology! Giving talks, lectures and talking to visitors is an integral part of my job - there are some purely cataloguing roles out there but 'outreach' is usually a part of most jobs. You will need to be familiar with cataloguing software, possibly how to scan records and the usual office software. Although looking at the records is probably what draws people to the job, I do find myself spending quite a lot of time cataloguing 20th century administrative papers - not the most fascinating! Having an interest in the collections you work with can be an advantage, but you need to stay objective, e.g. when selecting material for disposal. |
| Things I Wish I'd Known | You do need to be quite mobile - most people will need to move employers (and possibly move to a different town) to progress. Many jobs are based in or around London, due to the number of borough, museums, campany head offices etc, but there are jobs in each county, in the local record offices too. Try to get some experience in or visit each sector (HE, business, specialist, local authority), so you know more about the kinds of jobs and issues which come up. Being a 'lone' archivist in this post, I have found it useful to join a professional organisation to keep in touch with other archivists and records managers in the area. |