I bet you didn’t! Many students are unaware that we possess a large collection of documents, let alone where these archives are located! Fortunately, we have interns this semester working in these College Archives and uncovering history on the frontline.
The History Department has a variety of opportunities for students to partake in when it comes to internships. This semester, two students in the History Department have been lucky enough to be interns in Reed Library College Archives, working directly with the Peacock Family Papers. This collection has been split between Fredonia’s archives and the McClurg Museum in Westfield, NY. Kali O’Day and Benjamin Schrantz have been working on preserving these documents and making sure all documents in the collection are accounted for. Also, they have been updating and re-constructing the finding aid. A finding aid is a document that contains detailed information about what is available in the Reed Library College Archives. Once O’Day and Schrantz have completed this finding aid, it will be uploaded online and available for research purposes. These students are sifting through multiple documents and uploading it correctly in order for others to research these files for themselves.
O’Day and Schrantz have been able to view and physically hold a 100 year old document that pertains to the Peacock Family. Both enjoy working with old documents and diving into the past of this particular family. They are looking at correspondence, business records, and family photographs all while documenting the history of the family's life in Mayville and Westfield. As Schrantz stated, “You can learn A LOT about a person from looking at their old correspondences, and their old grocery receipts.” Being able to hold these documents allows history to come to life for these two students. While reviewing the old documents that consist of information about the Peacock Family, they can see how the world has changed politically, socially and economically, as well as tracing the family across time.
Both students are majors in History and felt that being a part of the History Department prepared them for this internship. For O’Day, she was able to connect dates from these documents to what was happening in the world during that time period. Also, O’Day has a Museum Studies Minor where she has learned how to handle and preserve the documents along with the legal procedures. Being a History Major has allowed Schrantz to develop his critical thinking ability. He is able to develop this ability even further by doing in depth research on this collection.
O’Day and Schrantz hope to pursue careers after Fredonia that are related to their internship because of the impact it has had on them. Schrantz is considering a Master’s in Library Science with an archival concentration. He stated that he might not have considered this option if it hadn’t been for interning in the archives. O’Day hopes to become a museum educational out-reach coordinator. In this position, O’Day could plan events for school groups at museums or go to schools with artifacts, as well as teach the students with these artifacts. O’Day stated, “If students can see and touch objects that they are learning about, then they will be able to better connect with the lesson material they are learning about.” Since obtaining this internship, it has influenced O'Day’s decision concerning her career path.
Internships through the History Department will allow a person to access history in a tangible way. These two students were able to intern through our own archives to research and create a finding aid in order to have this particular collection of documents available for all. So next time when you are in the library, check out the archives. They are located in the back of the library near the elevators. Who knew so much history was accessible on our campus, and that you could work directly with history!
"The Peacock Family Papers are located in a number of different places within the county. So it is sort of like having a small piece of a much larger puzzle. " - Kali O'Day