I recently spent two weeks in the archives–researching of course.
I brought an assistant with me from California, since the archives were in the Mid-west and I hoped to get all the information I needed in one trip.
I won’t know until I’m done writing the next book, but here is some information about working with archives.
Just in case you ever need it.
Technology and archives
Since I first began doing research 25 years ago, technology has vastly improved.
On this trip, we carried a laptop computer, a portable scanner, an Ipad, pencils, notes, and an Iphone.
We used them all.
Scanners
I bought this scanner while working in the Wheaton College archives on my book Mrs. Oswald Chambers.
It links to my laptop and is easy to use.
But it takes time to lift the lid and place a new piece of paper or photo into the scanner.
It’s perfect for photos–they come out crisp and clear.
But two of us were working.
So, I used the scannable on my Iphone, which linked to my Evernote account.
We used the Scannable app for documents–it easily and automatically, clicked through them. Once it could recognize the paper edges and focus, it clicked.
That enabled us to scan all sorts of documents at a faster pace than the scanner.
The Scannable app does not do a good job with photos–the quality is not as good as the scanner–but they’re readable and that’s what I needed.
Scanning directly to Evernote–with some glitches–also meant they were stored in the cloud and therefore accessible from more than one device.
Laptop, flashdrives, pencils, and paper
The laptop helped keep things organized. We downloaded information and photos off our phones to the laptop daily.
I also moved information off the laptop onto flashdrives to ensure we had copies in several locations. (We each carried a stuffed flash drive home on the plane, just in case!)
Archives only allow pencils for archival work–if they allow anything to take notes other than a phone or voice recorder.
A notebook to help us keep track of what we sought and post-it notes also helped. It’s surprising how often the post-it notes came in handy
In addition, I printed out the basic facts of my subject’s life and placed it in a red folder, so we could make additions or add dates as needed.
The notebook allowed us to find the information we needed without using the computer (busy scanning).
The human factor
Researchers are the most important factors in archival work.
You can have all the tools in the world, but without a brain to direct and choose what’s important, it’s all simply information.
In this case, a technologically-capable assistant helped. Catherine solved all our technology problems–as well as those of the archives’ new scanner!
My knowledge of the subject matter meant I could glance through a document and decide if we wanted it scanned or not.
If in doubt, we scanned the whole thing, of course.
But when faced with boxes and boxes of photos, it made more sense to have me evaluate what I sought before we scanned.
It also means I’m more familiar with the data for when I start to process it for my writing. If I’ve seen it somewhere, I know to look for it.
It was sheer pleasure and surprise to find items Catherine scanned that I never saw!
I have a lot of reading to do.
Guests in the archives
By far, the most valuable findings were those pointed out to us by “guests” familiar with their archives.
One woman in particular described items she thought I’d like to see–which was absolutely true.
Knowing the information was there sent us hunting more diligently.
She also brought us information, which is invaluable.
Several visitors also identified what looked like a mere rug to us, but which was a gift from Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie.
Bring over the Iphone for a photo!
I also enjoyed sharing stories that caught my attention, with people who may or may not have known about them.
Showing information or telling a story often reminded them of something they knew–which went into my brain as potential information for later.
The human factor is always important while writing a biography.
Tallying up the archive numbers
Two of us spent ten days working eight to five, with an hour lunch break, for two straight weeks.
Allowing for conversation, interviews, and general shelf surfing, I calculated we spent, total, about 140 hours scanning or photographing material.
We stuffed the flash drives with 7.8 GB of data.
Will I need that much information?
Probably not.
But you never know–which is why we scanned so much material.
But you know what? It actually was fun.
Tweetables
Tips and tools for archive research. Click to Tweet
How much can you scan in 140 hours in an archive? Click to Tweet
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