Due to COVID-19 my internship work has become more complicated. Back in March before everything got shut down I had made plans to work with my bosses to collect documents to help me write descriptions on their photographs. I was also supposed to help them by volunteering with their stand in some upcoming festivals. Of course our museum is also closed for the time being. They no longer became an option for us due to the pandemic. So we began to look for things I could do to help that did not have me traveling. So we decided to have me fully focus my time to work on their book with Arcadia Publishing.
After a lot of debate and some phone calls we decided the best way I can help them during this time is working with the digital photos they have to get them ready for the book. So I bought myself an external hard drive to download the files onto. I set up weekly phone calls with my bosses to discuss what they would like me to be working on. We would have me create captions for each photo that I have on file. The first thing I have to do to get ready to create this book is to organize. I have been looking through each photo and categorizing them by location and time the picture is taken. Because these are digital copies it is a bit difficult to organize them neatly without any paper documents to help. My bosses have been very considerate and willing to help during this time period.
Friday, May 8, 2020
Thursday, May 7, 2020
Internship with Lost Towns Project #2
A lot has happened since my last blog post. I started to help sort one of the collections and
checking to make sure their information was correct in the system and then bag them. I
done more artifact cleaning too. We were just starting to do archaeology days for the local
middle and high schools. The first (and last) day I worked with the dig site part of the
learning day. I helped prepare the sites for digging in the in the morning, lining them with
nails, string, and removing the topsoil (leaves and grass). The rest of the day I spent
digging and later I learned how to record findings and summarize the dig site. Our site in
particular had a dark rectangular dirt spot within the site. I was told this could be a fence
post. Overall, it was a lot of fun working with the kids. However, due to the recent
pandemic, my internship was shut down. This didn’t worry me too much, but I was still
thinking “What now? How am I going to finish the internship?”
checking to make sure their information was correct in the system and then bag them. I
done more artifact cleaning too. We were just starting to do archaeology days for the local
middle and high schools. The first (and last) day I worked with the dig site part of the
learning day. I helped prepare the sites for digging in the in the morning, lining them with
nails, string, and removing the topsoil (leaves and grass). The rest of the day I spent
digging and later I learned how to record findings and summarize the dig site. Our site in
particular had a dark rectangular dirt spot within the site. I was told this could be a fence
post. Overall, it was a lot of fun working with the kids. However, due to the recent
pandemic, my internship was shut down. This didn’t worry me too much, but I was still
thinking “What now? How am I going to finish the internship?”
A couple of weeks after shutting down, the archaeology lab set up some remote options to gain
hours. The one I've been working on is the transcription project for John Sellman’s diary. John
Sellmen was a farmer in Maryland in the 1800s. We are supposed to work through ten pages at a
time. I am currently working on pages 101-110. Its a lot of fun, although it is difficult. This project
actually connects well to one of my other classes because I had to do deed traces (some of which
were so old they were written out like this journal). The pages I am transcribing span from the end
of June 1828 to July 22 1829. There is a lot of repeating information like cutting oats or wheat and
corn, ploughing the fields, etc. Although, there have been changes in the language over time.
For example, through the first couple of months the writer would write “same as above” if they did
the same thing as yesterday. However, later “same as above” is replaced with “Ditto.”
hours. The one I've been working on is the transcription project for John Sellman’s diary. John
Sellmen was a farmer in Maryland in the 1800s. We are supposed to work through ten pages at a
time. I am currently working on pages 101-110. Its a lot of fun, although it is difficult. This project
actually connects well to one of my other classes because I had to do deed traces (some of which
were so old they were written out like this journal). The pages I am transcribing span from the end
of June 1828 to July 22 1829. There is a lot of repeating information like cutting oats or wheat and
corn, ploughing the fields, etc. Although, there have been changes in the language over time.
For example, through the first couple of months the writer would write “same as above” if they did
the same thing as yesterday. However, later “same as above” is replaced with “Ditto.”
Friday, May 1, 2020
Internship at the Priddy Library (What I have learned)
Working with the Priddy Library and Irene Munster has been amazing. I have learned many things since I started the internship in September. I have learned how to work with others, deal with complicated technical issues, online file organization, and using Omeka. Each internship has its challenges, and the following were mine. As part of my non-project tasks, I dealt with cleaning up the libguides and Omeka. Theses tasks taught me how to deal with technical problems, looking outside the box, and reaching out to others for help. For example, through Omeka, I not only learned how to use a new program, but also how to others about my problems and work as a team to solve the issues at hand, all of which led to a solution. I tend to like working by myself, and through Omeka, I have learned that it is okay to reach out and you can not always do things alone. I also realized that it is okay for things to take time, and that not everything has to be done at once. Working with Omeka and cleaning up the libguides helped me understand that being slow is okay as long as your work is of quality.
The project that I have been working on during my internship is the women's suffrage project. This project has taught me how to collaborate with others and patience. The women's suffrage project involves a few people, and I have learned to reach out to programs/museums asking for help and advice. For example, I reached out to the National Museum of African American History and Culture for assistance in finding photos on African American women during the 1920s. I have also contacted Ashleigh Coren, the Women's History Content and Interpretation Curator at the Smithsonian. Contacting experts has put me out of my comfort zone, but I am glad that it has because otherwise, I would avoid doing it because it causes anxiety. By doing this type of research, I have come to realize that my fears are just fears and that the worst thing that could happen is someone not responding to my emails. Talking to others has allowed me to find useful pictures for the project and build relationships with organizations outside of the Priddy Library. The women's suffrage project has also taught me not wanting instant gratification. I have an issue with taking things slow, and I work at a fast but effective pace. Due to COVID-19, things have been put on hold. I am forced to work slower and wait on others until they are able to accomplish their tasks. Everyone is very busy, and sometimes things have to wait. In the meantime, I was able to improve my organizational skills in filing the project's files in order to make it easier to understand, and I cleaned up unnecessary items such as pictures and photos. Working at the Priddy Library with Irene Munster and others has been a great experience. I am thankful for Irene's guidance which introduced me to valuable skills that I plan to put in good use in my future job.
The project that I have been working on during my internship is the women's suffrage project. This project has taught me how to collaborate with others and patience. The women's suffrage project involves a few people, and I have learned to reach out to programs/museums asking for help and advice. For example, I reached out to the National Museum of African American History and Culture for assistance in finding photos on African American women during the 1920s. I have also contacted Ashleigh Coren, the Women's History Content and Interpretation Curator at the Smithsonian. Contacting experts has put me out of my comfort zone, but I am glad that it has because otherwise, I would avoid doing it because it causes anxiety. By doing this type of research, I have come to realize that my fears are just fears and that the worst thing that could happen is someone not responding to my emails. Talking to others has allowed me to find useful pictures for the project and build relationships with organizations outside of the Priddy Library. The women's suffrage project has also taught me not wanting instant gratification. I have an issue with taking things slow, and I work at a fast but effective pace. Due to COVID-19, things have been put on hold. I am forced to work slower and wait on others until they are able to accomplish their tasks. Everyone is very busy, and sometimes things have to wait. In the meantime, I was able to improve my organizational skills in filing the project's files in order to make it easier to understand, and I cleaned up unnecessary items such as pictures and photos. Working at the Priddy Library with Irene Munster and others has been a great experience. I am thankful for Irene's guidance which introduced me to valuable skills that I plan to put in good use in my future job.
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| 1.1 Organized files on relevant information on women's suffrage |
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| 1.2 Washington D.C. file which shows a highlighted three-sentence summary of one woman who was involved in the movement. |
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