An entry · Work · Life
Archivist
The person deciding, on behalf of the future, what the past gets to keep.
From curious to committed
Your first steps.
A first visit can be enough. It can also be the beginning.
Meet the craft
Most archives take the curious; request a real record and hold history.
Explore experiences →Give it another afternoon
Notice what you want to come back to. Ask the teacher what regular practice would look like, and what support you would need.
Keep a note for next time →See the working day
The graduate route into records and conservation.
Explore ways into the work →These are starting points. A workshop is not a professional qualification. Entry requirements and recognised training depend on the work and the country.
Before you walk in
A few things worth asking the host before you book.
- Is this session suitable for someone who has never tried it?
- What should I bring, wear or prepare?
- What is included, and are there any extra costs?
- Can you accommodate my access needs?
- What could I try next if I enjoy it?
Teach this craft? Share what beginners ask you →
Showing Washington DC
Show every city →Work it
Do the work.
Jobs, apprenticeships, and training that put a person in the room.
Places to begin
- Certification
Academy of Certified Archivists
Become a Certified Archivist
United States
The independent US credential for archivists; an annual exam verifying real archival knowledge and skills.
- Community
Archives and Records Association
Archives and Records Association (UK and Ireland)
United Kingdom
The lead professional body for archivists, archive conservators, and records managers across the UK and Ireland.
Ways in
- Route in
Archival studies degree
The graduate route into records and conservation.
- Entry job
Records assistant job
Start by cataloguing and handling; the collection teaches.
- Association
Archives association
The professional body for standards, training, and jobs.
Ways in, gathered by hand.
Add yours to the atlasLive it
Live the hour.
Experiences, classes, and places where the presence is the whole point.
Places to begin
- Visit
National Archives Museum
Visit the National Archives
Washington, DC
Free public galleries and guided tours; see the founding documents and how records are kept.
- Workshop
Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York
DHPSNY Preservation Workshops
New York State
Free hands-on preservation and archives workshops run throughout the year for people who care for collections at libraries, archives, and historical societies.
Ways in
- Visit
Visit a public archive
Most archives take the curious; request a real record and hold history.
- Volunteer
Volunteer to digitize
Archives welcome help scanning and indexing collections.
Ways in, gathered by hand.
Add yours to the atlasWhy the human is the point
Memory is not automatic; someone has to keep it. The archivist decides what is worth saving, orders it so it can be found again, and hands it, whole, to people not yet born. It is quiet, careful stewardship of the record: the letter, the ledger, the photograph that proves a thing happened. Delete is instant and forever. Against it stands a person who believes the past has a right to be remembered, and spends a career making sure it can be.
Kept nearby
