Saturday, September 4, 2010

SAA-SC Campus Tour

This isn't directly related to my internship, but it's archival related and I feel like bragging.  Our student chapter of the Society of American Archivist's just had a successful first event!  I feel like it was a long time coming as the idea for this event started in the spring, so it was great to see it happen and with such a great response.

Our event was a historical campus tour focused on the oldest part of the campus known as the “Old Crescent” and the Fine Arts Square.  The tour concluded at Nick's English Hut, a Bloomington and IU tradition since 1924 which is right off of the Old Crescent.  The weather cooperated and we had a beautiful fall day!

IU Archives and SLIS archives program director, Phil Bantin was kind enough to lend his services as our tour guide.  He did a great job and really enjoyed sharing his vast knowledge of IU!  We started out with a slide show showing us documents and images from the beginning of the school and learned about the people the buildings were named after.  I knew very little of this and it was fun to learn about it.  Besides the fact that IU has a great tradition of men with facial hair, the historical information I learned will be beneficial to working in the archives as I now have a better understanding of the institution..  It was also nice just to learn more about where things are.  It's a huge campus and I've only ever really had to go to a few buildings (mainly the libraries).  I feel less lost on campus now and hopefully so do the numerous first year students who joined us.


As the SAA-SC's first event of the school year we were hoping for a good turn out and we weren't disappointed.  I counted 36 people at one point, and over half were new students to the program.  It provided us with a great opportunity to meet new people and introduce them to our organization.  Thank you to all who came!  And also a big thanks to all those who helped make this such a wonderful experience!  Phil gave a marvelous tour and Nick's was very accommodating considering we had more than the 20 people I had originally estimated!
SAA-SC president Amy Jankowski showing off the group while they take in the Old Crescent.

1 comment:

  1. It was a great event, Amanda! I wish I could have stayed!

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