Over the last semester I had the opportunity to volunteer at Special Collections and Archives (SCA). It was an amazing and enlightening experience to help me on my first steps into working in archives. I was given the opportunity to work on cataloging an album of postcards, photographs and illustrations of the different ships that the famous Cunard company has offered in the past. Each piece shows the rich history of the company and the opulence of the rooms of these cruise liners.

Volunteering with SCA allowed me to get my first taste of the basic but vital skills I will need for my future in the industry. Going each week for a few hours help build necessary handling skills and confidence in the environment. I was able to get an understanding of the format used in excel when cataloging and enjoying the calm it brought. However, the most interesting skill to develop was palaeography. Learning to understand each person’s handwriting not only showed the history and the many people who have put work into the collection of items but helped me become more focused and methodical with my work. Something I will be able to put into future work and volunteering.

Overall, it was a great experience to volunteer in SCA. It helped me get a footing into what the industry is actually like and how people in the field interact with one another. It has made me excited to look for more opportunities in the industry.

By Jasmine Jones.

SCA is grateful to second year student, Jasmine Jones for the work produced in their recent volunteering placement. A detailed description of Cunard album D42/PR1/53 has been created which will help provide access to both researchers and the SCA team – in turn avoiding the unnecessary handling of an increasingly fragile record.