A blog post by Clarissa Miller, Electronic Processing Archivist
Who am I?
I was born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia. With no discernible career path in mind, I earned my bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies and English. Shortly after graduating, I worked for various government entities and museums digitizing and cataloging records. While working as a Records Technician for James City County, I pursued my master's degree in Library and Information Science with a concentration in Archives and eventually graduated in 2021. About a year after graduating, I took some time off to travel around the U.S. and Europe, then I began working as an Electronic Processing Archivist for the South Carolina Department of Archives and History in July 2023.
What do you do as an Electronic Processing Archivist?
Essentially, I process all of the electronic records that we receive from various state government agencies. It could be a box of old cassette tapes with vague labels, dull gray floppy disks left forgotten in someone’s desk drawer, digital files with obscure file extensions, or digital files with extremely lengthy filenames, etc. The list is endless. Ultimately, once I receive these electronic records, I am tasked with arranging, describing, and preserving them for posterity and accessibility. Despite concentrating on electronic records, I also process paper records, work reference, and assist with the continuous development of our emergency disaster plan.
What is your favorite part of the job?
I love going down an informational rabbit hole. This could be in the form of assisting patrons with their research, in turn, revealing a breadth of previously unknown information held sacredly within the labyrinth of the archives, discovering new technological advancements in the realm of electronic records, or learning more about the distinctive history of this state.
Who is your favorite historical figure or time period?
1999-2000. Y2K. It was the beginning of a new millennium where the future had a certain air of mystery, a colorful kaleidoscope of unknowns… I was 6 going on 7 and I was, as my 6-year-old self would describe me on crumpled construction paper — six, sassy, and a seahorse (most words were misspelled and a chaotic drawing of a rainbow seahorse based on my favorite beanie baby ensued). I was unaware of the technological mayhem approaching. The fear was permeable, intrusive thoughts of world-ending situations and the collapse of society as we know it disseminated throughout the world while I was coloring and having tea parties with my little collection of stuffed animals. The digital age was quickly evolving, and society was trying to prepare for it. It prompted government agencies, businesses, medical facilities, etc. to re-evaluate their policies and procedures surrounding the use and potential mishaps involving technology. Various state agencies in South Carolina developed plans and special committees to address the Year 2000 compatibility problem (reflected in the collage below). Despite this worldly panic, the Year 2000 also gave way to flash drives (we still get a lot of these for records transfers) and camera phones (patrons use these to quickly document their research in our reference room). Ultimately, technology plays an ever-prominent role in our lives, and continues to aid, baffle, inspire, and intrigue us and I’m interested to see what the future of electronic records will look like.
