Carol Wilson joined the UC Merced Library this July as the new Archivist for Regional History Collections, a key role that will define and develop collections, policies and programs for the Sierra Nevada and Central Valley Archive. Prior to UC Merced, Carol had a pioneering role as the first and solo archivist at the Robert Crown Law Library at Stanford University. In that role, she established policies and processes with the mindset of “building trust as a caretaker of records” and worked with campus partners to facilitate use of the collections.
Carol is originally from Livermore, CA and received her Bachelor of Arts in History from UC Santa Cruz and her Master of Library & Information Science from San Jose State University. She gained experience working on a range of collections and formats at organizations that have included the Central Coast Public Radio station, the Santa Cruz History and Art Museum, and the National Archives at San Francisco. One of her most memorable experiences in her career so far has been “getting to see Al Capone’s Alcatraz prison records.”
At UC Merced, many of the collections she will work on document the agricultural and environmental history of the region, and the impacts of human activity. She is eager to share her enthusiasm for archives and work with faculty and students to increase use of the collections. Amidst the flurry of moving in and new employee orientation, Carol sat down to answer a few questions:
What drew your interest to this position?
Being the Archivist for Regional History sounds amazing. There are so many avenues to explore, the possibilities are endless. I am also enthusiastic about creating a centralized repository to help facilitate access to these records.
Why is understanding the history of this region important? What role do archives play?
Archives let people access the past. They allow individuals to examine past events and provide new insights to address current day issues. Archives can facilitate attention to areas that have been historically understudied by creating a home for records.
What would you like to discover or uncover in your new role?
Part of the joy of this position is the process of discovering. I love learning about new things, talking to different people, and seeing different artifacts. While working on a new collection, I often get to do all three! I am not sure what I am going to discover when processing a collection, but I am very excited about the different possibilities.
What is your favorite thing to do on a summer afternoon?
There are too many things to name them all. It depends on the summer day; one of my favorites activities is to hike and do some drawing afterwards. If it is later in the evening, I adore making and eating s’mores.
