For the Record’s “Meet the Staff” feature is an opportunity for our archivists to connect directly with the community which we serve.
Name: Elizabeth Meads
Title: Senior Archivist, Collections
Specialties: Audiovisual preservation, arrangement & description, and outreach & engagement
How did you end up working at the Alabama Department of Archives and History?
In the fall of 2019, I applied for the Discovery Internship offered at the Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH). While not selected, I started as a part-time student worker with Digital Assets in the Archives Division starting in January 2020. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic cut my time short, resulting in the layoff of all student workers. Between then and May 2022, I graduated with a bachelor’s in history from Auburn University at Montgomery and a master’s in library and information studies with an archival certificate from the University of Alabama. I saw an advertisement for an open position in Collections at the ADAH and applied. As a fresh graduate with limited experience, I thought I had little chance of being hired; however, some of the staff remembered me from my time as a student worker and were excited to bring me on board in July 2022. I left in July 2024 to pursue a career in federal government with the Air Force Historical Research Agency. Due to the fluid nature of federal employment in the last year, I sought a different position and am thrilled to be working for the ADAH again, but in a different capacity in Collections.
What is your role?
I am the primary caretaker of oversize collections. This includes maps, panorama photographs, posters – if it’s larger than your standard sheet of paper, it falls under my purview. I manage the environmental monitoring system that helps keep our records storage areas at ADAH at ideal, consistent temperature and humidity levels. My favorite part is giving “behind the scenes” tours to visitors – I love sharing the rich, storied history of Alabama!
What do you view as the biggest challenge facing the profession today?
I think the biggest challenge is explaining why our work as archivists is so critical to the function of government. For most people, when you tell them you work professionally as an archivist, most do not know what that job is, what it does, and why it’s important. As a profession, we need to be more vocal about our duties and responsibilities and convey why our positions are needed.
What is your superpower?
I have a knack for creating memes that are understandable for staff in the Archives Division. I had an academic paper on the archival significance of memes published in Provenance, the official journal of the Society of Georgia Archivists!
What are your hobbies when you are not at work?
I partake in what many friends call “grandma hobbies”. I crochet, read, and have recently developed an interest in competition baking. I enjoy spending time with my fiancé, Matt, and our six rescue cats. I am also well-versed in nearly all Star Wars media, including movies, limited series, animated shows, and video games.
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