Written by Christine Garaudy 
MLIS Archival Student, Louisiana State University  
Graduate Assistant, Tulane University Special Collections 

Working on the Collection Management team at Tulane University Special Collections has been one of the most meaningful complements to my MLIS coursework at Louisiana State University. As a graduate assistant, I’ve been able to actively apply classroom concepts while learning how archival decisions take shape within a working repository. Many ideas from my graduate program became clearer once I could engage with them directly. Concepts like the dangers of pertinence- or subject-based arrangement stopped being abstract when I saw their effects in the stacks.  

While working on processing a digital collection for an assignment in an arrangement and description course, I had the opportunity to discuss my ideas and obstacles with Erin Kinchen-Addicks, University Archives Library Associate and my direct supervisor, and Samantha Schafer, Collection Management Archivist. Those conversations were especially valuable within the context of a fully virtual MLIS program, where opportunities for real discussion and collaborative problem-solving can be limited.  

My involvement with the University Archives triage project has been particularly interesting and informative and has shaped how I think about collection management. Learning how the team developed and refined their approach to addressing a substantial backlog underscored the importance of intentional processes, clear standards, and ongoing assessment. Hearing how the team began with unidentified and even loose materials and moved toward consistent, documented workflows helped me understand how archivists think beyond individual collections and make decisions at the repository level. Through learning about the history and implementation of the triage project, I gained insight into how processing priorities are set and how workflows are created and refined to align with institutional needs and values. 

A recent article in The American Archivist asks, “based on their graduate education experience, how well prepared for practice are North American students and new professionals?” and explores “the tension between education and training” in archival education (Poole & Todd-Diaz, 2025). The authors note that scholars have “chided the archival education enterprise for elevating acting like archivists over thinking like archivists” by placing too much emphasis on practical skills (Poole & Todd-Diaz, 2025). My experience at TUSC has shown me how theory and practice can inform one another rather than exist in opposition. I’ve developed concrete processing and preservation skills by working directly with archival materials, while also engaging in broader conversations about archival values and decision-making. Discussions around reparative description, procedural documentation, stakeholder outreach, donor relations, and community engagement have helped me connect archival theory to everyday professional practice. This assistantship has strengthened my graduate education by providing experiential learning that directly complements my coursework. It’s allowed me to test ideas, ask questions, and build professional judgment beyond the virtual classroom, shaping how I understand collection management and how I hope to approach archival work moving forward.  I’m especially grateful for the mentorship and support from everyone on the Collection Management team, who have helped me grow as both a student and future archival professional. 

Reference 

Poole, A. H., & Todd-Diaz, A. (2025). “Putting it into practice is the best way to really learn something”: Evaluating the North American graduate archival education curriculum. The American Archivist, 88(2).