Museum Archivist Improves Access to Collection
Last Spring, the Town of Franklin hired Rowan Lowell as a full-time Archivist for the Franklin Historical Museum. A perfect fit for this position, she is completing a master’s degree in library and information science with a concentration in Archive Management at Simmons University.
The Archivist will work with Museum Committee members to support the global vision for the museum. The main responsibilities of this role are to collect, preserve, and make available collections that consist of manuscripts, photographs, personal correspondence, cultural artifacts, and mixed media representing the town.
Future objectives focus on organizing and cataloging items and establishing policies and procedures all to make items more easily accessible to patrons for research. The museum is also investigating using archiving equipment to digitize these items and expand storage.
Lowell will continue to collaborate with Dean College, which also has an archive. The museum and college compare resources with each other, and the museum hosts the college’s history department to allow students to showcase independent projects. Continuing with the education connection, the Archivist role will work to strengthen connections with the local Elementary schools by offering an in-person learning experience. Youth clubs such as Scout troops and any other groups interested are welcome for a close-to-home museum experience.
The archivist has access to many items not on display, and when asked what she finds most interesting, Rowan said she admired the lithographs and maps of downtown Franklin. She also enjoys reading different personal journals. In fact, the museum has about two dozen diaries that record life over 20 years. These diaries provide a glimpse into how life was in Franklin in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, uncovering how people’s lives have changed over the years, and how they may be similar to today.
Museum archives also tell the story of prominent local families such as the Thayer and Ray families, and businesses such as the Ray Cotton Mills, American Felt Company from the early 1900s, Clark Cutler McDermott, and even a straw hat factory.
You can support the Archivist efforts at the Franklin Historical Museum. When cleaning out your closets or assisting in family moves, be on the lookout for any “All about Franklin” items that you may wish to donate and permanently preserve for future generations.
