By Valencia L. Johnson

Hello everyone! My name is Valencia L. Johnson and I am excited to venture into a new role at Princeton University Library’s Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, home of the University Archives and the Public Policy Papers. I have been a part of the Mudd team since June 2017 starting off as a John Foster and Janet Avery Dulles Archival Fellow. In my new role as the Project Archivist for Student Life, I aim to create an environment where students can create history for themselves. This is a very broad statement but it truly captures the spirit of the position. Students shape the trajectory of the University as much as the administration, and it is important that the archives reflect this dynamic. My work will involve making connections across campus with various student organizations, student publications, residential colleges, the graduate school, cultural and affinity centers, and alumni. I plan on hosting public programming events that will strengthen the record keeping aspect of organizations, introduce people to personal digital archiving, and engender a sense of ownership within the Princeton University Archives for students. In addition to this public outreach, I will process acquisitions, reprocess existing collections, and write finding aids. If you have questions about the position, me, or want to learn more about archiving, I can be reached via email.