An Cosantóir

38 | what i do ADRIAN SHORT PRIVATE MILITARY ARCHIVES I was originally with 2 Inf Bn and my interest in military archives started back in 1999 when I went there on a work detail. After that I started working in admin in both the company and battalion orderly rooms, where I developed a flair for records management, preservation and administration. Then in 2006 I started going over to Military Archives on a volunteer basis for an hour or two every day, working on a collection or creating box listings for Comdt Victor Lang, the then OiC. In 2009 I was permanently posted into the unit as an archival assistant. I attended a year long Certificate in Archives and Records Management course in UCD, where I achieved a distinction. It was a real eye-opener for anyone involved in records management, not just in terms of preserva- tion but why it is so important to maintain these records moving forward. It gives the student the skills to create a non-biased description of a collection of material, and that is what we do on an ongoing basis. My role here is quite considerable. First and foremost, file retrieval from our storage locations An Cosantóir September 2012 www.dfmagazine.ie for researchers to view in the reading room. Second is records management and retrieval from a unit, such as the offices of the Director of Operations or the Chief of Staff, into our collections for permanent preservation. We also comply with the principles laid down in DFR A8 (Records Management Policy for the Defence Forces) and the National Archival Act (1986). The civilian archivist's role has always been front-of-house, dealing with the researchers as they come in. On they're off week they work on collections and part of my job is to find the material for them. Considering we have over 35,000 boxes that can be problematic from time to time. A lot of the time it is a case of identifying material that will be of interest for the researcher. Although certain documents that come in on an ongoing basis won't be made public for 30 years, they still have to be catalogued and indexed. Stock checks are another job that has to be done regularly to ensure the material listed in the ledgers and catalogues is actually in the collection. I also have a Diploma in Web Design and help maintain our website, which is a vital resource, as many of our important collections are digitalised and put online. To date I've spent 13 years in the Army and I've thor- oughly enjoyed my entire career. The most significant part from my perspective, and looking for- ward, is my period in Military Archives. Here I have found a niche job that I think I am very good at and I look forward to coming into work every day. Not everyone can say that. WHAT I DO

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