Hi everyone/Hola a todos, I’m Linda! I’m originally from the Tyler, Texas area. I received my Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas. Shortly after college, I worked in journalism and food service for several years. It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 that I decided a few things (by this point, I no longer worked in journalism): I was done working in restaurants and I needed to pivot.
This led me to get my Master’s in Library Science from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. In these programs, students are typically taught how to conduct searches for information and how they would help library patrons with that, and information literacy, or how to tell if the information you’re looking at in a book or online is true and verifiable. I also had the opportunity to work in the archives of the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library & Museum in Austin, Texas, where I fell in love with the process of looking up old records, taking the information from them, and making them available to the public. I’ve now worked in several archives with documents and other important papers, and I wanted to learn how to apply these concepts to other types of materials.
Currently, I’m a student in New York University’s Moving Image Archiving and Preservation program; it’s affectionately known as MIAP (typically pronounced me-app, though I’ve heard many variations on that). In this program, we’re learning how to preserve films, magnetic media like VHS tapes, and audio so that it can be consulted for research and personal curiosity for, hopefully, years to come.
It was in the first (Fall 2024) semester of this program that I met C when they visited my Introduction to Moving Image Archiving and Preservation course. They talked about ENTRE and the work that they do to engage with the community, provide a space for safe, open collaboration and interactivity, and many of the projects and workshops that take place throughout a calendar year to stay true to their mission and values. After that visit, I knew that this was the place where I would be able to learn and grow the most for a summer internship.
I’ve now been here for a couple of weeks and I’m in awe of what we’ve been able to accomplish together, from archiving a new batch of digitized videos that make up ENTRE’s Regional Archive to re-organizing the space where our TVs will sit. I’ve inventoried the books damaged in the flood, creating a registry where people can purchase replacements if they feel inclined (and a guide with pictures showing the process). I’m amazed at the organization’s capacity to continue programming for summer and beyond while re-building the space.
Before I started interning, I had a meeting with C and Monica where Monica asked me what I wanted to get out of the internship. My answer was working in an archive that is not just another building in a city, but that truly feels like a part of its community. So far, that has absolutely been my experience. One day, C and I took a break from computer work and they introduced me to several community members nearby who contribute to ENTRE on a regular basis, as artists, volunteers, and patrons. That is not an experience I’ve had in such a direct way yet, and I’m really looking forward to getting to know you all more over the next 7 weeks through workshops, events, and more. I can’t wait to see where this summer takes us. Thank you!
Written by Linda Smith
ENTRE Archive Intern
