March 25, 2025, by Chloe

Manuscripts and Special… Experiences!

This is a guest post by Hannah Gregg, second year Classics and Archaeology student at the University of Nottingham, who recently completed a placement at Manuscripts and Special Collections.

My expectations…

Like going into any new environment, I was extremely apprehensive before starting, especially as I’d never had experience in the archives before. Moreover, my role as a special collection assistant working with the British Military Government in Berlin’s newspaper archive required German language skills. Despite practising and learning German in school and as a hobby for 6 years, I hadn’t put my skills to the test in a working environment, so I was worried about my ability. Furthermore, the task I had was working with Germany after World War 2, and this was not a topic I was well-educated in, so to prepare, I spent time reading about the East and West divide to familiarise myself. After reminding myself that I had the necessary skills to complete the tasks, I started with an optimistic mindset.

Fortunately, my experience was made significantly better with the assistance of my supervisor, Ursula, who was consistently helpful and able to answer any questions I may have. Before my placement, I found that I struggled to ask for help in learning environments; however, Ursula made this effortless as she was supportive and continuously praised the work I was completing, which made me eager to continue my placement!

In the beginning…

My first day was nerve-racking but it didn’t take long for me to feel comfortable after having a tour of the campus and meeting the staff that make the special collections function so effectively!

In my second week, we met the conservator to practice and learn about care and handling. This session taught us how to properly take care of the books and materials in the special collections to preserve them for years to come.

What work did I complete while on placement?

My tasks on placement were varied; I spent most of my time reading the papers and familiarising myself with the leading personalities of the GDR (East Germany) and FRG (West Germany). While reading them, I had to number each cutting and assign it a unique document reference number that would be used in the catalogue. The title of the newspaper and its relevant information like what newspaper it was from, who it was about, and when it was published, was entered into a spreadsheet.

Most of the collection was from East Germany. I researched many figures and created short bibliographies of ‘enemies of the state’ as well as those who were key in the upkeep of the GDR until Germany’s reunification, colour-coded to make it more accessible.

This experience has broadened my horizons concerning my future career path. It has been crucial in expanding my research and problem-solving skills, as there were times when I struggled and had to search through books and websites to find accurate information. Furthermore, my German language skills have developed significantly and my reading ability after becoming familiar with new vocabulary throughout the newspapers. It was an enjoyable experience, and the knowledge I have gained is invaluable to my future.

If you’d like to carry out some research of your own, feel free to visit our Reading Room – to find out more, or to book an appointment today, please contact us at mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk.

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Google+
• Share on LinkedIn