It's really amazing how often archives, books and libraries feature in the news once you start looking for them!
On NPR's "Morning Edition" today, correspondent Guy Raz profiled Mary Beth Corrigan, the archivist for PNC/Riggs Bank. The story concerns the Riggs archive, an extensive collection of ledgers and documents dating back to the mid-nineteenth century (and including the accounts of 23 presidents and other high government officials, as well as countless other recognizable names). Corrigan was hired in 1998 to examine this vast archive, a process which she hopes to complete by the end of this year.
The profile is an interesting one, highlighting some interesting checks written by Abraham Lincoln (as well as his regular monthly deposits for $2,083, his presidential salary) and the movement of actual gold bullion in late 1867 to the Russian government as payment for Alaska (something new and dear to my heart; the transaction's major broker William H. Seward is a favorite research subject of mine and a fellow Union alum).
Some members on the Archives email lists today took offense that Raz says Corrigan is "selling herself short" after she describes herself as the archivist. "You see," continues Raz, "she's what you might call a history detective." They perceived Raz' comment as somehow slighting the archival profession, which seems a bit excessively sensitive. Personally I'm just glad to see people like Corrigan getting discussed on national news programs!
