This is the newest post in our There’s an Archivist for That! series, which features examples of archivists working in places you might not expect. In this article, Donna Wojcik talks about her job as Research/Archivist/Oral Historian for the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum.

1. How did you get your gig?

I started volunteering at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum when it opened in 1998, serving as a greeter and oral history transcriber. I became a full-time staff member in 2001 as a receptionist/oral history transcriber. In 2012 I assumed the responsibility for the oral history program as the Oral Historian.  In 2018 I was tasked with archiving twenty-five years of photos and paper items, with my title reclassified as Research/Archivist.  In 2023 I became responsible for the library/archive, which is now called the Resource Room, continuing to identify and document photos, slides, and paper items in the archive and oversee our resource library.

2. Tell us about your organization.

We are a 47-acre facility that connects the present generation to the history of farming and ranching in New Mexico with a goal to inspire a deeper appreciation and understanding of the state’s rich heritage.  We create exhibits and programs that enable others to understand and learn from the past to enrich their present lives and help them shape a better future.  Public access to our Resource Room is by appointment and provides access to our oral history collection, Ancestry.com, livestock brand books, rare books, and books on a wide variety of subjects related to New Mexico history, culture, and arts.

3. Describe your collections.

My responsibility is rare books, research books, maps, ledgers, and our collection of over 400 oral history interviews each containing a recording, abstract, and literal transcript.  I am also tasked with creating/managing our institutional archive, which documents twenty-five years of events, exhibits, educational activities, outreach, and staff.

4. What are some challenges unique to your collections?

I was given the directive to “create an archive” so I am literally building one from scratch.  I have nine wonderful volunteers who help me to accomplish this goal.  We have sorted and identified over 3,100 photographs from boxes that date back to 1996 and are in the process of scanning these items and entering everything into a database.  I think that the biggest challenge for me is to be comfortable deciding what should be kept and what can be removed.

5. What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of the job is creating something that will last for years to come and knowing that I have been a part of it from the beginning.  I enjoy teaching the public about oral history and enjoy helping them with livestock brand research. I love working with volunteers and recognize that I could not do my job without their help and dedication.