Archivist looking to close her job file
HELEN Bersten is too passionate about her job to leave it in limbo, but after more than 30 years of volunteering, the Australian Jewish Historical Society of NSW (AJHS) archivist is looking to step away.
AJN STAFF
HELEN Bersten is too passionate about her job to leave it in limbo, but after more than 30 years of volunteering, the Australian Jewish Historical Society of NSW (AJHS) archivist is looking to step away.
The trouble is, no successor has been found, so the Sydney history enthusiast is hoping some media exposure will draw in an enthusiastic volunteer from the community.
“I am ready to retire, but need to find someone to take over this important role,” an exasperated Bersten told The AJN.
In her three decades in the job, she has seen the society’s documentation system grow in leaps and bounds. It has expanded from one filing cabinet and duplicate copies of library books, to seven filing cabinets, two¬† maps, 300 archive boxes, more than 2000 files, 300 serial titles, 700 library books, 70 reels of microfilm, a website, a digitised index and digitised photos.
In 2007, Bersten was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her services to the AJHS.
Describing the job, she said her role has the support of the AJHS secretary, treasurer, genealogist, librarian and four other volunteers. Work includes cataloguing and preserving material, as well as answering research enquiries from individuals, libraries, heritage and historical organisations.
“We would like an interested, motivated person to continue this rewarding and interesting work; someone with common sense, knowledge of word processing, filing and a historical interest. Library or archive experience would obviously be an advantage; however, I would spend time training someone for this important community position,” she assured.
“There is much work to be done, as the story of the Australian Jewish community continues to be worth documenting for today and tomorrow.”
comments