Meet Elizabeth McManus (she/her) and Claire Malek (she/her), two adjunct professors who will be teaching ARST 540 Archival Public Services in 2026 Winter Term 1!
We asked Elizabeth and Claire a few questions to learn more about them and what they’ll be teaching in ARST 540.
Where do you work outside of teaching at UBC School of Information?
Elizabeth is a Senior Archivist at Musqueam Archives and Research Department, and Claire is an Archivist at UBC Library, Rare Books and Special Collections.
What makes you excited to teach ARST 540?
We are greatly excited to teach this course because the topic of public services in archives is at the forefront of change! We’re looking forward to sharing experiences, theories, and practices, together deepening our understanding of what it means to engage with users, and for archives to be of service to public(s).
Through this process, we hope to provide opportunities for students to practice tools that can be taken from the classroom into their next chapter following graduation.
What is an insight into archival public services you explore in the course that would be interesting or helpful to students who are considering archival work after graduation?
One insight we’re looking forward to sharing is how archival public service contributes to, and in turn, is affected by every aspect of archival work. So, even if you are not imagining yourself in a reference, outreach, or engagement-focused role, this course will help you see how your work in other areas contributes to the public side of archives.
