Have you ever seen old stone buildings mashed together with sleek modern constructs? Typed on a laptop or read smartphone texts in the same room used to jail criminals over 100 years ago? What if you then went to the basement of this place, where the worst of the worst were kept, and ate your lunch on a 1980s electric-green sofa? You might feel confused by PAMA. It’s grim past lies in stark contrast to its new and vibrant purposes. Today, the building is a place where contemporary historians unearth the stories of Peel region and attempt to make them known to the public.
This is a brief guide on how to think of your role as a research intern as bringing history to life without getting too caught up in your 21st century mind.
“Research” by astronomy_blog. Licensed under creative license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
1. Realize that you have no idea how much you don’t know—and it’s okay to be in awe of this.
PAMA’s archives have a vast amount of information. Upon seeing even one shelf of stocked records, you’ll realize that Peel County, a mere strip of land in this vast province, has played host to millions of lives. This may seem overwhelming, but remain calm; you can’t know everything. In the age of immediate access to information, slowly working through archival records can feel irregular. Since we aren’t as used to patiently piecing together information as much anymore, find out who or what the key leads are and make a “research-trail.” When you feel lost, retrace your steps, look at your previous notes again, take a break, and maybe even try a different route for a while. Variety is key to preventing boredom and discouragement.
“Video Tape Archive” by DRs Kulturarvsprojekt. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
2. Remember that your research is valuable and a task to be embraced.
After looking at census records for several hours you might get intense cravings for video games or social media updates. This might make you lose your sense of priorities, as well as the drive to continue your tasks. The best thing to keep in mind is that your time, energy and resources are being counted on by your supervisors to find information that they can use. When the 21st century knocks on the door of your brain in the midst of intense research, just remember that your role, however insignificant or mundane it may feel like, is part of the telling of a story far beyond yourself in the here and now.
“Modern Living” by Jan Jespersen. Licensed under creative license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
3. Know that your exploration into the past is giving you a profound look at your community’s development.
Daily life is now characterized by being constantly distracted with technology and information. Though researching is often precisely that, take a step back for a moment. PAMA exists to make the past accessible to the public at large. It is here that the telling of Peel’s stories and the exploration of culture and ideas are upheld as values. Being a research intern here is about bearing witness to what has happened, and being a steward of your community’s identity.
To find out more about how you can break from the modern rush and explore the past by visiting pama.peelregion.ca