Archives 101: Guided Cohort
Learn how archives really work with a small group, live sessions, and feedback from me. The founding cohort starts in January 2027 and is capped at 15 seats.
Who this course is for
The guided cohort is for anyone who wants to learn archives with structure, accountability, and a real archivist in their corner. It's for students curious about the field, career changers wondering if they need a master's degree, staff who handle records without formal training, and anyone with a box of family photos and no idea where to start.
You'll work through the full Archives 101: Foundations course with a group of no more than 15 people, one module a month starting in January 2027. Each month we meet live to talk through the module, and I give you written feedback on your work.
You won't just watch. From the first lesson, you'll work on one real collection of your own, like your family's papers, a club scrapbook, or your congregation's records. By the end, you'll have a collection that is surveyed, appraised, and rehoused, a portfolio of real archival work, volunteer hours with national institutions for your resume, and a one-on-one call with me about your next step.
What's included
With the cohort, you get:
- Monthly live sessions with me on Zoom, recorded in case you miss one
- Written feedback from me on your portfolio work
- A one-on-one call at the end to plan your next step
- A small group of no more than 15 people moving through the course together
Plus everything in Foundations:
- 24 video lessons across five modules
- The Archives 101 course workbook, a 54-page PDF with every worksheet, tracker, and log
- Hands-on practice in every module, from your first survey and inventory to a condition report and a rehousing plan
- Guides for volunteering with the Library of Congress and the National Archives
- A guide to informational interviews with working archivists and collection specialists
- A reading list balanced across US, European, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Latin American scholarship
- A glossary and a resource library of standards, suppliers, and free tools
- A certificate of completion and lifetime access to the lessons and workbook
Course curriculum
The cohort moves through one module a month, from January to May 2027, with a live session each month. Here's the plan.
January: Start Here and Module 1, What Archives Are. You'll choose the collection you'll practice on and learn what makes a record a record, what archivists actually do, a short history of archives, and how power and silence shape who archives serve.
February: Module 2, Acquisition and Appraisal. You'll follow the life cycle of a record, learn how value is determined, and survey and inventory your collection.
March: Module 3, Preservation and Care. You'll learn what archives are made of and what damages them, then write a condition report and rehouse your collection.
April: Module 4, Breaking Into the Field. You'll get an honest look at the degree and the job market, and you'll build your archival story, resume, and cover letter.
May: Module 5, Next Steps. You'll build your professional network, choose what comes next, and meet with me one-on-one to plan it.
Who's teaching
I'm Mary Snyder, a PhD Candidate, consulting archivist, and public historian with more than ten years in archives, museums, and historic sites, including Whitney Plantation, Boston University, The Henry Ford, and Monticello. I teach this the way I wish someone had taught me: honestly, practically, and with care for the people in the records.
What you'll walk away with
By May, you won't just know about archives. You'll have done the work, and you'll be able to prove it.
Real experience
- A collection you surveyed, inventoried, appraised, and rehoused yourself
- Volunteer hours with the Library of Congress or the National Archives
- Informational interviews with working archivists and collection specialists
Skills you can use on the job
- Surveying and inventorying a collection
- Appraising records and explaining why they're worth keeping
- Tracking provenance and reading a deed of gift
- Identifying materials and the agents of deterioration
- Writing condition reports and choosing archival housing
- Planning digitization
- Collecting ethically and knowing when to call a specialist
A stronger resume
- A portfolio of real archival work, with written feedback from me
- Resume lines that describe your work in the language hiring managers use
- A cover letter, interview prep, and your archival story
- A certificate of completion
- A one-on-one plan with me for your next step
Questions
When does it start, and how does payment work?
The founding cohort starts in January 2027. As a student, you pay $390 in four monthly payments of $97.50, and your first payment holds your seat. There are only 15 seats, so enrollment closes when they're gone.
What if I miss a live session?
Every session is recorded and posted in the Cohort Hub, so you can watch it later and still send me your work for feedback.
Do I need my own collection?
You need something to practice on, but it doesn't have to be big or old. Family papers, a club scrapbook, a box of letters, or a bundle of old photos all work. We'll choose yours together in January.
Do I need any experience?
No. The course starts at the beginning and assumes no background in archives.
What if I change my mind?
You can get a full refund until two weeks before the cohort starts. After that, payments are non-refundable, but you keep lifetime access to every lesson and the workbook.
Choose a pricing plan
Guided cohort, student rate: 4 monthly payments
$97.50
per month for 4 months
Student rate: $390 total, paid in four monthly payments of $97.50. Your first payment holds one of 15 seats. You get monthly live sessions with me and a one-on-one at the end. Full refund until two weeks before the January 2027 start.