Student Spotlight: Beth Anne Baugh, Digital Program Digitization Assistant

The Special Collections Research Center blog series "Student Spotlight" features student employees who contribute to the work of the SCRC. Guest author Beth Anne Baugh, class of 2025, is a graduate student in the School of Information and Library Science at UNC Chapel Hill, working towards her Master of Science in Library Science. Beth Anne has worked as a Digital Program Digitization Graduate Assistant on the Expanded Extending Cooperative Extension History project in SCRC since September 2024.

Please describe in a sentence or two the work that you do in the Special Collections Research Center.

I digitize archival materials for the Expanded Extending Cooperative Extension History project! The things I handle range from newspaper clippings to state fair photographs; basically anything involving the history of NC State Extension.

What has been most interesting to you about your work?  What new things have you learned? Have you made any surprising discoveries?

I love getting a little glimpse into the past through the things I digitize. Whether it’s a newspaper article from the 1930s or a bunch of landscaping photographs from the ‘90s, there’s always something interesting to find! A lot of the things I’m working on currently are educational materials about agriculture and landscaping, and I’m learning a surprising amount about gardening and pests while I’m digitizing this part of the collection.

If you met someone who was unfamiliar with archives and special collections, what would you want them to know? What should new researchers know about the work you do?

Digitizing is more interesting than it sounds! When you take the time to actually pay attention to the objects you’re handling, it can be a really cool feeling. It’s hard to imagine in the age of digital technology, but a lot of the things that are digitized in the archives may be the only copies of that particular thing that exist today.

What are you studying, and what do you hope to do in your future career?  Has your work in the SCRC changed how you look at your studies or your future career plans in any way?

I’m studying library sciences with a focus on public libraries. I had limited experience in archives before working at the SCRC, and I’m so glad I chose to do this! Whether I end up pursuing a career in archives or not, this job definitely gave me more of an appreciation for this portion of the field that I had never experienced before.