Student Spotlight: Haley Wilkerson, Special Collections Public Services Assistant

The Special Collections Research Center blog series "Student Spotlight" features student employees who contribute to the work of the SCRC. Guest author Haley Wilkerson, class of 2026, is a graduate student in the Master of Science in Library Science program in the School of Information and Library Science at UNC Chapel Hill. Haley has worked as a Special Collections Public Services Assistant since January 2025. 

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

At the SCRC I spend a lot of my time on public services tasks like answering reference requests, corresponding with researchers, and assisting researchers in accessing the collections. I also process collections and assess older collections, as assigned, for possible rehousing if they don’t meet the SCRC’s current standards for archival collections. 

What has been most interesting to you about your work?  What new things have you learned? 

One of my favorite aspects of this job is getting to talk a little bit to the researchers who come to the SCRC about their research interests and the project that they are working on. I often learn about collections I didn’t even know the SCRC had, and I love getting a glimpse at the kinds of things researchers are using our collection for.

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?

That the archives are for anyone and everyone! You do not need to be on a sophisticated scholarly mission to visit the archives and look at cool stuff. Whether it is a personal, professional, or academic interest, the Special Collections Research Center is a resource for anyone—student, independent researcher, or community member. 

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 am currently studying at UNC-Chapel Hill getting my Masters in Library Science with a concentration in Archives and Records Management. I already knew I wanted to work in Archives or Special Collections, but working at the SCRC I have learned so much, both personally and professionally, about what that kind of work looks like. One thing I have learned is how much I enjoy archival processing; I am a curious person and getting little glimpses into an individual’s or organization’s life and experiences makes my nosy little heart sing. I find processing—figuring out how all the materials fit together and how to organize them—to be like the world’s most interesting puzzle. Working at the SCRC has really solidified that this is the field I would like to have a career in!