Chers amis, chères amies,

C’est avec plaisir que nous lançons ce blogue qui portera sur les collections et les nombreuses activités des Archives acadiennes à Fort Kent.

Dans les mois à venir, nous mettrons en vedette les ressources que nous offrons à la communauté et qui peu à peu deviennent accessibles en format numérique. Ce blogue vous informera aussi des événements que nous organisons. Dès aujourd’hui, il porte les réflexions et les trouvailles des étudiant(e)s qui nous soutiennent aux Archives. Le premier billet (ci-bas) nous vient de Layla Cole, l’une de nos stagiaires de longue date. Bonne lecture!

Dear friends,

We are pleased to launch a blog feature that will provide a glimpse of the collections and many activities of the Acadian Archives here in Fort Kent.

In the coming months, we will throw a spotlight on the incomparable resources that we offer to the community and that are increasingly accessible in digital format. This blog will also provide details of the events we are planning. Beginning today, it offers a snapshot of the experiences and finds of our work-study team members. The first post (below) was penned by Layla Cole. Enjoy!

Over the last three and a half years, I have been working for the Acadian Archives at the University of Maine at Fort Kent. The Archives have contributed so much to the St. John Valley, and it is great to be a part of that. I have had the opportunity to help digitize many collections for the Archives.

A few collections have stood out to me. Round Pond is a camp in the North Maine Woods. The camp kept a visitors log for many decades for guests to write about their time at the camp. We ended up getting the chance to digitize the visitors log and learned so much about the camp in the process. The log has entries from many people, a lot of them mentioning the strenuous trek to even make it to the camp. Many of the entries were about the fish and game they encountered while at the camp. This was especially interesting to me because, coming from southern Maine, I don’t see any of these animals. I thought it was interesting that there are so many cool things you can see close to [the UMFK] campus. The design of the book was also interesting because it was covered in birch bark.

Another favorite collection is the UMFK historical collection. The collection features what life on campus looked like in the ’60s and ’70s. As a student, it is enlightening to see how the campus has changed over the years. Students could smoke cigarettes in the lair, formal dances were held, and there were theater performances. Looking at the photos, it is weird to find what has changed on campus and what has stayed the same. Most of the photos are just of students enjoying life on campus.

The Archives has given me the opportunity to grow as a person and learn new skills. I had the chance to learn about genealogical research. While learning how to do this, I discovered that I have a great, great grandmother from Fort Kent. I also had the chance to learn about and use Excel while digitizing collections.

The Archives also allowed me to get to know Anne Chamberland and Lise Pelletier. They are two wonderful women who worked very hard and have contributed so much to the community. They genuinely cared about students and made everyone feel welcomed. Anne and Lise put their heart into the Archives, and for that, I would like to thank them. The Archives has truly made an impact on my life, and it is going to be strange not being a part of it anymore.

The Acadian Archives are open daily Monday to Friday. Patrons seeking more information about these and other collections are encouraged to reach us via e-mail, acadian@maine.edu, or by phone at 207-834-7535. We look forward to meeting you.