by Colleen McFarland Rademaker
When Phillipa Rosman, Special Collections and Archivist Librarian at Phillips Theological Seminary, inquired last fall about the possibility of an extended visit to the Disciples of Christ Historical Society, we responded with an enthusiastic yes. On December 15th, 2025, Phillipa traveled from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Bethany, West Virginia, to spend a week with us. During that time, she learned about our collections and our evolving archival administrative processes. She also contributed to our work by reprocessing a foundational set of records: The American Christian Missionary Society Governing Documents and Board Minutes, 1849-1941.
A common misperception about archivists is that we enjoy being alone. While it’s true that many of us are introverted and bookish, archivists deeply appreciate connectedness. We devote our working lives to preserving historical records in context and helping researchers understand the many connections among records and the people who created them. We also prize our connection to a professional community. According to a recent survey of archival administrators, nearly 40% of archivists work alone. In search of camaraderie, support and sounding boards, we frequently reach across institutional boundaries and cultivate relationships with peer archivists working with similar collections.
During her time at the Historical Society, Phillipa asked insightful questions about our collections, our workflows, and the information management systems we use to maintain data about our collections. In responding, we openly shared our opinions about what works well for us and what needs improvement. In a very brief time, we determined that our repositories face similar challenges and that there are opportunities for collaboration. Phillipa also noticed that some Historical Society approaches might work well in her home repository. Reflecting on the impact of her visit, she stated, “I am developing a different strategy of creating finding aids and housing the contents of our collections from what I had originally planned when I started at Phillips last year.” She also deeply appreciated the opportunity to attend an archival catalog implementation meeting. In turn, the Historical Society benefited enormously from time and expertise she lent to the reprocessing project. Without her visit, that project might still be awaiting completion.
Of course, Phillipa’s time at the Historical Society would not have been complete without pilgrimages to Bethany’s historic places. “[B]eing in Bethany, and visiting the Old Meeting House, the Alexander Campbell Mansion, and God’s Acre, “ she noted, “added to what I learned from the history and polity of the Disciples of Christ class I took at Phillips Theological Seminary last fall.”
The Historical Society has a strong commitment to collaboration across the Stone Campbell Movement and we look forward to fostering connection with Phillips Theological Seminary as well as other Stone Campbell archivists.
