FOR THE RECORD
Meet the Staff Feature: Felisha Anderson
For the Record’s “Meet the Staff” feature is an opportunity for our staff to connect directly with the community which we serve.
Name: Felisha Anderson
Title: Director of Archives and History/Historic Projects Coordinator
Specialties: Local Government Records Management and training
How did you end up working at the Baldwin County Department of Archives and History?
Received an undergraduate
degree in Organizational Management and Leadership, with a concentration in
Business, from the University of Mobile. Despite my degree being in Business,
most of my work experience is with records, both academic and public. Many of
the skills were developed in past academic positions, specifically,
organizational skills and the ability to walk patrons through obscure or
complicated processes they don’t have to deal with every day, have been a great
benefit in my current work at the BCDAH. The BCDAH was already on my radar as a
great historical resource in the county, and this job proved to be a great
opportunity to combine my interests and experience to help create and preserve
what will become the historical record, while putting to use the organized
mindset I’ve fostered in the academic world.
What is your role?
Organize, plan and coordinate the creation,
maintenance, storage, preservation, and disposition of activities of a wide
variety of county records that ensure compliance with professional and legal
standards. Work functions also includes determining proper practice and
procedures for the collections, classification, care, preservation, and
disposition of materials from county departments, boards, and other
governmental agencies which have documents of significant value. I serve
as a liaison to the Baldwin County Historic Development Commission and as a
historical consultant for the Baldwin County Bicentennial Park with the goal of
advising that the park demonstrate the significance of Baldwin County’s unique
heritage. We are training center. We offer training to public officials,
especially local agencies, on managing their records – how to organize, store,
and permanently preserve permanent records or eventually dispose of temporary
records in accordance with the Records Disposition Authority (RDA) and with
destruction notices. Though there are only fifteen local RDA’s, they are
organized by type so that each one covers a multitude of individual
agencies.
What is something people don’t know about the Records Management Section?
Just how much we deal with in
this profession! Many people don’t think about how many records government
agencies produce each year. We’re here to help them wade through all of it,
armed with an RDA. As support staff for the Baldwin County Commission, we are
responsible for ensuring county departments adhere to these RDAs in cooperation
with county department staffs, ultimately outlining what records need to be
kept and for how long. Right now, our section works with twenty-two county
departments, all while keeping in the back of our minds the myriad of
historical and civic responsibilities. There’s something new every day, and I
love the variety.
For people who don’t think about their records every day, why is records management important?
Many employees – and
especially county employees – produce and accumulate an enormous amount of
records. These might range from historically significant documents, such as
meeting minutes, to less important records, like potluck fliers and the
internet printouts shoved in a drawer. Some records need to be kept permanently
to show the work departments do, but most records can be disposed of in a short
period of time. Many records don’t need to be kept longer than a day, like the
ubiquitous “donuts in the break room” email. Implementing a records management
system and a plan to dispose of what you don’t need cuts down on the records
clutter – both paper and electronic – so that day-to-day operations can run
more smoothly. We are here to help!
What is something you enjoy about working in records management?
The Archives Department engages in many different types of activities; we have the public visiting the Archives regularly, and we likewise have a reference room where members of the public can conduct research. Records management is more “under
the radar” than the work of either of those sections, but the work lays the foundation for records stewardship throughout the state and local government, which ensures that the Department’s efforts to provide access to Baldwin County history
can continue. The work is purposeful, both immediately and for the benefit of future Baldwin Countians as well.
What is your superpower?
Organization is my
forte.
What are your hobbies when you are not at work?
Coloring - Coloring can relax the fear
center of your brain. I use coloring as a form of meditation by reducing the
thoughts of a restless mind. Coloring generates mindfulness and
quietness, which allows your mind to get some rest after a long day at work.
There are coloring books for adults. Another hobby of mine is cooking meals for
my family letting my daughter chip in and the whole family enjoys cooking
together. Cooking together is a fabulous way to bond, and my daughter
will treasure these memories long into the future!