Classical Studies Newsletter, Volume VIII, Winter 2003

Life After Grad School
To Teach or Not to Teach
By Camilla MacKay, Ph.D. 1999

I have been working as the head librarian of the Blegen Library of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens for a year now. It's a position that means I'm in the middle of a changing and vibrant group of scholars from all over the world (even if it feels sometimes like my job is all about making sure lightbulbs get changed promptly).

I'm here as a graduate of IPCAA (1999) and Michigan's School of Information (2001). I decided soon after beginning my dissertation that I would become a librarian. Because I knew I would not be looking for teaching jobs, the "marketability" of my dissertation was not an issue, and I ended up writing a dissertation which ranged from the Roman to Byzantine period in the eastern Mediterranean. I'm grateful to the professors on my committee who allowed and encouraged me to move beyond the narrowly classical; it speaks to the strength and scope of the department. I had the chance to work on a very wide range of material and this gave me experience which has been invaluable here in Athens. The material I select for the Blegen Library includes all aspects of classical philology, archaeology, philosophy, and ancient history, but also anthropology, medieval archaeology, and linguistics.

The position isn't just selecting books and changing lightbulbs, though. I recently joined the first trip of the American School's program in Thessaloniki to talk to this year's group about some of the Byzantine monuments. One of the best things about being here is the chance to get to do some teaching and my own research (I'm working now on publication of medieval material from the Athenian Agora excavations). And I can never feel far from home: there are always a couple of Michigan classics people at the American School. Of the Regular Members this year, three are from Michigan: Chad Schroeder from Classics and Drew Wilburn and Brenda Longfellow from IPCAA. Cathy Hammer from IPCAA is a second-year member, and IPCAA graduate Mark Lawall is an NEH visiting professor.

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