Archives and Special Collections are delighted to be hosting two placement students from Museums Studies this year, Yuan-Yuan (Luna) Wei and Holly Fletcher. They will each post a few blogs explaining what they are working on over the placement period, from 20 July – 11 September – Luna is going first!
My name is Yuan-Yuan Wei (Luna), and I am a Museum Studies student at the University of Leicester. This summer, I began an eight-week placement with Archives & Special Collections. Archives & Special Collections preserves, develops and provides access to the University’s unique archival collections, including the institutional archive and other special collections.
My work will contribute to preparations for Museum Studies’ 60th anniversary celebrations during the 2026–2027 academic year. As part of my placement, I have received training in archival description standards and internal procedures. The placement will conclude with the preparation and installation of a display case on the second floor of the David Wilson Library, showcasing what I have learned, followed by a presentation of my findings.
During the first stage of my placement, I focused on understanding hierarchical catalogue descriptions. This involves identifying key descriptors, pinpointing archival characteristics, and assessing how information aligns with user needs to facilitate effective keyword searching. Figure 1 shows examples of the archival materials I have been working with and the corresponding catalogue records. Currently, I am working with collections related to the Museum Studies programme, including student records and faculty materials.
As part of the digitisation of Museum Studies collections at the University of Leicester, I have also received training in scanning photographic negatives using an Epson scanner. Figure 2 shows the correct handling of photographic negatives during the digitisation process. I also learned how to distinguish the front and back of each negative to ensure that it was scanned in the correct orientation. Learning these techniques has helped me appreciate the care and attention required when preserving historical materials in digital form. One of the things that surprised me most during my first two weeks was how much thought goes into archival cataloguing. It is not simply about recording information accurately; it is also about considering how future users will discover and interpret the collections.
This placement has already provided me with the opportunity to explore archival practice beyond the classroom and gain hands-on experience in a professional environment. Ultimately, I hope to continue developing my knowledge of archival practice and records management while helping wider audiences engage with historical collections through exhibitions and other forms of public engagement.
Thank you Luna. We wish you and Holly all the best for the placement and are looking forward to hearing more about what you are doing!
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