{"id":131,"date":"2015-06-23T13:58:04","date_gmt":"2015-06-23T13:58:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/?p=131"},"modified":"2015-11-16T09:10:03","modified_gmt":"2015-11-16T09:10:03","slug":"numismatics-blog-post-8-emily-graham","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/2015\/06\/23\/numismatics-blog-post-8-emily-graham\/","title":{"rendered":"Numismatics blog post 8 \u2013 Emily Graham"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>To sum up my placement\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/emilygrahamlancaster.wordpress.com\/2015\/04\/14\/to-sum-up-my-placement-harrispreton\/\">@HarrisPreston<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n<h2><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/03\/view-of-Preston.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-17\" src=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/03\/view-of-Preston.jpg\" alt=\"view of Preston\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Why did I apply to the Heritage Placement Scheme?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When I was first told about the scheme, it was only open to Second Year students, which was very disappointing! I thought it sounded like an amazing chance to experience working in a museum, but without sacrificing a lot of money and time to it during my busy Third Year. However, thanks to the existence of the Faculty scheme for placements, the pilot project\u00a0was subsequently opened to all years,\u00a0and I jumped at the chance to take part.<\/p>\n<p>I adore History, that\u2019s why I first applied to come to Lancaster University to study it, and this scheme was a great opportunity for so many people:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you were interested in History, you got to experience\u00a0a historical site from the staff perspective. It gives you so much more respect for the people who put together displays at museums and in Heritage buildings! Those things are planned out in minute detail!<\/li>\n<li>If you are considering a job in the Heritage sector, the scheme allows you to see\u00a0whether you love it \u2013 and thus, are even more enthusiastic about getting a job there \u2013 or if you hate it \u2013 and therefore, you have time to alter your career plans<\/li>\n<li>If your CV is a little bare and you\u2019re struggling to think up answers to interview questions, placements\u00a0are brilliant for improving your skills, and giving you specific examples to show that you have those skills. This was certainly true for me. I\u2019ve lost track how many times I\u2019ve used my placement at the Harris when I\u2019ve been filling in job applications.<\/li>\n<li>For me, I also wanted a break from Third Year. The final year of the degree is all about careers and dissertations and essays. I wanted a break from all that worry. Every Wednesday, I went to Preston and for one whole day, I didn\u2019t worry about everything else I had going on. I loved my work at the Harris and I could just focus on that for a day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What did I do at the Harris Museum?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/04\/pfennigs-before.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38\" src=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/04\/pfennigs-before.jpg\" alt=\"pfennigs before\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll admit, when I first read the description for the placement at the Harris, I was very underwhelmed. Numismatics? Cataloguing coins? It really didn\u2019t sound very thrilling. Initially the main reason I chose the Harris\u2019 placement was because I could get there on public transport, and it encouraged students to blog about their work. I certainly have blogged about my work! I\u2019ve tweeted quite a bit too. However, I also became very enthusiastic about the work as well. I was excited when Matt and I finally puzzled out\u00a0the date a Japanese yen coin was produced, and when I correctly identified a thirteenth-century Heller coin. It\u2019s got to the point where my family and friends are getting sick of me mentioning the Harris!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/coin-and-commentary.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-139\" src=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/coin-and-commentary.jpg\" alt=\"coin and commentary\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Maybe it\u2019s because I was given full ownership over my work. I was given the task of cataloguing the German coins. Every step of that work from repacking, label writing, adding to the museum\u2019s database, was my work. Anyone working at the Harris can now find out exactly what sort of coins are within its German collection, and that is thanks to me.<\/p>\n<p>(361 German coins;\u00a011 German East African coins; and\u00a013 German euros, if you\u2019re interested.)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/coins-in-drawer2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-140\" src=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/coins-in-drawer2.jpg\" alt=\"coins in drawer2\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a>I don\u2019t know why but it was a great feeling to see my progress across the months, until I had a full set of catalogued German coins. Coins aren\u2019t\u00a0something I\u2019ve ever focused on in class, but seeing my supervisor, Matt Ball\u2019s, enthusiasm, and researching the coins myself, really opened my eyes to their importance. It\u2019s odd to think that there are so many other areas of historic study that I have never considered before.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_91\" style=\"width: 181px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/05\/coins-on-mount.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-91\" class=\"size-full wp-image-91\" src=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/05\/coins-on-mount.jpg\" alt=\"Image courtesy of Matt Ball\" width=\"175\" height=\"301\" srcset=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/05\/coins-on-mount.jpg 175w, http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/05\/coins-on-mount-174x300.jpg 174w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 175px) 100vw, 175px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-91\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image courtesy of Matt Ball<\/p><\/div>\n<p>There have been a number of concluding meetings with the staff at Lancaster University about this scheme, and I am not alone in loving my placement. You can check out some of the other students\u2019 experiences through the other entries on this blog.<\/p>\n<p>However, I was also very lucky with my placement choice. Matt gave me so many opportunities to make the most of my placement, from\u00a0creating a display with\u00a0two other students from Lancaster University, to taking part in a Numismatics Conference, to helping at the Museums at Night festival.\u00a0These \u2018additions\u2019 gave my placement more meaning beyond simply expanding the knowledge of the collection.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What did I gain from this experience?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The first thing I have to mention is that I now have a display installed at the Harris Museum!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/05\/Harris-display-case.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-94 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/05\/Harris-display-case.jpg\" alt=\"Visit the Harris to check out our amazing display!\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>That display is there, and people like it!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/tweets.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-142\" src=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/tweets.png\" alt=\"tweets\" width=\"278\" height=\"734\" srcset=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/tweets.png 278w, http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/tweets-114x300.png 114w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 278px) 100vw, 278px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Oh, it\u2019s just so great. Definitely my favourite thing about my placement.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve also experienced working in an office, working independently and in a team, setting my own targets, and working to a deadline. I now have a concrete example for the majority\u00a0of the\u00a0skills that most jobs list as requirements. Plus, I have a fab reference.<\/p>\n<p>However, I think the part\u00a0of this placement that I\u2019ll remember the most is that I had fun. I loved researching these coins, making my display, and speaking in front of people from across the country (including from the British Museum!).<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_108\" style=\"width: 306px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/05\/presentation.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-108\" class=\"size-full wp-image-108\" src=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/05\/presentation.jpg\" alt=\"Introducing our presentation (Image courtesy of Matt Ball)\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-108\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Numismatics Conference (Image courtesy of Matt Ball)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>And I was happy to spend an evening talking to the public about one of the museum\u2019s Viking Hoard collection.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_143\" style=\"width: 306px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/Cuerdale-Hoard1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-143\" class=\"wp-image-143 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/Cuerdale-Hoard1.jpg\" alt=\"Cuerdale Hoard\" width=\"300\" height=\"252\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-143\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Cuerdale Hoard (Image courtesy of Matt Ball)<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_144\" style=\"width: 231px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/Reproduction-Viking-coin.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-144\" class=\"wp-image-144 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/Reproduction-Viking-coin.jpg\" alt=\"Reproduction Viking coin\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-144\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">I got to make my own Viking coin replica to take home, and I taught others how to make one too!<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The placement scheme was created to show students what it is like to work in the Heritage sector, and it certainly did. The work is challenging, exciting, and sometimes not what you expected. But if it\u2019s what you want to do, then getting a certificate at the end is the least of its\u00a0rewards.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_146\" style=\"width: 984px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/Emily-Graham_cropped.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-146\" class=\"wp-image-146 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/Emily-Graham_cropped.jpg\" alt=\"Emily Graham\" width=\"974\" height=\"697\" srcset=\"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/Emily-Graham_cropped.jpg 974w, http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/files\/2015\/06\/Emily-Graham_cropped-300x215.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 974px) 100vw, 974px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-146\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shiny certificate (Image courtesy of Sam Riches)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To sum up my placement\u00a0@HarrisPreston Why did I apply to the Heritage Placement Scheme? When I was first told about the scheme, it was only open to Second Year students, which was very disappointing! I thought it sounded like an amazing chance to experience working in a museum, but without sacrificing a lot of money&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":285,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-2015-placement"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/285"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":151,"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131\/revisions\/151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/heritage-placements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}