I'm glad this small article was to be a new take on the archives, all at once I realized that although I have been in and around the archives "house" I really know very little about the traditional "aims" or "goals" or reasons for actually having one. So beginning from there my reasons for ever having entered the archives building were from being invited by one or another of the people who actually "do things" in there.
I can begin at the door. I know there is a very nice looking sign in book ( I noticed first name & initial only). It made me feel very special and "invited" and feel as if I were entering some place of significance or importance but I still didn't know " of what" then it is laid out like a very clean comfortable little museum of sorts. In that it has representations of Alcoholics Anonymous past and " our " past. After all AA is made up of all its members.
Representative forms: photographs of past members; of founding members; and even non AA's. that were undeniably at the core of this great early enterprise of hope and unity service and recovery.
Written: notes; ledger entering (historic) Dr. Bob's hospital receipts; all helping us to remember the blood sweat and tears that began this program of life saving recovery.
Historic Items; these are important because they sustain the heritage of Alcoholics Anonymous, us and the people who "work" in the Archive Commitment. (because they are AA service commitments not jobs per se). Very skillfully and with archeological commitment to detail and technique preserve the articles of AA's past--seemingly to remember that " that which we forget we are doomed to repeat" maybe anyway-- remember that this is someone who is discovering the archives at 11 blessed years sober.
Anyway the overriding flavor I left with was, the primary purpose… Stay Sober & Help Another Alcoholic.
There is much more to discover than what I have mentioned here "as a newcomer " I would say this program continues to be a never ending journey! "Keep a open mind".
Michele S.
Grateful Recovering Alcoholic