Guarding the History of Science: Jamila Hinds at the Niels Bohr Library & Archives
When Jamila Hinds joined AIP’s Niels Bohr Library & Archives as a field study intern, she didn’t just gain experience—she became a guardian of science’s past. Her graduate program at the University of Maryland required hands-on work in an information service setting, and NBLA offered a unique opportunity: the chance to work with collections that document the history of physics and allied sciences.
Her task was daunting: assess nearly 300 audiovisual items from Inside Science, AIP’s former nonprofit news service. Many of these materials were stored on fragile Betacam tapes, a format on the verge of becoming obsolete. Without careful preservation, the stories of scientific discovery captured in these recordings could have been lost forever.
During her internship, Jamila preserved rare footage, updated finding aids, and uncovered hidden gems within the collection, sharing them with the public. She worked with both the media itself and the content it contained, exploring decades of scientific topics and innovations. Her work also involved improving digital tools to make the collection more accessible, ensuring that these historical records remain available for future research.
Beyond the technical work, Jamila discovered the collaborative and dynamic nature of archival work at NBLA. She observed how staff, researchers, and donors interact to preserve, share, and study collections, gaining insight into how information flows within a major research library. The internship highlighted the importance of special collections and how each item—whether a tape, document, or recording—has its own unique preservation and access needs.
Through her work at NBLA, Jamila has helped protect science’s past while making it available for the public, researchers, and students. By preserving and sharing the history of Inside Science, she ensures that the discoveries of yesterday continue to inform and inspire the learners and explorers of tomorrow. Her experience underscores the vital role libraries and archives play in connecting us with the stories that shape our understanding of discovery.
