The Waring Welcomes Dr. Brian Fors as Curator!

In August 2019, the Waring welcomed its new curator, Dr. Brian Fors! Brian joins us from Mankato, Minnesota, where he served as Historian and Archivist for The History Writers. From 2016 to 2018, Brian also served as the Interim Dean of Sciences and Health Professions for Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, Minnesota.

Brian earned his Master’s of Arts in History and Ph.D. in American Diplomatic History from the University of Iowa, and trained as an archivist for two years at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, D. C. He is also a Certified Archivist and a Digital Archives Specialist (DAS).

Check out our Q&A with Brian below to get to know the Waring's new curator. And, whenever you’re in the neighborhood of the Waring, feel free to stop by and meet him!

As the Waring's curator, what does your role encompass?

A curator’s job is to interpret and promote a collection, as well as manage the items being added and the items that need to be removed. In the case of the Waring Historical Library, the position also means managing the 1894 building and the Macaulay Museum of Dental History, as well as general supervision of the University Archives and Digital Archives.

What’s the most fascinating thing you’re working on right now?

As a new curator, my first priority is to learn what I can about the collection and so I am reviewing the collection and the catalog entries for the items, a project that might not sound too thrilling in itself, but I am discovering all kinds of interesting publications related to medical history. The discovery process slows down the cataloging, but I am learning more about a unique and fascinating collection.

What changes are on the horizon for the Waring in the coming year?

We are preparing for the MUSC Library renovation, which will impact the University Archives and the Digital Archives operations, beginning new initiatives related to public outreach using social media, developing a new online exhibit covering the 1969 strike at the university, and preparing for our fall speaker presenting on campus on November 6. The speaker is Victoria Johnson and she will be discussing her National Book Award Finalist publication American Eden. This is just a sampling of the initiatives we have underway.

What is your favorite area of history to study?

While I have yet to discover a topic of history that I do not enjoy, I particularly like the late colonial period and early republic, as well as the early twentieth century for general time periods, whether United States history or other regions of the world.

What are your research interests?

I am working on a history of American manufacturing in the twentieth century through the lens of a foundry in rural southern Minnesota. The company records and personal papers of those involved in running the foundry provide interesting insight into how manufacturing developed in the modern United States in areas not considered the manufacturing centers.

What was the last really great book you read? Why?

Right now I am reading An African American and Latinx History of the United States by Paul Ortiz. It provides a new and fascinating look at the history of the country from a unique perspective. I am often looking for new approaches to the study of history. This book provides a viewpoint unique to anything else I have read in a general narrative.

What fictional place would you most like to visit?

There are so many real places I would like to visit first, I can’t even think about fictional places. Besides, most of the fiction I read are set in real places.

Pets?

We have a Pugalier named Bella. She is a mix of a Pug and Cavalier King Charles, and she is 13 years old, so elderly.

What are your hobbies/what do you do to recharge?

Reading, running, writing

Where was your most favorite vacation? And Why?

In the fall 2017, my wife, daughter, and son-in-law took a trip to Iceland, Denmark, and Norway, with most of the time spent with family in Norway. Getting to know the different countries, especially western Norway, with family members was exhilarating and relaxing at the same time and produced great memories.

What's the most important lesson you've learned in the last year?

That I still dislike the process of moving, but the adventure and possibilities of going to a new place is always worth it.

If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Beethoven’s Fur Elise piano solo (is that a “song”?)