LITTLE ROCK — State Historian Wendy Richter will return to an archivist position at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia on Tuesday.
Richter became state historian and director of the Arkansas History Commission in 2005.
The commission maintains the state’s official archives. According to the commission’s website, Richter is only the fourth historian to serve as director since its creation in 1911. Two former commissioners each served for longer than 40 years.
The commission chooses her replacement.
The seven members of the commission are appointed by the governor with the approval of the state Senate. Members serve seven-year terms.
Commission Chairman Ray Granade said the position is being advertised in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and online at www.arstatejobs.com. It will be open for a month.
“This person has to be able oversee archivists, able to process materials and able to deal with the public,” Granade said. “Most archivists are really good at dealing with things and less good at dealing with people. You’re really looking for someone who is not average, not run of the mill, but has a good balance.”
He said the commission is casting a wide net in part because there isn’t anyone recognized in the archival community as being the next logical choice for state historian.
“What we’re talking about is a really rare individual,” Granade said.
Commission archival manager Jane Wilkerson will serve as interim director. She has been with the commission since 2001.
Richter called the move a chance “to go back to doing the real hands-on archival work that really drew me to the profession.”
The Ouachita board of trustees selected Richter as the archivist and head of special collections for the university’s Riley-Hickingbotham Library. She will also be an associate professor. She previously worked as an archivist at the university from 1990-2005.
Arkansas, Pages 9 on 12/31/2012