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Home ― News ― Burdge is new archivist at DSU

Burdge is new archivist at DSU

December 17, 2014

In October, Ryan Burdge started as the new archivist for the Karl E. Mundt Historical and Educational Foundation. Burdge is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and holds an MLIS – Archival Studies. The archivist position opened after Bonnie Olson retired after a long service to the Foundation and Dakota State University.

Burdge’s goals for the Foundation include improving and expanding access to the collection.

“There is a wealth of information in the Mundt Foundation archives that could benefit researchers across the nation,” stated Burdge.

“The current modes of access are rather limiting, requiring researchers to be present on-site to find materials, or requiring the archivist to do proxy searches for them,” Burdge continued. “My primary goal is to bring the archives into the 21st century, by expanding, and streamlining, online access to the collection. This will increase exposure of the collection on a global level, as well as make it easier for researchers to find and request the materials that they need.”

Burdge grew up in Neenah, Wis. and West Chester, Ohio. He joined the Army as an infantryman in 2003, stationed with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y. He was deployed to Iraq from 2005-06. After leaving the army in 2007, he moved back to Milwaukee, Wisc., and attended UW – Milwaukee, where he graduated with a double major in History and Religious Studies. He was then accepted to UW’s School of Information Studies MLIS program for the fall 2012 semester.

While Burdge was obtaining his master’s degree, he worked in the tech services department of the UW-Milwaukee Golda Meir Library, and also conducted fieldwork at the Milwaukee City Archives. He graduated with a Master’s in Library and Information Science degree, with a concentration in Archival Studies in May 2014.

In his new position with the Foundation, Burdge will continue to promote Senator Mundt’s vision for the Foundation as an open space for the community to utilize and enjoy.