Rachael Culley works in the library sector as the Curator of the North American Published Collections post-1850 at the British Library. Rachael shares her experiences on studying abroad, the skills that equipped her for a job at the British Library, and getting her writing shared by Margaret Atwood.
Read Rachael’s Blog Post!
What made you decide to do a degree in American Studies?
I really enjoyed literature, history and cultural studies at school and when flicking through university prospectuses I came across American Studies courses. The breadth of the degree and ability to pinpoint the topics that really interested me sounded like a perfect fit. The University of Nottingham degree was also closely linked with the TV and Film Studies department and allowed for modules focused on both the US and Canada, so I decided this would be a really exciting and enjoyable degree that suited my existing interests and opened up study opportunities that were also new to me.
What did you study prior to your degree?
Before my undergraduate degree I studied English Literature, Geography and Philosophy and Ethics at A-Level, as well as History at AS-Level.
How did a degree in American Studies (or AMS & joint subject) equip you for your future career?
One of the best things about doing an American Studies degree is that there are so many lines of work you can apply for after graduating. A lot of the course relies on self-study, so I learnt how to really motivate myself to work outside of the lectures and seminars. Having strong reading and writing skills, organisational skills, presentation techniques, and being able to work both independently and as a group on certain projects, were things I took away from the course and have been able to apply in all my job roles.
What has been your career trajectory so far?
I always knew I had a passion for reading and writing, something which was strengthened by my American Studies degree, so after graduating I worked in Marketing and Editorial roles for a bookseller and magazine publisher. From here I gained an interest in digital content production so moved into a Marketing and Content Manager position for a start-up. This led to a Content and Community Officer role at the British Library – looking after content production and community management for the website, email and social media. The British Library allowed me to pursue a number of opportunities with the Americas curatorial team – following job shadowing with the department I took on a secondment supporting the North American Curator and went onto do a year’s maternity cover in the Curator for North American Printed Collections Post-1850 role.
What has been your proudest career moment to date?
Being responsible for the North American published material at the British Library was an amazing opportunity and something I feel very lucky to have been able to do. Margaret Atwood recently shared a blog I wrote about The Testaments; I’m a huge fan of hers so this has to be up there with a career highlight for me!
Did you have a study abroad? If so, what was your experience like?
I studied at the University of Calgary in Canada for the third year of my degree. It was an amazing experience and one I often think back on and wish I could do i all over again just to do all the things I feel I missed! It was great to experience another country and their culture, to meet people from Canada and elsewhere who were also studying, to see the beautiful scenery and landscapes, and go through their university system for a year. It also helped me decide on what I wanted to write my fourth-year dissertation on.
What did you enjoy most about your degree studies?
The course gave me a lot of freedom to really explore the areas of study I was most interested in, and had so many modules to choose from – including things I would have never thought to explore had I not had them presented to me. Highlights were modules on early American Literature, Gothic and Enlightenment and another on Prohibition. I studied 2006-2010 so the options now are even more vast, with many more modules covering immigrant narratives, indigenous histories, and LGBTQ+ literature – seeing these makes me wish I could go back and study all over again!
Do you have any advice for people considering a degree in AMS?
If you’re someone that isn’t too sure about what career they would like to embark on just yet, then American Studies is a great undergraduate degree choice. It opens you up to lots of areas of study so you can really work out what you find most enjoyable and equips you with lots of the skills you need for many job roles.
If you could travel anywhere in the Americas, where would you go?
I did a fascinating module on South America while in Calgary and one day I’d love to visit one day – Peru and Chile are definitely on my list!
Are there any books/records/films/TV etc. you would recommend to prospective AMS students?
Invisible Man by Ralph Waldo Ellison; Tales of Mystery & Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe; Wilderness Tips by Margaret Atwood
Are you an American Studies alumni, and are you interested in producing an Alumni Profile for this series? Email development@baas.ac.uk for more information.
This resources presented as part of the Bridging the Resource Gap project, funded by the British Association of American Studies and the US Embassy.