What started out as a volunteer position has grown into a passion for Barbara Kellner, manager of the Columbia Archives.
Kellner began her work at the archives soon after moving to Columbia in 1983, when her husband?s job was transferred to the area.
At the archives, which is part of the Columbia Association, Kellner helps manage and preserve a collection of articles, books, photos and other materials documenting the history of Columbia.
As the planned community celebrates its 40th birthday, Kellner and the archives staff have been especially busy. Here she takes a few minutes to reflect on her role in the community and what Columbia means to her.
Q:What was your impression of Columbia when you moved?
A The first thing we did was go to the Exhibit Center. We saw the wonderful slide show about what Columbia was all about this sense of community and all the amenities. Then we drove around and it looked beautiful.
The middle of the first day of house hunting, our Realtor took us to Clyde?s for lunch. We sat on the deck of Clyde?s, and we looked over the lake, and I thought ?This is more like a resort than a place you would live.?
We were hooked.
Q What is your impression of Columbia today, 40 years after its inception?
A You will never get an objective answer from me. I love Columbia. I love what it looks like. I love the people who live here. I have had an incredible opportunity to grow as an individual here.
Q What brought you to your job at the Columbia Archives?
A I am not particularly a history maven, but something about Columbia fascinated me from the beginning.
The more I read, the more I was hooked and it just went from volunteering to being hired as a part-time administrative assistant to moving up to executive director [and later manager].
Q Why is archiving Columbia?s history important?
A Columbia is an excellent example of the best way a community can be grand. It is fairly unique. There are other new towns and there are other planned communities, but Columbia combines not only a physical plan, but also that very important social planning element that you don?t see.
Columbia was used as a model and people studied it. Forty years later, it is still being studied.
We are incredibly fortunate that people in 1982 felt it was necessary to collect this history.
Q What has been the most exciting part of working at the archives?
A Learning about [Columbia founder] Jim Rouse and who he was and how he lead people ? that?s been fascinating.
It?s thrilling to me to be able to spread this word. It?s become a passion for me. It?s so much more than a job. I have had the chance to talk to so many people who moved here and new people and also the second generation to hear what Columbia means to them.
Q You have been collecting stories of Columbia residents for the This is Your Life program, which will be archived. What has that been like for you?
A I interviewed two people who both moved here, because they wanted to live in a place that had a diverse population. It was a specific reason. I think that says a lot about the kinds of people who moved here. It says a lot about the people who live here and why Columbia is what it is.
As we capture the stories, we are really capturing the history of Columbia.
Q What have the preparations for the 40th birthday been like for you?
A We have never been as busy as we have been in the last couple of months. Everyone is interested in the history of Columbia. It?s been a wonderful opportunity for the archives to be in a spotlight. We are delighted with it.
It?s what we work for. This is why we have the archives.
