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Finlandia Welcomes Archivist Kent Randell
HANCOCK, MI – Finlandia University is pleased to welcome archivist Kent Randell to the Finnish American Historical Archive. As an archivist, Randell specializes in local history and manuscripts, genealogy, and web presentation. His specialized knowledge of the Finnish language, Finnish history, and Upper Peninsula history translate well to his work at Finlandia’s Finnish American Historical Archive. “I was immersed in Finnish language and culture at a young age and have been interested in Finnish studies and Finnish literature and movies for my entire adult life,” Randell says. “Working as an archivist for Finlandia University combines my three major fields of interest: working at a small archive—which affords me the opportunity to work with researchers as well as process collections—coupled with Finnish studies, and genealogy.” Randell says his first priority at Finlandia’s Finnish American archive is to make available online more finding aids and other archive collection descriptions. “I want the rest of the world to know about the vast and unique collection of books – many of them rare –manuscripts, photographs, art, and material culture objects which are held at the archive,” Randell says. “My first major project is to prepare the book catalog for online delivery.” Following this, Randell plans to tackle the manuscript collection and develop online, searchable topical/genealogical indices. Finally, as a long term goal, Randell will work to make even more information available online, including additional sound files from the archive’s invaluable Oral History collection. Randell has a strong interest in genealogy and has extensively researched his own family and visited the farms in Finland where his ancestors were born. He says he looks forward to helping patrons of the archive with their genealogy research, as well as learning new tricks and techniques from them. “When I found myself helping friends with their genealogies and visiting libraries and archives in my free time, I realized that it was time to put my career in IT on hold and pursue the library sciences,” Randell said. “Although I am interested in all manners of historical research, genealogy remains a passion of mine.” Randell’s main areas of genealogical study are 19th and 20th century United States (census, naturalization, and related records), all Scandinavian countries (including, of course, Finland), Colonial New England. Mayflower lines, and royal lines. He has published articles in The American Genealogist and Mayflower Descendant. In 2009 Randell was an adjunct assistant professor at Northern Michigan University, also working with Marcus Robyns at the Central Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan University Archive on a project to convert, update, and make available online their collection’s finding aids. In 2008 he was a grant archivist and project specialist for the State of Nebraska, Office of the Capitol Commission, a position in which he described and arranged the Nebraska Capitol Collections of archival materials and art objects. Randell is originally from Marquette, Mich., and says he was very happy to return to the Upper Peninsula. He received a bachelor of arts in history from Northern Michigan University and lived in New England for six years, working in the information technology field. He returned to Michigan to complete a master’s in the science of information (MSI) from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, which is also an American Library Association-accredited master’s of library science (MLS). Randell’s parents, Clyde and Karen (Hannula) Randell, are from the Copper Country, and all four of his grandparents spoke Finnish as a first language. In his free time, Randell enjoys hiking and exploring the Upper Peninsula, especially the Copper Country and Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore. In the winter, he enjoys snowshoeing and attending college hockey games. He also plays the guitar and mandolin. Randell lives in Hancock with his wife, Christine, and son, Isaac. Contact Kent Randell and the Finlandia University Finnish American Historical Archive at 906-487-7347, kent.randell@finlandia.edu, or visit the archive, which is located in the lower level of Finlandia’s Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock.