Diary of an OPSer

Life has been very hectic on the OPS front recently. Not sure I even have time to write this blog! Just this week I have:

• Rediscovered a copy of the booklet written about the history of our local school in 1977
• Been sent a photograph of a former resident of my house
• Named almost everyone in a 1964/5 school photograph
• Launched an oral history project
• Added new pages to my OPS website
• Written another chapter for my book about One-Place Studies – due out in the early part of 2014. The trouble with this is that every time I write about a source or website I am distracted by checking it for my own One-Place Studies.

Our engagement with our One-Place Studies naturally tends to go in waves, depending on time and opportunity. Someone will alert us to a new source or will provide us with information that leads to a particular line of enquiry and revitalises our interest. If we want our One-Place Studies to progress, we need to seek out, collate, transcribe or synthesise information on a fairly regular basis. Many of my OPS developments, listed above, have come about because I have been proactive. It is sometimes hard to sustain a proactive approach on our own. Hopefully this society will act as a support group for OPSers. We can encourage and inspire each other to make progress.

Ask yourself, what have I done to add to my One-Place Study this month? What could I do? What suggestions could I follow up? Then share these findings with other members - our Forum is the ideal place. See and add to, the thread ‘What I have done for my OPS this month’. I challenge members to contribute to this on a monthly basis, or even more often.

When you are part of a community of likeminded people, such as our Society, you can be sure that other members will share your joy when you discover something new, or your frustration when you do not. I am lucky in that my nearest and dearest are also interested in history but many have families who do not share our passion. If this is you, treat the Society for One-Place Studies as your surrogate family, we will be interested in your findings and enjoy following your OPS journey.

Janet Few