Staff Spotlight: Barbara Bishop of the Poly Archives

Share a brief bio with us! My parents built a house in Arcadia in 1951, thinking they were moving to the country! I attended local schools, eventually with graduate work at CSULB in a new Museum Studies Program. I was awarded a Fellowship with the Whitney Museum of American Art in NYC, then involved with the fledgling alternative arts exhibition space, P.S.1, and had an exciting life and full career in the contemporary art world. My "encore" career came with the Smithsonian Institution Archives of American Art at the Huntington Library, where I managed the researchers and 6,000 rolls of microfilm, all primary source material on artists. I joined Poly in 2006, shortly prior to the Centennial, to assist with the buried treasures in the school's archives. It was a summer project that continued on to a very fulfilling trajectory.

What do you do at Poly? I facilitate access to the archives, maintain the collection, file additions to the records, and preserve the papers -- all parts of my job. The Poly archives have 60 drawers of manuscript material (a class file on every year, pre-1908-2023); 30 shelves of memorabilia; and 50 boxes of scrapbooks, publications, videos, and more manuscript materials. 

One of the tenants of archiving is don’t change the order. “Respect du fonds” in French means respect the order. I created and continue to build a digital database for the archives. There was none when I arrived in 2006. Another tenant of archiving is providing access. I assist students, alums, and largely the Advancement department. I do permit bonafide researchers access as well.

What do you enjoy about your work? It's a win-win situation to pull pictures from the past for alums, or for students snooping for a glimpse of a mom or dad when they attended Poly. Last year, during distance learning, Poly was asked to join the inaugural roundtable of archivists from area independent schools. Organized by Harvard-Westlake, it included Crossroads, Chadwick, Marlborough, Campbell Hall, Westridge, and others.  It was a pleasure to Zoom with others in the field for general discussions and idea-sharing. 

How can others at Poly support you? I have always said it's the current and past administrators, faculty, and students who 'built' the Poly archives, as evidenced in the collection. From time-to-time, someone will send Poly treasures. Always enriching.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? My spare time is filled with other Pasadena archives projects and volunteer commitments. My husband, Bailey Bishop ’46, and I are trying and trying to perfect our golf.  I'm a car enthusiast, from vintage classics to muscle cars, off-road racers, Bonneville salt flats racers, and my favorite, drag racers.   We miss Poly football!

What’s something you’ve watched or listened to lately that you’ve enjoyed? My music interests swing wildly from classical to Philip Glass, to Terry Allen country, to Beach Boys to Springsteen, and lately meditation sounds and flute. At home it's strictly jazz: Stan Kenton, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, T. Monk, John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Bill Evans, and sometimes David Benoit.

Who would you like to compliment for their work at Poly? With March being Women's History Month, I'd like to recognize and compliment the women of the Advancement Office. They are a special team, the kind of brainstormers, mind-miners, and creative thinkers who are able to involve everyone from current and former families to alums, faculty, and staff in overall school support. They are: Aliyah, Alice, Christabel, Gretel, Katherine, Linda, Maggie, and Suzanne. (Note: Barbara also enjoys working with Kayhan and looks forward to working with the new Chief Advancement Officer Meredith Robbins!)

The Poly Archives are open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday afternoons, 1:00-5:00. Email Barbara Bishop for an appointment.