Why This Title?

I can’t claim to have thought “long and hard” about the title for this blog, but I did give it some thought. I wanted something that would represent the occasionally studious nature and eclectic range of topics (not to mention the appreciation for history), while also indicating some degree of whimsy – which, as previously noted, I hope will be evident here as well. (The “Mad” is used in the sense of crazy or zany, not angry.)

The “Archivist” part was easy. Those who know me know that I’ve long been a collector, cataloger and something of a completist when it comes to … well, many things. I'm not sure precisely what drives this tendency, but it must be a fundamental personality trait because I’ve been that way for as long as I can remember. Some might call it obsessive-compulsive behavior (without the hand-washing and door-locking).

The rest of the title came from my fond memories of a book from many years ago when I was an elementary student. When I wasn’t reading sports books, I devoured The Mad Scientists’ Club, by Bertrand R. Brinley, as well as The Three Investigators series (kind of a Hardy Boys for my generation). I wasn’t particularly a science buff, by any means, but looking back on those stories I think their appeal was the combination of adventure and the protagonists’ use of their wits, ingenuity and intellect to solve the problems at hand.

The combination of this nostalgic “inspiration” and this personal characteristic seemed to strike the right balance and make an apt title for this blog. (God knows, it wasn’t created with SEO in mind!) So there you have it: “The Mad Archivists’ Club.” As for the plural possessive in the title (i.e., more than one mad archivist), I hope others (i.e., you!) will join me in the adventures.