Harolyn:

Where are you located?  I wanted to second the advice given to you by Jo Young--volunteer, volunteer, volunteer!  First find a copy of the AAM directory and look up the listings for your area.  If you want to work as a registrar eventually, then write letters to or call the registrars of these institutions.  My experience has been that there's usually some aspect of any collection in desperate need of cataloguing, or data entry to be done as systems are updated and computerized.  This hands-on experience is some of the best you can get, and the fact that you have taken the initiative to do some reading in the field will no doubt impress potential supervisors.

Also, some collections may be so small that there's no full-time registrar, and an over-extended collections manager will be grateful for some extra help.  Another good step to take is to join local or regional registrar's associations, such as SERA (for the southeast US).  These meetings are good places to network and keep up to date with developments in the profession.

As I've just finished my last year of grad school, I empathize with financial hardships, but getting some experience under your belt is the first step to getting paid for your work.

All best, and good luck,

Christian Carr
Ph.D. candidate, Bard Graduate Center for Decorative Arts, Design and Culture

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