--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most archivists don't like surprises…" description: "\"Most archivists don't like surprises. That's why we work in the past.\" — Brad Meltzer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/brad-meltzer-7672_archivists_most-archivists-don-t-like-surprises-tha_1341185.jpg" --- # Most archivists don't like surprises. That's why we work… ![“Most archivists don't like surprises. That's why we work in the past.” quote by Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/brad-meltzer-7672_archivists_most-archivists-don-t-like-surprises-tha_1341185.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/brad-meltzer-7672_archivists_most-archivists-don-t-like-surprises-tha_1341185.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/brad-meltzer-7672_archivists_most-archivists-don-t-like-surprises-tha_1341185.jpg) > “Most archivists don't like surprises. That's why we work in the past.” [Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Archivists avoid surprises by focusing on past records, ensuring stability and predictability. **In simple terms:** Archivists prefer the past to avoid unexpected events. Key Takeaway Value historical stability over novelty. Themes archiving predictability history control Mood analytical pragmatic Type professional practical When to use this quote - museum work - legal documentation - family history research - data preservation Key Concepts information science risk management Questions to Reflect On - What risks arise from avoiding surprises? - Is stability always preferable? A Different Perspective Relying solely on the past can hinder adaptability to new information. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Archivists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archivists/) [Archivists Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archivists-don-4531835/) [Like Surprises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-surprises-1236338/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Surprises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprises/) [Surprises Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprises-work-4531836/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“People don’t like surprises,” Caine shot back. “People love surprises Caine; it's change, they hate. Everything that is living is always changing. If it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-blizzard/people-don-t-like-surprises-caine-shot-back-people-love-surprises/) [R.J. Blizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-blizzard/) > [“Don’t you worry, darlin’,” he says, his intensely blue eyes full of mischief. “I like surprises”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-daily/don-t-you-worry-darlin-he-says-his-intensely-blue-eyes-full-of/) [Lisa Daily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-daily/) > [“It will be a little messy, but embrace the mess. It will be complicated, but rejoice in the complications. It will not be anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/it-will-be-a-little-messy-but-embrace-the-mess-it-will-be-complicated/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [I like surprises. I like mystery. I’m not the kind of person who goes to the writer’s room and goes, I need to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-holloway/i-like-surprises-i-like-mystery-i-m-not-the-kind-of-person-who-goes/) [Josh Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-holloway/) > [Some people like surprises, and, some people like to give surprises ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-like-surprises-and-some-people-like-to-give-surprises/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I have a surprise for you.” I made a face. “I don’t really like surprises. They tend to try to eat me or do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lynch/i-have-a-surprise-for-you-i-made-a-face-i-don-t-really-like-surprises/) [Karen Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lynch/) > [I like surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-like-surprises/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I don't really like surprises. Not big ones anyway. Just having a pack of Revels holds enough of a surprise for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/i-don-t-really-like-surprises-not-big-ones-anyway-just-having-a-pack/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [When you become a parent, you have all these ideas about how you're going to treat your kids as they get older. 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I never do what I'm meant for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-meltzer/don-t-you-know-me-by-now-angel-i-never-do-what-i-m-meant-for/) [Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) > [The past may not hurt you, but it won't challenge you, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-meltzer/the-past-may-not-hurt-you-but-it-won-t-challenge-you-either/) [Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) > [There's nothing wrong with wanting someone to save us - or admitting we can't do it all ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-meltzer/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-wanting-someone-to-save-us-or-admitting-we/) [Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) > [There's nothing in the world like buried treasure-and people hungry and obsessed enough to risk their lives for it. 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It always made you sloppy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-meltzer/that-was-the-problem-with-being-desperate-it-always-made-you-sloppy/) [Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) > [We make a great bad guy, and they all say they hate us. But at the end of every day, people want to trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-meltzer/we-make-a-great-bad-guy-and-they-all-say-they-hate-us-but-at-the-end/) [Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) > [Overwatch doesn't just bring together the legal and espionage genres. It merges family problems with professional ones, swirls in a major helping of murder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-meltzer/overwatch-doesn-t-just-bring-together-the-legal-and-espionage-genres/) [Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) > [In this life, y'ever notice that you face the same challenges again and again? We all do. They're challenges to your soul. We repeat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-meltzer/in-this-life-y-ever-notice-that-you-face-the-same-challenges-again/) [Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) > [In this world, there was nothing scarier than trusting someone. But there was also nothing more rewarding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-meltzer/in-this-world-there-was-nothing-scarier-than-trusting-someone-but/) [Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) > [“It's so damn easy to judge. But as Paolo knows from his niece, no matter how much you want someone back in your life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-meltzer/it-s-so-damn-easy-to-judge-but-as-paolo-knows-from-his-niece-no/) [Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) > [And y'know what they decided the number one threat was? The destructive and disruptive capability of a small group. That's what they're worried about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-meltzer/and-y-know-what-they-decided-the-number-one-threat-was-the/) [Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) [Explore all 87 Brad Meltzer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) ## More Archivists quotes > [Linda Tripp has shown that a true friend is an archivist, a biographer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/linda-tripp-has-shown-that-a-true-friend-is-an-archivist-a-biographer/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [I have 17 full-time archivists working for me who put away in books all the diversity of artwork I do, from drawing to etching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-max/i-have-17-full-time-archivists-working-for-me-who-put-away-in-books/) [Peter Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-max/) > [A film like 'The Archivists' highlights that in the darkest times, cultural output can really give you something that you need. When the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-reid/a-film-like-the-archivists-highlights-that-in-the-darkest-times/) [Noah Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-reid/) > [“My work is whatever I want it to be, and I report to no one regularly. The head librarian -- the man in charge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-cooley/my-work-is-whatever-i-want-it-to-be-and-i-report-to-no-one-regularly/) [Martha Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-cooley/) > [The Archivist of the United States essentially works for the American people across partisan lines and not, regardless of which Administration nominates the person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-weinstein/the-archivist-of-the-united-states-essentially-works-for-the-american/) [Allen Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-weinstein/) > [“Archivists were passionate people, some of whom dedicated their whole lives to the pursuit of unbiased truth. Given the wealth of information that needed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-chambers/archivists-were-passionate-people-some-of-whom-dedicated-their-whole/) [Becky Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-chambers/) > [To enslave an individual troubles your consciences, Archivist, but to enslave a clone is no more troubling than owning the latest six-wheeler ford, ethically.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/to-enslave-an-individual-troubles-your-consciences-archivist-but-to/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Ro trails his hands against the wall as he walks. The archivists look at him as he passes. Ro is good at irritating people;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-stohl/ro-trails-his-hands-against-the-wall-as-he-walks-the-archivists-look/) [Margaret Stohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-stohl/) > [“He told me that archivists and librarians were opposite personas. True librarians are unsentimental. They're pragmatic, concerned with the newest, cleanest, most popular books.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi-steinberg/he-told-me-that-archivists-and-librarians-were-opposite-personas-true/) [Avi Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi-steinberg/) > [Thus, the Archivist must display at all times scrupulous independence and a devotion to the laws and principles which govern the responsibilities of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-weinstein/thus-the-archivist-must-display-at-all-times-scrupulous-independence/) [Allen Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-weinstein/) > [“A good deal of time spent researching this book might well have been wasted and valuable opportunities missed if it had not been for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/a-good-deal-of-time-spent-researching-this-book-might-well-have-been/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [Do not become archivists of facts. Try to penetrate to the secret of their occurrence, persistently search for the laws which govern them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-pavlov/do-not-become-archivists-of-facts-try-to-penetrate-to-the-secret-of/) [Ivan Pavlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-pavlov/) > [Archiving is extremely expensive and time consuming. I'm sure an archivist would tell me I'm doing it wrong. It's an industry that's built upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/archiving-is-extremely-expensive-and-time-consuming-i-m-sure-an/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [For the Archivist, this role is a result of his obligation to preserve and assure timely and maximum access to our governmental records in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-weinstein/for-the-archivist-this-role-is-a-result-of-his-obligation-to-preserve/) [Allen Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-weinstein/) > [“What can I say, I'm a sucker for abandoned stuff, misplaced stuff, forgotten stuff, any old stuff which despite the light of progress and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/what-can-i-say-i-m-a-sucker-for-abandoned-stuff-misplaced-stuff-2/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) [Browse all 18 Archivists quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archivists/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most archivists don't like surprises. 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