If you need anything just let me know

[CafeConGabi]

So, I made my decision. This means that I wrote to professors/departments to tell them I won't be moving forward with them. 

Many of them ended their email with "and if there is anything you ever need just let me know". 

...

What does this entail? Like, anything? I guess just a recommendation letter for the future?

 

[Sigaba]

8 hours ago, CafeConGabi said:

So, I made my decision. This means that I wrote to professors/departments to tell them I won't be moving forward with them. 

Many of them ended their email with "and if there is anything you ever need just let me know". 

...

What does this entail? Like, anything? I guess just a recommendation letter for the future?

 

I would interpret the offer as an invitation to communicate with the person intermittently and, initially, to ask for small favors -- a recommendation for a book on a given topic, an opinion on which professional conference to attend.

I would not consider the invitation to be open ended (anything/ever), especially if the offer was made by an academic historian. 

(Three qualifiers. If professors/departments have recently experienced a lot of "ghosting," the offer may reflect a sense of pleasant surprise over your professionalism. If the person making the offer also went to H. as an undergraduate or graduate student, there may be more to the offer. Also, if you're the go getter / figure it out when you get there / tough as nails / hell on wheels that you appear, there may be more to the offer. )

If possible, see if you can develop relationships in which established academics provide you opportunities to help them. Maybe a set of eyes on a manuscript in progress or a pair of feet that can chase down a reference or a piece of research.

[CafeConGabi]

10 hours ago, Sigaba said:

I would interpret the offer as an invitation to communicate with the person intermittently and, initially, to ask for small favors -- a recommendation for a book on a given topic, an opinion on which professional conference to attend.

I would not consider the invitation to be open ended (anything/ever), especially if the offer was made by an academic historian. 

(Three qualifiers. If professors/departments have recently experienced a lot of "ghosting," the offer may reflect a sense of pleasant surprise over your professionalism. If the person making the offer also went to H. as an undergraduate or graduate student, there may be more to the offer. Also, if you're the go getter / figure it out when you get there / tough as nails / hell on wheels that you appear, there may be more to the offer. )

If possible, see if you can develop relationships in which established academics provide you opportunities to help them. Maybe a set of eyes on a manuscript in progress or a pair of feet that can chase down a reference or a piece of research.

I figured the first part (book review) but wasn't too sure what else I'd be able to ask for. Obviously(?), within the law.