Addressing Diversity in Archival Collections
with Outreach
Rabia GibbsDecember 2, 2009
Changing U.S. Demographics
• 25% of population non-white*
• 37% of kindergartners ethnically diverse*
LIS Diversity Demographics
• 11% credentialed librarians**
• 16% uncredentialed librarians **
• 13% academic librarians**
• 7% professional archivists*
* Victoria Irons Walch, “A*CENSUS: A Closer Look,“ American Archivist 69, no. 2 (2006): 314, 396.** Denise Davis, “Diversity Counts” (presentation, ALA Annual Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, June 24, 2007).
Impact on Archival Collections
• Redundant points of view and approach to the practice
• Lack of representation in archival and special collections
• Marginalization of underrepresented groups
• Cyclical pattern of lack of professional diversity
Historical Origins of theModern Archival Method
Theodore R. SchellenbergModern Archives: Principles and Techniques
• More aggressive appraisal style
• Selection in response to volume, not diversity
• Subjective determination of secondary value for research and publication
Sir Hilary JenkinsonManual of Archive Administration
• Reliance on the record as evidence
• Archival records inherently “impartial and authentic”*
• Archivist’s primary role to document, not interpret; maintain impartiality of the record
* Reto Tschan, “A Comparison of Jenkinson and Schellenberg on Appraisal,” American Archivist 65, no. 2 (2002): 176-195.
Power of the Archives• Reject “passive archivist” identity
• Recognize power of the archivist and extended influence
• Reassess validity and completeness of collections
• Consider long-term cultural impact
• Make collections more representative (of, not about)
Outreach in Archives
• Provides contextual insight into relevant values and issues
• Precludes iconic representation
• Moves toward stewardship vs. ownership
• Facilitates exposure to a new demographic
Research Project Outline
Goal: To identify target collections and outreach populations for collaborative archival processing or cultural documentation project
Project Elements:• Research• Program Development• Assessment• Publishing
Research
• Identify target populations through user survey
• Research relevant community organizations
• Narrow area of interest Regional Latino culture Regional African American
culture
Project Development
• Select design and format • Determine appropriate size,
scope, and timetable • Create steward committee• Decide on archival approach
Documentation strategy Participatory arrangement
and appraisal
Archival Methods
Participatory Arrangement and Appraisal
Community collaboration approach
• Collaboration
• Contextualization
• Inclusion (processing of records)
Documentation StrategyAggressive, total archives approach
• Collaboration
• Analysis
• Project planning (creation of records)
Program evaluation• Objectives and benchmarks• Areas of improvement
and success
Long-term sustainability• Grants• University support
Assessment
Publishing
• Reflection
• Documentation
• Contribution
Looking to the Future
• Outreach and participatory strategies
• LIS graduate programs
• Diversity initiatives and residencies
ResourcesAdkins, Denice, and Isabel Espinal. “The Diversity Mandate.” Library Journal, April 15, 2004. Adkins, Elizabeth. “Our Journey Toward Diversity – and a Call to (More) Action.” American Archivist 71, no. 1 (2008): 21-49. African and African American Studies. “Lost and Found Stories Project: Blacks in Virginia Archival Project.” George Mason University. http://aaas.gmu.edu/lostandfound. Agnew, Shantel, LaVerne Gray, and Mark A. Puente. “The Expanding Library Wall: Outreach to the University of Tennessee’s Multicultural/International Student Population.” Reference Services Review 37, no. 1 (2009): 30-43. Bright, Kawanna, Jayati Chaudhuri, and Maud Mundava. “Diversity Librarians’ Network.” University of Tennessee at Knoxville. http://www.lib.utk.edu/residents/dln/. Ceja, Janet. “Documenting Diversity: Archival Documentation Strategy and Memory Projects, Two Means to the Same End?” In Society of American Archivists Diversity Reader, ed. Mary Caldera and Kathryn Neal. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, forthcoming. Davis, Denise. “Diversity Counts.” Report presented at the ALA Annual Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, June 24, 2007. Defend the Honor. “Why Are We Doing This?: The Story Must Be Told and the History Preserved.” Defend the Honor. http://www.defendthehonor.org/. Featherstone, Mike. “Archiving Cultures.” British Journal of Sociology 51, no. 1 (2000): 161-184. Frank, Anne, and Dorothy B. Fujita-Rony. “Archiving Histories: The Southeast Asian Archive at University of California, Irvine.” Amerasia Journal 29, no. 1 (2003): 153-164. Gilliland-Swetland, Anne, Eric Ketelaar, and Sue McKemmish. “‘Communities of Memory’: Pluralising Archival Research and Education Agendas.” Archives and Manuscripts 33 (2005): 146-174. Hambrick, Greg. “Smithsonian Dusting Off Cultural Souvenirs: Black Archivists Help Locals Hold on to History.” Charleston City Paper, May 27, 2009, News, Opinions, Features. Humanities Tennessee. “Latino Community Initiative.” Humanities Tennessee. http://www.humanitiestennessee.org/community/latino.php. Jimerson, Randall C. “Archives for All: Professional Responsibility and Social Justice.” American Archivist 70, no. 2 (2007): 252-281. Jimerson, Randall C. “Embracing the Power of Archives.” American Archivist 69, no. 1 (2006): 19-32. Johnston, Ian. “Whose History Is It Anyway?” Journal of the Society of Archivists 22, no. 2 (2001) 213-229. Kaplan, Elizabeth. “We Are What We Collect, We Collect What We Are: Archives and the Construction of Identity.” American Archivist 63, no. 1 (2000): 126-151. Keogh, Brian. “Documenting Diversity: Developing Special Collections of Underdocumented Groups.” Library Collections, Acquisitions, & Technical Services 26, no. 3 (2002): 241-251. Krizack, Joan D. “Preserving the History of Diversity: One University’s Efforts to Make Boston’s History More Inclusive.” RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage 8, no. 2 (2007): 125-132. Oak Ridge National Laboratory. “Black History Month 2006: Robert J. Booker.” Oak Ridge National Laboratory. http://www.ornl.gov/adm/hr_ornl/bhm2006/Booker.htm.
O’Toole, James. “Archives and Historical Accountability: Toward a Moral Theology of Archives.” Archivaria 58 (2004): 3-19.
Shilton, Katie, and Ramesh Srinivasan. “Participatory Appraisal and Arrangement for Multicultural Archival Collections.” Archivaria 63 (2007): 87-102. Tschan, Reto. “A Comparison of Jenkinson and Schellenberg on Appraisal.” American Archivist 65, no. 2 (2002): 176-195. UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center. “CSRC Archival Projects.” UCLA. http://www.chicano.ucla.edu/library/arch/archiveprojects.html. U.S. Census Bureau. “State and County QuickFacts: Tennessee.” U.S. Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/47000.html. Walch, Victoria I. “A*CENSUS: A Closer Look.” American Archivist 69, no 2 (2006): 331. Waters, T. Wayne. “Digital Stories Share Knoxville History: Collaborative Work Offers Tour of Culture, Heritage.” Knoxnews.com, August 20, 2008. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/aug/20/digital-stories-share-knoxville-history/?print=1.
Archives for the People,by the People