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