Bergis Jules, Candidate for Council

Professional Experience: University and Political Papers Archivist, Special Collections and University Archives, University of California at Riverside, 2014–present. University Archivist, Special Collections Research Center, George Washington University, 2012–2014. Project Director and Supervisory Archivist, Black Metropolis Research Consortium, University of Chicago, 2009–2012.

Education: MLS with Specialization in Archives and Records Management, Department of Information and Library Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, 2009. Master of Arts, Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, Indiana University, Bloomington, 2009. Bachelor of Arts, Department of African American and African Studies, Earlham College, 2003.

Professional Activities: Society of American Archivists: Committee on Public Awareness, Member, 2014–2015; Steering Committee of SAA Oral History Roundtable, Member, 2013–2015; Membership Committee, Member, 2011–2014; SAA Diversity Committee, Chair, 2011–2014, Member, 2011–2014; Diversity Award Subcommittee, Member, 2011–2012; Mosaic Scholarship Program Planning Subcommittee, Member 2010–2012. American Library Association: Scholarship and Grants Committee, Member, 2009–2011; Zora Neale Hurston Award Committee, Chair, 2009–2010. Friends of the D.C. Archives: Founding Member, 2014. D.C. Africana Archives Project: Advisory Board Member, 2014–present.

Awards: SAA Distinguished Service Award to the Black Metropolis Research Consortium, 2013.

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Question posed by Nominating Committee: How would you utilize your skills and experience to help make SAA thrive in an environment that expects more communication, collaboration, and demonstrated action?

I strongly believe that the membership of SAA is the most valuable asset to the organization and it is important to continue to tap into their passion and expertise to uphold our mission and promote our core values. Members expect value in return for their commitment to the organization and we can better demonstrate SAA’s value by adopting more innovative and relevant communication strategies, by engaging in bold and forward thinking collaborative projects or programs, and by fully committing to take action and to lead on issues of significance to our members and the profession. As an active member of SAA I have consistently pushed the organization to do better in these areas.

I have spent most of my time, skills, and expertise supporting the organization in our efforts to address diversity issues in the profession. So I was pleased to see the renewed commitment by SAA Council during their November 2014 meeting to focus more attention on the diversity and cultural competency goals in the new Strategic Plan. While these discussions mostly take place during Council meetings, Council should also provide opportunities for the membership to engage them on a more personal level in conversations on this and other key topics. These could take the form of open forums at the annual meetings or in online spaces including web forums and social media. As the group charged with governing the organization, it’s vitally important for membership get the opportunity to directly engage with the processes, thinking and discussions behind key Council decisions. More open dialogue allows members the opportunity to claim some ownership on solving problems and addressing important issues. As Chair of the SAA Diversity Committee I pushed to make sure a public discussion on diversity would be held during each annual conference. The Diversity Forum has become an effective way to demonstrate the values of the organization on this subject but most importantly it shows leadership on an issue of great importance to the membership. This type of open communication and direct action is key to strengthening the relationship between membership and the organization.

While most of the organization’s work is accomplished through committees, sections, and roundtables, it is also important to develop collaborative projects, share resources, and seek common solutions issues with other organizations that have similar goals as us. When I served as a member of the subcommittee charged with developing a new model for the Mosaic Scholarship Program, I was proud to help SAA develop a partnership with the Association of Research Libraries’ Office of Diversity and Leadership Programs. A collaborative effort between the two organizations led to a $488,000 grant from IMLS to support the newly redesigned Mosaic Scholarships. Effectively addressing key issues such as diversity, archival education, public policy, and leadership development requires broad collaborative efforts leading to measurable results. I will continue to use my skills and expertise to help SAA thrive and I am committed to supporting our membership as we continue to build a stronger, more effective, and consistently relevant professional organization.

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