Aaisha Haykal, Candidate for Nominating Committee

Professional Experience: Manager of Archival Services, College of Charleston’s Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture, 2016–present. University Archivist, Chicago State University, 2012–2016.

Education: MSLIS, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, 2011. BA English and Textual Studies, Syracuse University, 2009. BA African American Studies, Syracuse University, 2009.

Professional Activities: Society of American Archivists: Archivists and Archives of Color Roundtable, 2014–2016 (Co-chair); Diversity Committee Member, 2014–2016; Harold T Pinkett Award Subcommittee; 2014–2016; ARL/SAA Mosaic Program Selection Committee, 2016–present. Midwest Archives Conference: Annual Meeting Program Committee, 2017. Chicago Area Archives: Professional Development Committee, 2012–2016 (Co-chair). Board Memberships: Black Metropolis Research Consortium, Secretary, 2015–2016; Illinois State Historical Records Board, 2015–2016; Chicago Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Secretary, 2014–present; Information Professionals of ASALH, Co-webmaster, 2015–present.

Selected Presentations: “Challenges in Accessing African American Studies Resources,” ASALH Annual Meeting, 2016. “Preserving the Beats: Collecting Hip-Hop,” ASALH Annual Meeting, 2015. “The Limits and Potential of Our Work in Times and Spaces of Scarcity: Archives and Black Feminists,” Feminist Theory and Music Conference, 2015. “Continuing the Lifecycle of Digital Scholarship: Digital Preservation and African American Studies,” American Library Association Conference, 2014.  “Adapting the ARL Leadership Symposium Experience: Enhancing Diversity Through Discussion,” Society of American Archivists Annual Meeting, 2013. “Preserving (Digital) Objects with Restricted Resources (POWRR),” American Library Association Conference, 2013. “Who to Trust? Community Archives and African American Archivists,” ASALH Annual Meeting, 2012.

Selected Awards: Institute of Museum and Library Services: Rare Book School Fellowship, 2015. Association of Research Libraries: Career Enhancement Program (CEP) Fellow, 2009–2010.

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Question posed by Nominating Committee:

An essential component of the nomination and election process is identification of new leaders within SAA who embody the diversity of the archives profession. Describe what you believe to be the core responsibility of the members of the Nominating Committee, and outline your ideas for identifying the next generation of SAA leaders to ensure that new or distinctive voices and perspectives contribute to the future of the profession.

Candidate's Response:

The role of the Nominating Committee is comparable to what we do as archivists in that the committee selects and appraises future leaders. The committee takes a documentation approach to see who is willing and able to take on leadership roles within SAA and then we create a slate of candidates that will help create the larger narrative of SAA and the profession. Thus, as a part of the slate, it is vital to have the voices of a diverse set of people and experiences. If I am elected to serve on this committee, I will use the following criteria to select and appraise who can lead within SAA.

1. History. It is important to consider the prior experience(s) of the person. I would consider their experiences within SAA and in archives and libraries as well as their volunteer and community engagement as a vital component to appraise the kind of leadership that we want to grow within SAA. Furthermore, it is important to consider a wide variety of experiences and activities to be more inclusive and to increase the number of underrepresented individuals in the profession and the association.
2. Evidence. The committee needs proof to support that the candidate is right for the selected position. This evidence can be in the form of publications, presentations, committee work, activism, outreach, and first-hand accounts. The evidence will demonstrate the candidate’s continued investment to the information profession, the ability to provide leadership and work with others, and their knowledge of the field.
3. Future. Some of the questions that the committee will have to consider are: What potential does the candidate have in the profession? Does the person have new ideas? And do these ideas challenge the profession to grow and transform? Additionally, it is important to take into consideration their long-term professional goals. A candidate for leadership must possess a vision for the future of SAA and can encourage others to believe in this vision.

I would seek recommendations from SAA leaders, schools, and regional associations to locate people who are already in leadership positions and those who show leadership potential. Additionally, because it is important to have a diverse set of candidates (i.e. ethnicity, geographic, type of institution, sexuality, and gender), I would approach allied organizations/associations, such as ALA (and affiliates AILA, APALA, BCALA, CALA, and REFORMA), AASLH, the Association of African American Museums, ARMA International, and AAM. Seeking candidates from these organizations demonstrate the importance of communicating and working across professions. Consequently, we will have a slate that demonstrates SAA to be an engaged, valuable, and visionary association.

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