Candidates for Leadership Positions (2018)

Vice Chair/Chair-Elect Candidate(s)

Brenda Burk, Head of Special Collections, Clemson Libraries

Bio Statement: Brenda Burk joined Clemson University Libraries in 2014 as the Head of Special Collections.  As part of the Clemson University Libraries, the Special Collections and Archives houses the University Archives, Records Management, Manuscript Collections, and Rare Books.  Previously she was the Philanthropic Studies Archivist at IUPUI University Library and Public Records Archivist at the Wisconsin Historical Society.  In her current position, she continues to build a premier research collection that supports the university and creates an environment encouraging scholarly inquiry, creative thinking, and lifelong learning.  Her research interests include information seeking behaviors of users, course-integrated instruction, public awareness and perceptions of archives, and digital preservation.

Brenda graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a BA in History and a MA in Library and Information Studies with an emphasis in archival administration. 

Interest Statement: With a move into management in my current position, I encountered many new challenges and responsibilities that I had not faced before in my career.  I found myself reaching out to the network of colleagues that I developed for advice and support.  I see this section as an important resource for sharing ideas, challenges, innovations, and solutions; especially for those archivists moving into management positions.  I am interested in working with others to strengthen a support network for those involved in archives management.  I look forward to working with my colleagues on developing resources and ideas in this area.

Recording Secretary Candidate(s)

Ann E Smith Case, University Archivist, Tulane University

Bio Statement: I am the University Archivist at Tulane University, approaching my tenth anniversary in that position, and currently celebrating my 25^th year working in the University Archives. I originally came to Tulane with a BA in Anthropology (Historic Archaeology) from the College of William and Mary to enroll in Tulane’s Ph.D. program in Anthropology.  While working towards my doctorate, I began working as a paraprofessional in the library’s Special Collections departments, gaining experience with published and manuscript collections before ultimately landing in the University Archives as assistant University Archivist. Along the way, I completed a master’s degree and earned archival certification, which I have successfully recertified twice. In 2008, I was promoted to the University Archivist position. Thus, I have experience in working on ‘both sides of the fence’ in archives management. As a member of archival societies, I have served on national, local, and regional annual meeting planning committees. I am the author of Tulane University (2016), one of Arcadia Publishing’s Campus History series. I am currently the Recording Secretary for the Archives Management Section, and a member of the Steering Committee for the Section.

Interest Statement:  Being a part of the Archives Management Section lets me confer with other archivists who have the same goals and face the same challenges that I face. By sharing our experiences, we can discern where common gaps in support (financial, administrative, cooperative, or educational) exist so that we can begin to build creative bridges over the gaps. As part of the leadership team, I hope to be able to contribute to the dialog, to find solutions to help fill those shortfalls, and perhaps to better situate ourselves to handle whatever pops up in the future. For the past six years, it has been my privilege to record and post the minutes of the Archives Management Section annual meeting, and to participate in discussions concerning the content and direction of the Archives Management Section website and meetings. I’d be pleased to continue contributing to our profession as Recording Secretary for the Archives Management Section in this capacity for another year.

Steering Committee Member Candidate(s)

Joy Novak, Head of Collection Management for Special Collections, Washington University in St. Louis

Bio Statement: Since 2015, I have been the Head of Collection Management for Special Collections at Washington University in St. Louis, where I oversee a team of 9 full-time employees. Prior to this position, I served as the Collections Manager for the Center for the Study of Political Graphics in Los Angeles for over eight years. I also have experience working with diverse repositories such as the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center, ONE Archives, and the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archive. I earned my Ph.D. in Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles and my M.A. in Public History at the University of California, Riverside.

Interest Statement: I have had the opportunity to have increasing management and supervisory responsibilities in my positions for over five years. Management has been the most rewarding and challenging aspect of my work as an archivist. I feel management skills are essential to the field as we must improve communication between ourselves and our diverse stakeholders and also mentor a new generation of archivists. I have been frustrated that there has been such limited programming focused on management skills in SAA and other archival organizations. The Archival Management Section offers the rare opportunity to focus on such management issues and learn from peers with similar concerns. I am interested in serving on the steering committee to become more involved and help develop projects that support my fellow managers.

Tamar Zeffren, Archival Collections Manager, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) in New York

Bio Statement: I serve as Archival Collections Manager at the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) in New York, the world’s leading Jewish humanitarian aid organization. I received my M.A. in archival management from NYU and my Digital Archives Specialist certification from SAA. I have extensive volunteer experience, including two years as a Board member, with the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York, Inc. (A.R.T.), one of the largest local associations for archivists and information management professionals in the United States. I volunteer as a peer reviewer with the Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies (JCAS), and was previously a Steering Committee member with the Archival History Section, where I served on the Publication Working Group. 

Interest Statement: I turn to this section many times as a comprehensive and reliable forum for many diverse management queries and endeavors. Thus, I am particularly excited and fulfilled about the possibility of, in turn, contributing to and supporting this enterprise as a Steering Committee member. In this capacity, I look forward to working with peers to develop and sustain proactive projects and relationships—especially with aligned groups, and identifying ways to engage emerging professionals—which “bring[] together archivists from dissimilar institutions who share these interests,” as per the Section’s mission. It would be a pleasure and a privilege to collaborate with colleagues in ensuring that the Archives Management Section effectively equips archival professionals to be agile, attentive, and innovative managers and ambassadors for our profession.