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In Attendance:
Agenda
SAA Access to the Wiki Currently SAA does not have access to the Wiki. Jeannette will see if it is possible to create a generic SAA account to give SAA access. There is a report due to the Governing Council on January 6th.
Bibliography Jeannette has a student (Meghan Poepping) working on regularizing the Bibliography and to locate links when possible. Please send any items to Jeannette or Meghan if you would like have them included in the Bibliography.
Applying Cultural Sensitivity Framework
Kelvin pointed out the importance of reiterating that there is more than one definition of a record, because different cultural communities might define a record differently than the traditional archives would. He gave some background to the Framework. It was designed to be analyzed during internships. This scenario might have worked with some groups, but might not with others depending on the ability to get to certain locations, or access to particular collections. The framework addresses collaborating with communities by conducting co-appraisal with archivist and community members. It allows for a common framework, but with different elements.
In applying a cultural sensitivity framework to archival practices, Jeannette suggested that for each practice, members could give statements of how the practice might include a culturally sensitive approach and then give examples to illustrate people how the elements would be specifically applied. Kelvin stated that it is more important to focus on the concepts. The concepts are what are carried over so that practices change as the community changes.
Marisol likes the framework because it helps to remove the Western influence in the process, and allows for further sensitivity. Jeannette commented that depending on what culture you are in, everything could be considered cultural property. It’s important to make the point on the importance of cultural judgments, and to be aware of not judging what constitutes cultural property. Marisol stated the need to stress the collaboration with the groups that the records concern.
Jeannette has placed a listing of the elements on the wiki under “Applying the Framework,” and would like to see if members would focus on one area and create a statement for it. Jeannette will be adding the elements (Access and Donor Relations) that have not been placed on the wiki already which members suggested during the meeting. She has also placed a space on the wiki to allow members to write what they feel regarding the group as a whole. The statements will be concerned with the best practices for that particular element in regards to approaching a collection. The assigned elements are:
Lisa Nguyen suggested that the group look at how the ALA Cultural Expressions Task Force has arranged and organized its elements for discussion, and possibly arrange the group’s discussion based on how the Task Force has done to create some kind of consistency. Jeannette thinks it is important to keep what they are doing in mind, but for the time being suggests that the group should have their own focus.
Meeting with Other Working Groups The group further discussed possibly meeting with similar SAA working groups to see what issues they are discussing and how they might be overlapping. This way the groups could discover if there is any overlap, and move from those topics to other issues. Rene and Donna will look into this at the next council meeting. If the working groups meet at the 2011 SAA meeting there could possibly be a larger forum meeting for discussion at the 2012 SAA meeting. This will be discussed further at the next meeting.
Next Group Meeting – March 22nd, 2011 The group decided upon a deadline for members to include at least a first draft of their statements for the elements they will be addressing. The deadline will be March 22nd. This will also be the date of the next conference call. By then members should look at the statements of the elements from other members and add comments or suggestions. Jeanette has asked that anyone leaving comments to please place their initials in the comment so others know who is making them. Donna and Rene will check into seeing if the working groups can have a private forum during the 2011 SAA Meeting in Chicago.