About the Program

by Tomaro Taylor and Pam Hackbart-Dean, Program Committee Co-chairs

The SAA Program Committee is excited to have you join us online for the 2021 Annual Meeting to be held August 2–6. The objective of ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2021 is to use our time together to explore changes in the profession caused by the pandemic and social unrest. Conference presenters will go beyond case study scenarios to express and evaluate how the events of 2020–2021 are reshaping the archival profession.

The events of the past year have required us to reevaluate the work that we do as archivists, the ways in which we carry out that work, and how we promote the value of our work—both together and apart.

As we continue moving forward, it is imperative that questioning ourselves, challenging the status quo, and working toward a more inclusive and just world become part of our collective professional identity rather than the responsibility of a few. With these ideas in mind, the Program Committee met virtually in February to engage in thoughtful discussions on individual session and poster proposals. We accepted proposals that demonstrated an eye toward SAA’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and aligned with the Annual Meeting tracks designed by the Program Committee. This year’s tracks include:

• Reimagining and Redefining the Workplace
• Person-Centered Management and Leadership Practices
• Re-envisioning Archival Practices
• Building Community and Sustaining Relationships
• Conscious Editing and Reparative Work
• Emerging Trends and Outreach Initiatives

The virtual meeting will be different from past conferences. Twenty on-demand education sessions will be released for immediate viewing by registered conference attendees on July 26. Ten scheduled sessions will occur live between on Wednesday, August 4, and Friday, August 6. In addition, there will be keynote speakers, poster sessions, forums, and plenty of networking opportunities for attendees to participate in. We hope this hybrid format of scheduled and on-demand sessions will make available the greatest possible number of educational opportunities for our colleagues, accommodate a variety of work and life schedules, and reduce the ever-present risk of “Zoom fatigue.” Most of all, we hope this Annual Meeting engenders a sense of togetherness online even while we remain physically apart.

ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2021 offers attendees a range of sessions that are professionally and personally enriching, educational, and innovative. Please join us as we discuss and learn with each other how the archival profession responds to unexpected crises and challenges that lead us to build a stronger, more resilient community of practice! To register and for more details, visit https://www2.archivists.org/am2021.

As published in the May/June 2021 issue of Archival Outlook