The Society of American Archivists (SAA) honors the accomplishments and innovations of more than two dozen outstanding individuals and organizations at the Joint Annual Meeting of the Council of State Archivists and SAA in Austin, Texas, July 31–August 6, 2019. Award categories include outstanding contributions to the archives profession, superior advocacy and public awareness initiatives, writing and publishing excellence, and scholarships and travel awards.
Congratulations to the following 2019 recipients and cheer them on when they are recognized at ceremonies during the plenary sessions on August 3 and 4 during ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2019.
Brooklyn Connections, a school outreach program of the Brooklyn Public Library, is the 2019 recipient of the Archival Innovator Award from the Society of American Archivists (SAA).The Archival Innovator Award recognizes archivists, repositories, or organizations that show creativity in approaching professional challenges, the ability to think outside the professional norm or have an extraordinary impact on a community through archives programs and outreach.
Brooklyn Connections exhibits creativity, innovation, and a commitment to the community by incorporating archival education into 4 through 12 grade curriculum in Brooklyn schools. The program has been in service for twelve years and influenced thousands of young people by connecting them to their local history through the use of primary sources and archival research. While the archives profession often overlooks the opportunity for secondary school children to conduct archival research, Brooklyn Connections scales resources to support students and teachers and enhance their educational opportunities in these spaces. Furthermore, Brooklyn Connections seeks to connect K-12 students and their teachers to the rich and fascinating history of their community. Brooklyn Connections serves as a commendable resource for other organizations pursuing similar programming.
“In so many instances, students are taught history as a long-gone experience that they can’t connect to. This program bridges those pedagogical gaps by using local primary resources to teach the importance of knowing self through a historical acumen,” wrote a Brooklyn Connections teacher. “It’s the best kept secret in education.”
Tracy Drake, archival specialist at the Chicago Public Library’s Vivian G. Harsh Research Center, is a 2019 recipient of the Brenda S. Banks Travel Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes and acknowledges individuals of color, such as those of African, Asian, Latinx, Native American, Alaska Native, or Pacific Islander descent, and who have demonstrated professional archival experience.
In her position, Drake has worked to provide equitable access to the stories of marginalized communities, specifically those of Black Chicago, through the development of inclusive collection policies and public programming. At the 2019 Joint Annual Meeting, she will be a session panelist for “No Ordinary Pain: Invisible Labor and Trauma, Radical Empathy, and Self-Care in Archival Work,” which will examine the emotional labor that archivists contend with in their work.
In her statement, Drake wrote: “The commitment to highlighting diverse voices and promoting equity at my institution and in the larger archival profession begins with building inclusive collection development policies and public programming which amplifies those voices. As well as producing scholarship, presentations focused on anti-racism for information professionals, and recruiting and retaining diverse candidates in the field.”
The Lou Reed papers processed by the Archives Unit on behalf of the Music Division in the Library for the Performing Arts of the New York Public Library is the 2019 recipient of the C.F.W. Coker Award from the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes finding aids, finding aid systems, innovative development in archival description, or descriptive tools that enable archivists to produce more effective finding aids. To merit consideration for the award, nominees must set national standards, represent a model for archives description, or otherwise have a substantial impact on national descriptive practice.
The Lou Reed papers serves as a model for finding aids by rigorously applying archival principles and standards in this large, multiformatted collection that included audiovisual and born-digital materials. This recent acquisition dates from 1958 to 2015 and chronicles Reed's career through audio and video recordings, office files, photographs, artwork, and press clippings. The collection details Reed’s musical output, as well as the administrative and business dealings involved in producing records and touring worldwide. The New York Public Library was innovative in its approach to efficiently and expediently describe the contents given the size of the collection, which totaled more than 90 linear feet and 2.5 terabytes. In particular, New York Public Library’s use of data migration to combine minimal processing with item-level description maximizes the use of this collection without expending an exorbitant amount of labor on the project. In addition, the finding aid’s embedded digital content contributes to setting standards of preserving a collection’s context in the digital realm.
July 29, 2019—The SAA Council periodically presents special awards to recognize special contributions to the Society and the archives profession. Read on to learn more about each of this year's recipients and follow the hyperlinks to read the full text of each award.
The SAA Council is pleased to honor Dr. Michael J. Kurtz with a 2019 Council Exemplary Service Award for his outstanding, life-long contributions to the profession.
The Council Exemplary Service Award will be presented during Plenary 2 on Sunday, August 4, at 9:00 am, during ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2019, the Joint Annual Meeting of CoSA and SAA, in Austin, Texas.
The SAA Council is pleased to honor the following individuals and groups with a 2019 Council Resolution:
Council resolutions will be presented during the 2019 SAA Membership Business Meeting on Monday, August 5, at 3:00 pm, during ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2019, the Joint Annual Meeting of CoSA and SAA, in Austin, Texas.
The New England Archivists (NEA) Mentoring Program is a 2019 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes an archives institution, education program, nonprofit organization, or government organization that has given outstanding service to its public and has made an exemplary contribution to the archives profession.
Launched in 2013, NEA’s Mentoring Program rethinks traditional one-to-one mentoring models through the creation of Mentoring Circles. The Circles, consisting of four to six mentees and two co-mentors, foster relationships between mentors and mentees and expand mentoring into ongoing peer relationships. The Program has served more than 100 mentees in six years and has increased to include a virtual program connecting those who may otherwise be geographically isolated. The NEA Mentoring Program has been used as a model for other regional archival organizations, such as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC). The Chair of the Membership Committee of MARAC states, “[The NEA Mentoring Program] is truly innovative and incredibly beneficial to participants. As such, where we were initially going to borrow several aspects of many programs for our mentoring enterprise, we are now going [with] the entire NEA model.”
The Mentoring Program not only fulfills an important need by helping its members grow and connect in innovative ways, it also actively and openly shares this model allowing the possibility for expansion beyond its community. During its six-year history, the NEA Mentoring Program has grown steadily and developed into an engaged, enthusiastic community of archivists and record keepers who generously share their insights, advice, and expertise with one other.
The Puerto Rico Citizenship Archives Project (PRCAP) is a 2019 recipient of the Diversity Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes outstanding contributions in advancing diversity within the archives profession, SAA, or the archival record.
A collaboration between University of Connecticut (UCONN) teaching faculty and UCONN Library, PRCAP is a digital repository that highlights the historical process of the granting of US citizenship to Puerto Ricans. The PRCAP offers an innovative window to discover and understand the complicated political history between the United States and Puerto Rico and aims to shed light on the lesser known historical record of citizens from US territories. The digital repository serves as a powerful tool to promote much-needed scholarship on the subject of US citizenship and its territories as well as to facilitate research on this important topic for the people of Puerto Rico and the public. The project allows the public an opportunity to see the original documents that were previously difficult to access in one space and creates a historical context for the current experience of Puerto Ricans as second-class citizens.
One of PRCAP’s supporters notes that PRCAP has “unquestionable value as an educational tool for schools and universities, providing free access to the digitized version of all more than one hundred years worth of records that document the critical and sensitive discussions of the benefits, requirements and limitations attached to a ‘granted’ citizenship in all its iterations.”
Alexis Recto is the 2019 recipient of the Donald Peterson Student Travel Award given by the Society of American Archivists. Established in 2005, the Donald Peterson Student Travel Award supports students and recent graduates from graduate archival programs within North America to attend SAA’s Annual Meeting. The goal of the scholarship is to stimulate greater participation in the activities of SAA, such as presenting research or actively participating in an SAA-sponsored committee or section.
Recto is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the master of library and information science program and co-president of the UCLA SAA student chapter. During the Joint Annual Meeting, she will present “PROGRAMMING: Not Just for Professional Network but for Archival Community” during the Graduate Student Poster Presentations. The presentation is based on the activities of the UCLA student chapter from the past academic year and its focus on helping MLIS students better understand and effectively navigate the diversity and nuances of the archival field through thoughtful programming.
A supporter of Recto states, “Recto is a fantastic student, a highly motivated researcher, and an independent thinker who I am confident will change the field for the better.”
Erin E. Voisin of Louisiana State University is the 2019 recipient of the F. Gerald Ham and Elsie Ham Scholarship given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The $10,000 scholarship supports the graduate archival education of a student who is studying at a United States university program. Scholarship selection criteria include the applicant’s past performance in his or her graduate program in archival studies as well as faculty members’ assessment of the student’s prospects for contributing to the archives profession.
Ms. Voisin’s thoughtful essay, “Breaking Down Barriers: Inclusivity, Outreach, and the Interdisciplinary Imperative,” contends that archival thinking requires a multifaceted, interdisciplinary approach to understand the past and negotiate the challenges of today and the future. She reflects on the evolution of her understanding of archives and the way in which her archival work is informed by her education in classical antiquity and professional experience in historical archaeology. In addition to her exceptional academic record in conjunction with working full time, Voisin actively contributes to the campus ALA and SAA student chapters, and has presented at state and national archival meetings.
Her faculty nominator noted that he is “impressed with her intellectual curiosity, dedication to the profession, and her willingness to go above and beyond requirements.”
Cheryl Stadel-Bevans, records management officer for the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), will be inducted as a Fellow of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) during the Joint Annual Meeting of the Council of State Archivists and SAA in Austin, TX, July 31–August 6. The distinction of Fellow is the highest honor bestowed on individuals by SAA and is awarded for outstanding contributions to the archives profession.
Stadel-Bevans has been an archivist and records manager for more than twenty years, focused on managing electronic records throughout the archival lifecycle. For much of her career, she has held positions of increasing responsibility, and deftly navigates her institution through competing pressures and complex frameworks of laws and regulations. The trajectory of her career reflects her willingness to undertake roles that develop and implement policy, create procedural guidelines, and teach colleagues how to follow such guidelines. She has explored, consistently and proactively, the recordkeeping ramifications of important developments such as the Controlled Unclassified Information program and has encouraged other archivists and records managers to do the same. Additionally, she coauthored an entry, "American Archives and Archival Science," in the Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, a comprehensive reference work that is frequently consulted by graduate students and working professionals.
A longtime SAA member, Stadel-Bevans has continually served in various capacities, including as SAA Treasurer. She has been a leading force in developing Annual Meeting sessions that address work-life balance issues in the archival profession—a rarely championed topic in the professional literature. Her efforts to highlight this issue and develop strategies for addressing it has helped dozens of archivists feel less isolated and overwhelmed, as well as encouraged professionals to begin thinking and talking about ways the profession, and its professional associations, can be more responsive to the needs of its practitioners. Her mentorship of a number of early-career archivists has inspired them to pursue various SAA leadership positions and to emphasize to others the importance of becoming actively involved in the organization. In addition, Stadel-Bevans has served on numerous Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC) committees, including as co-chair for three program committees, and was a member of the 2010 Archives Leadership Institute.
As one supporter noted, “Her guidance has led to dozens of archivists and records managers becoming more knowledgeable, effective, and committed professionals.”
Jeanette A. Bastian, recently retired (June 2019) director of the Archives Management concentration in the School of Library and Information Science at Simmons University, will be inducted as a Fellow of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) during a ceremony at the Joint Annual Meeting of the Council of State Archivists and SAA in Austin, TX, July 31–August 6. The distinction of Fellow is the highest honor bestowed on individuals by SAA and is awarded for outstanding contributions to the archives profession.
Bastian is a prolific author, educator, and scholar. Author or editor of over six books, eight book chapters and numerous peer-reviewed articles on archival topics, she has been invited to speak around the world. She holds an MLS from Shippensburg University, an M.Phil in Caribbean Literature from the University of the West Indies and a Ph.D., from the University of Pittsburgh. Following a career as a practicing librarian and archivist in the United States Virgin Islands, she received her Ph.D. in 1999 and became an archival educator at Simmons College (now Simmons University) bringing a deep knowledge of archival practice and a drive to teach and write. In addition to teaching and mentoring her students, Bastian, over her 20-year career at Simmons created a nationally ranked archives program that responded to the profession’s evolution while implementing educational innovations to better prepare future archivists. Her writings focus on significant archival issues, such as displaced records, decolonial archival practices, and memory and archives, and are regularly cited in archival literature.
Bastian has served the profession in a variety of roles. Beginning in 1972, she worked as a librarian in the U.S. Virgin Islands and was the Director of the Territorial Libraries and Archives from 1987 to 1998. She has served as the chair of the New England Archivists Local Arrangements Committee and as an Archives Commission Member for the City of Boston Archives from 2008-2014. Her closeness to professional practice and governmental archives inspired the Massachusetts Municipal Clerks Archival Education Program, funded by a National Historic Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) grant, where she served as Principal Investigator. Additionally, she is one of the founding members of the Archival Education and Research Initiative, which for more than a decade has brought together an international group of archival educators and doctoral students. An active member of SAA, she was on the 2004 Annual Meeting Program committee, the A*CENSUS Working Group, and the Cultural Heritage Working Group where she served as chair from 2011-2013.
Her scholarship and her service has been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2008 Fred Alexander Fellowship from the University of Western Australia, the 2007 Margaret Cross Norton Award from the Midwest Archives Conference, the 2007 Ernst Posner Award from SAA, and the 2017 Distinguished Service Award from the New England Archivists.
As one supporter noted, “There is virtually no area of scholarship that she has not related to the value and importance of archival matters as a contributing factor. Her work has spanned many continents, cultural contexts, and political regimes, giving her an international and multidisciplinary impact on archival research that is both rare and refreshing.”
Louis Jones, field archivist for The Walter P. Reuther Library at Wayne State University, will be inducted as a Fellow of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) during a ceremony at the Joint Annual Meeting of the Council of State Archivists and SAA in Austin, TX, July 31–August 6. The distinction of Fellow is the highest honor bestowed on individuals by SAA and is awarded for outstanding contributions to the archives profession.
During his 26-year tenure at the Reuther Library, Jones has processed numerous collections, consulted with historical agencies, and secured collections associated with the Reuther Library’s collection scope. Oral history projects and exhibits he has played a part in curating have spanned the subject areas of Black history, Detroit, organized labor or some combination thereof. In the process, he has helped to provide voice and exposure to those who might otherwise be silent and unseen. His colleagues note his deep commitment to building relationships, his strong service philosophy, and his ability to establish respectful connections and trust with donors and communities.
Jones also serves as an adjunct professor in Wayne State University’s School of Information Sciences where he teaches an introductory level course in archival administration and has served as the faculty advisor to the SAA Student Chapter. Previous service to SAA includes membership on the Mosaic Scholarship Committee, as a SAA mentor, and as chair of the 2002 SAA Nominating Committee. The Midwest Archives Conference has likewise benefitted from his work on its Minority Scholarship Committee and Nominating Committee. He understands and champions the need for becoming a member of SAA, the Academy of Certified Archivists and similar professional associations.
One of Jones’ greatest contributions to the archival profession has come in the form of his work with the Academy of Certified Archivists. Within that organization, he served in a number of key positions, including as its president. During his tenure within the Academy’s leadership, Jones spearheaded an oral history project designed to document the work of the Academy, convened task forces to generate revenue without raising dues and maintain the organization’s digital assets, including emails, for future access and review by interested researchers. With the support of the Academy’s board and Capitol Hill Management, which manages the day-to-day activities of the organization, he worked to build upon past successes by initiating the Academy’s first strategic planning process in its then 28-year history. Through that effort, the Academy is now in the process of adding an additional board member to focus on member services, develop an improved website platform, and establish new guiding principles in the form of mission, values and vision statements for the organization. Given his continued commitment to the ideals of the Academy, he was appointed to lead the task force charged with drafting these statements for review by its membership.
One supporter stated that Jones has the “energy, courage, and foresight to question the status quo, and is willing to challenge his colleagues to explore and implement innovation. I admire his patience, professional integrity, and commitment to inclusivity.”
Terry Baxter, archivist for the Multnomah County Records Program and Oregon County Fair, will be inducted as a Fellow of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) during a ceremony at the Joint Annual Meeting of the Council of State Archivists and SAA in Austin, TX, July 31– August 6. The distinction of Fellow is the highest honor bestowed on individuals by SAA and is awarded for outstanding contributions to the archives profession.
Baxter’s nominators noted his actions as an archivist are tied directly to his core values as an individual: “Baxter’s initiative, resourcefulness and leadership—wrapped in his commitment to helping archivists make the world better—are reflected throughout his thirty-four years of service to SAA and other professional organizations, his writings and presentations, and his personal interactions.” Baxter’s contribution to the archival profession lies within his ongoing dedication to the critical work of advancing the understanding and practice of diversity and inclusion through various publications, presentations, and leadership roles. Baxter is a founding member of the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums, and he also serves as a Board member at the Northwest History Network.
Within SAA, Baxter has consistently brought his initiative, intellect, and innate ability to make personal connections open difficult conversations and reshape thought in order to move the profession forward. In addition to being elected to the SAA Council, serving on two program committees, and participating in a multitude of special interest committees, Baxter has presented at more than seven Annual Meetings, highlighting important topics such as archives and institutional power, the diversity of the American record, the politics of documenting communities, and tattoos as personal archives.
During the 2017 Annual Meeting in Portland, Baxter conceptualized and implemented “The Liberated Archive: A Forum for Envisioning and Implementing a Community-Based Approach to Archives” intended to envision how archivists might partner with the public to repurpose the archives as a site of social transformation and radical inclusion. This innovative full-day program was designed to benefit both SAA members and the community in Portland, Oregon. Baxter’s acknowledgement of the role and power of communities in the archival profession can be best described in his words: “The future of the archival endeavor will increasingly reside in the relationships among archivists and communities. If we do not connect, heart to heart, with the communities we serve we will become an increasingly irrelevant profession.”
As one supporter noted: “Many archivists care, but Baxter has consistently put his pen and his words where his very big heart is.”
Jeremy Evans, digitization specialist, and Melissa Hernández Durán, lead archivist for audiovisual curation, both at the Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan, are the 2019 recipients of the Fellows’ Ernst Posner Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes an outstanding essay dealing with some facet of archival administration, history, theory, and/or methodology that was published during the preceding year in SAA’s journal, American Archivist.
Evans and Hernández Durán are being honored for “Rights Review for Sound Recordings: Strategies Using Risk and Fair Use Assessments,” which appeared in the Fall/Winter 2018 issue of American Archivist (vol. 81, no. 2). Their article is a large-scale case study on the management of intellectual property rights for digitized sound recordings. Their work presents a generalizable model for identifying the complexities of access to digitized recordings based on the recording’s genre and proposes a scalable review process that balances risk assessment and fair use.
The SAA Awards Committee noted that the article is “clearly conceptualized and written with generous recognition of the works of others.” The authors also provide helpful examples of processing forms based on actual digitized audio collections. Read the award-winning article online at AmericanArchivist.org.
Angela Osbourne, a graduate student at San Jose State University, is a 2019 recipient of the Harold T. Pinkett Minority Student Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes minority graduate students of African, Asian, Latino, or Native American descent who, through scholastic achievement, manifest an interest in becoming professional archivists and active members of SAA.
As a future archivist, Osbourne is committed to preserving and providing access to the history of African Americans for African American communities. In her studies and volunteer experiences, she has worked to become aware of the complexities that surround information needs in a modern library and has demonstrated her ability to learn and master the necessary technical skills required for an archivist and librarian. As a volunteer with Sacramento Central Library’s Special Collections, she assists with a variety of events, including 2018’s annual Archive Crawl, where she noticed a significant lack of African American visitors. These experiences have focused her efforts on informing the African American community that its history can be traced through archives and used to build a brighter future.
One recommender noted that “she displays a rich dedication to reaching and educating underserved African American communities, which will most certainly become an important asset to the larger profession.”
Antonia Charlemagne-Marshall, who is pursuing a master of arts in archives and record management (first cohort) at the University of West Indies, is a 2019 recipient of the Harold T. Pinkett Minority Student Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes minority graduate students of African, Asian, Latino, or Native American descent who, through scholastic achievement, manifest an interest in becoming professional archivists and active members of SAA.
Charlemagne-Marshall has demonstrated a strong commitment to archives through her internship at the National Archives Authority of St. Lucia (NAASL) and in her work establishing a small community archives in St. Lucia and Barbados. Each experience has increased her passion for creating community archives and ensuring that future generations will have access to the history of underrepresented communities.
Her supporter noted that Antonia’s “role as a leader within the executive committee of the Barbados Association for Records and Information Management, as well as her commitment to supporting the growth of the archives and records management profession within the Caribbean Region, is a testament to the kind of professionalism that she represents.” She has displayed a rich commitment to preserving and increasing access to international archives of color, and especially those in the Caribbean.
Tempestt Hazel, an independent curator, writer, and director of Sixty Inches From Center, is a 2019 recipient of the J. Franklin Jameson Archival Advocacy Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award will be presented at a ceremony during the Joint Annual Meeting of the Council of State Archivists and SAA in Austin, TX, July 31–August 6. The award honors an individual, institution, or organization that promotes greater public awareness, appreciation, or support of archival activities or programs.
Hazel is the founder and leader of Sixty Inches From Center, an online publication dedicated to preserving the work of underrepresented artists. In collaboration with the Harold Washington Library in Chicago, Sixty Inches From Center and Hazel work to fill gaps in the Chicago Artist Files, a collection originally created in the 1940s for artists of local, national, and international renown. Her commitment to and advocacy for archives is broad and far-reaching. She encourages these artists to preserve their legacies, provides them with tools to do so, facilitates their inclusion in Chicago-area institutions, and encourages the use of archives to create new projects. Not only has her work led to the inclusion of more artists of color, women, LGBTQ+ artists, and artists with disabilities, she has connected these individuals with the tools needed to control their own narratives and ensure their legacy.
One supporter wrote: “Her work has a direct and immediate impact throughout the Chicago region.” Another supporter wrote, “Tempestt has demonstrated that archives aren’t only a place for academic and scholarly research. They can also be a source of inspiration for artists when they are given access.”
The Kitchen Sisters, comprised of Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva, are the 2019 recipients of the J. Franklin Jameson Archival Advocacy Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award will be presented at a ceremony during the Joint Annual Meeting of the Council of State Archivists and SAA in Austin, TX, July 31—August 6. The award honors an individual, institution, or organization that promotes greater public awareness, appreciation, or support of archival activities or programs.
In 2018, the Kitchen Sisters launched the podcast, The Keepers, and a companion blog, Keeper of the Day, which spotlight “activist archivists, rogue librarians, curators, collectors and historians—keepers of the culture, and the cultures and collections they keep.” From highlighting various collections and their “Keepers”, such as the recently acquired Hunter S. Thompson collection at the University of California – Santa Cruz and the Forbes Pigment Collection at The Harvard Art Museum, the Kitchen Sisters illuminate the breadth and diversity that archives have to offer. The podcast which regularly plays on NPR’s Morning Edition, and was featured in Rolling Stone magazine, exposes archives and the work of archivists to an audience on the national level and beyond.
One of their supporters noted: “The Kitchen Sisters succinctly convey the importance of archives, the diversity of institutions and individuals embarking on this work, and the many treasures preserved within these collections.”
Learn more about The Kitchen Sisters in Nelson’s three-part interview with ArchivesAWARE!, the blog of SAA’s Committee on Public Awareness, at https://archivesaware.archivists.org/2019/02/21/weve-always-relied-on-th....
Ashley Flores is the 2019 recipient of the Josephine Forman Scholarship sponsored by the General Commission on Archives and History of The United Methodist Church, in cooperation with the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The $10,000 scholarship provides financial support to minority students pursuing graduate education in archival science, encourages students to pursue careers as archivists, and promotes the diversification of the American archives profession.
Flores, an MLIS student specializing in archival studies at the University of California, Los Angeles has worked in the University Archives and Manuscripts Department at Hamilton Library at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa as well as the African American Diversity Cultural Center Hawaii. Additionally, she has done research at the Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum. Each positon has influenced her understanding of the many functions of archives and the services it provides for the public.
Her research interests include working with indigenous peoples to create inclusive, pluralistic, and accessible archives spaces. Her recommenders write of the "tremendous passion" she brings to her studies and that she is "highly conscientious and hardworking with attention to detail." As an archivist, Flores, would like to help people who feel underrepresented, using archives to bring communities and histories together.
Wendy Hagenmaier, digital collections archivist at Georgia Institute of Technology, is the 2019 recipient of the Mark A. Greene Emerging Leader Award from the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award celebrates and encourages early career archivists who have completed archival work of broad merit, demonstrated significant promise of leadership, and performed commendable service to the archives profession.
Hagenmaier’s exemplary service can be seen in work accomplished regionally and nationally. She spearheaded the development of retroTECH, an innovative program at Georgia Tech that provides students, faculty, and community members with hands-on opportunities to discover and explore the history and future of technology. She is currently serving as the Georgia Tech project manager on an IMLS-funded grant which aims to develop an online emulation environment from retroTECH’s collections. Additionally, Hagenmaier was one of the founders of BloggERS, the blog for SAA’s Electronic Records Section, and is coproducer of the popular radio show and podcast, Lost in the Stacks. She was a part of the research team that created Born-digital Access in Archival Repositories: Mapping the Current Landscape, a detailed report that culminated in the development of the workshop curriculum for the Born-digital Access Bootcamp. In addition, she has held multiple elected roles on SAA’s Committee on Public Policy and in SAA’s Issues and Advocacy Section, Electronic Records Section, and Architectural Records Roundtable, and has served as president of the Society of Georgia Archivists.
Her supporters speak of her leadership, collaborative nature, and dedication to the profession and her peers. As one nominator noted, “Though always unassuming and gracious, she is adept at finding opportunities for collaboration and meticulous in managing projects. Her commitment to the work that she does delivers valuable results for the entire archival community.”
Lisle Pino, who is pursuing a master’s in archives and records administration at San Jose State University, is a 2019 recipient of the Mosaic Scholarship given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The $5,000 scholarship is given to a student who demonstrates potential for scholastic and personal achievement and who manifests a commitment both to the archival profession and to advancing diversity concerns within it.
In addition to maintaining a strong academic record as a student, Lisle works full time as a records and information management specialist for the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians and assigned to the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) both of which are sub-agencies un the US Department of Interior. Having attended a BIE elementary school herself, her proudest moment was working on a 20+ year old case files that included the preservation of her own student case file. As an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, her commitment to diversity in archives shines through in her work with Native American schools and their records. Her work on several unique field projects have provided her with meaningful insights that continue to shape her perspective on the profession. She strives to create a culture within her organization and the organization she serves that promotes and appreciates what records can offer to indigenous communities, presently and in the future.
One of her supporters notes: “Her work clearly demonstrates her professionalism and skills as well as her commitment to working with Native communities in the Southwest and beyond.”
The Dickinson College Archives and Special Collections for the Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center (CISDRC) is the 2019 recipient of the Philip M. Hamer–Elizabeth Hamer Kegan Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes individuals or institutions that have increased public awareness of archives documents.
The Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center (CISDRC) has compiled more than 180,000 pages of archival records from multiple institutions about the Carlisle Indian Industrial School (CIIS), the first federally-managed off-reservation boarding school for Native American children and young adults. The CIIS, a frequent topic of scholarly research, had a profound impact on the lives of generations of Native American people. The CISDRC team has created educational materials, facilitated an educational program for teachers, and traveled to communities with a vested interest in the digitized records. From 2013–2018 the website had more than 1.5 million page views and nearly 250,000 individual visitors.
By actively seeking opportunities to share the results of their work with those most affected by the records, CISDRC has actively demonstrated the collections' value on personal, community, scholarly, and societal levels. This project exemplifies the purpose and power of archival materials. In six years since the start of the CISDRC, Dickinson College’s Archives and Special Collections has shown unwavering commitment in connecting this digital collection to the people who can make the best use of it.
Heather Bowden, director of special collections, archives, and preservation, and Walker Sampson, digital archivist, both at the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries, are the 2019 recipients of the Preservation Publication Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA) for their book, The No-Nonsense Guide to Born-Digital Content (Facet Publishing, 2018). The award recognizes the author or editor of an outstanding published work related to archives preservation.
The No-Nonsense Guide to Born-Digital Content investigates preservation issues of current interest and importance to the archives community. The comprehensive and entry-level guide explains step by step processes for developing and implementing born-digital content workflows. With a range of case studies from a number of international institutions, the book covers selection, acquisition, accessioning, and ingest; description preservation, and access; and strategies and philosophies to move forward amid changing technologies.
One of Bowden and Sampson’s supporters wrote that “[the guide] tackles such a complex topic and presents the information in an accessible, easy to navigate format, making it a must-have for every archivist’s toolbox.”
Jillian Ewalt, librarian for visual resources at the University of Dayton’s Marian Library, is the 2019 recipient of the Sister M. Claude Lane, O.P., Memorial Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA) in conjunction with the Society of Southwest Archivists. The award honors an archivist who has made a significant contribution to the field of religious archives.
Ewalt has been active in a number of religious archives organizations including the Catholic Research Resources Alliance (CRRA). As an early member and contributor to CRRA, Ewalt led the submission of more than 200 records for finding aids and digital images. Thanks to her active research agenda, Ewalt has made several contributions to the literature on religious archives, publishing in Archival Issues, Theological Librarianship, and Catholic Library World, among others. She has also presented at CRRA’s annual meeting on issues related to research with Catholic archives. Ewalt’s work in preservation, description, and outreach allows students to experience archival collections in the classroom and provides scholars from around the world with access to the library’s religious archival collections.
One of Ewalt’s supporters notes that she brings “a collaborative, creative, service-oriented spirit to her work with faith-based collections. She is committed to promoting collections as research and teaching tools and has developed collaborative partnerships across the institution and community to increase the impact of Marian Library’s special collections.”
Kelli Luchs, Las Vegas News Bureau archivist at the Las Vegas Convention And Visitors Authority, and Ilana Short, former manager of photography collections at the Nevada State Museum, are the 2019 recipients of the Spotlight Award from the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes the contributions of individuals who work for the good of the profession and archival collections—work that does not typically receive public recognition.
Although working in different organizations, Luchs and Short came together to create Las Vegas Lineup, a program which aims to describe unidentified photos. The program invites the public to interact with collections and collaborate with the archives by identifying historical figures in photographs. Through their efforts, they shared their collections with more than one hundred thousand people who identified more than 800 photographs. In addition to managing two institutions’ collections, Luchs and Short highlighted the work of archivists for a wider audience and encouraged the public to invest in archives.
Las Vegas Lineup has been an immensely valuable and popular tool, providing opportunity for thousands of Nevandans to become directly involved in managing their state’s history through their personal knowledge and memories. Las Vegas Lineup has been featured in a variety of media, such as Fox 5 News This Morning and Las Vegas Review-Journal, and has been presented as a model for other projects at professional conferences, such as The Digital Library Federation and the American Association of State and Local History.
Emily Larson, a dual Master of Archival Studies and Library and Information Studies student at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, is the 2019 recipient of the Theodore Calvin Pease Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes superior writing achievements by students of archival studies, and entries are judged on innovation, scholarship, pertinence, and clarity of writing.
Larson’s paper, “Big Brother, Big Data: Digital Preservation of Big Data in Government,” was nominated by Luciana Duranti, professor and director at InterPARES. Big Data is central to the concerns of contemporary archivists. The paper discusses government big data and proposes that archivists be responsible for it. Larson urges the reader to consider big data’s technical aspects, primarily its velocity, volume, and variety, but also its claims to knowledge production and decision-making. She provides thoughtful and valuable connections between the archival literature and issues associated with big data, and examines the limited archival research and scholarship on the subject.
“The writing is very clear, given the complexity of the issue. The paper shows curiosity, initiative, and the willingness to take risks,” noted Duranti. Larson's paper will be published in the Spring/Summer 2020 issue of American Archivist.
Trevor Owens, head of digital content management at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, is the 2019 recipient of the Waldo Gifford Leland Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA) for his book, The Theory and Craft of Digital Preservation, published by Johns Hopkins University Press in 2018. The award is given for writing of superior excellence and usefulness in the fields of archival history, theory, and practice.
Digital preservation remains a key topic that archivists and stakeholders must address. The Theory and Craft of Digital Preservation discusses digital preservation in a straightforward and understandable way, combining theory and practice without getting bogged down in abstract discussion or turning into a how-to manual. Owens provides a broad understanding of the challenges and opportunities of managing digital objects and examines how digital preservation is affected by current trends, particularly neoliberalism, power and privilege, and sustainable labor. Thoughtful and well-written, the book provides valuable insights for practicing archivists, administrators, senior staff, and students.
“Ultimately, the book makes a major contribution to advancing both theory and practice of archival work,” noted one supporter. “Building on half a century or work in electronic records management and digital preservation, the book helps articulate the ways archivists and librarians have established practices to ensure that our digital scientific, social and cultural record will be available to scholars and researchers into the future.