American250 Task Force

I. Purpose: 

The 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence will take place in 2026. SAA aims to demonstrate the depth and breadth of the American story—extending both before the signing in 1776 and into the future—by centering archives and their stewards. As archives hold the essential evidence of the American story, it is essential that archivists seize this opportunity to make themselves part of the conversation.
 
The aim of this task force, therefore, is to develop programming, tools, and resources to coincide with the 250th Anniversary. The task force will propose one to three events, activities, or resources that could be created by SAA on this occasion; craft a budget for the proposed ideas; identify external resources to be shared broadly by SAA; and work to develop the proposed item(s) for dissemination during 2026.

II. Selection, Size, and Length of Term 

This task force will consist of 8 members, including 2 co-chairs. The length of term extends from January 2025 through September 1, 2026. SAA requests a minimum commitment of 6 – 8 months with the ability to lead and support sub-groups. Monthly meetings are required; however, more frequent meetings may be necessary in the early stages of this Task Force to establish a budget and planning.

III. Reporting Procedures

This Task Force will report monthly to the SAA Executive Committee and quarterly to the Council (to be submitted by chair and council liaison.)

IV. Duties and Responsibilities

Members of this task force will attend scheduled meetings regularly, attend scheduled meetings regularly, and complete all tasks as assigned. They will prepare and submit a budget by March as part of a proposal containing options for how SAA will lead or participate in the commemoration.
To fulfill its purpose as described above, the Task Force is charged with the following: developing proposals for potential programs and providing these options to Council for selection. Working further to create the selected project(s).

V. Meetings 

Meetings will be virtual, and the task force will determine their interval. Please anticipate that at the beginning, meetings will be more frequent to get the process/program started.

Approved by the SAA Council in November 2024.

Archival Worker Labor Task Force

I. Purpose

The Archival Worker Labor Task Force is responsible for identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing archival worker labor (including students and interns) issues that SAA can impact for the purpose of building long-term structural support among archival workers, SAA, and other organizations for secure and equitable labor conditions for all archival workers.

II. Selection, Size, and Length of Term

The Task Force is charged for a three-year period beginning in August 2023, with a final report with recommendations due to the Council no later than September 2026. The Task Force will consist of nine members (one of whom will serve as chair). Of these members, one will be appointed from among the SAA Foundation Class B board members, one will be a non-member, and one will be a former member of the Task Force on Archival Compensation.

III. Reporting Procedures

The Task Force will prepare an interim status report for the Council’s Fall 2024 & 2025 meetings and a final written report with recommendations for the Council’s Summer 2026 meeting.

IV. Duties and Responsibilities

To fulfill its purpose as described above, the Task Force is charged with:

• Identifying what labor issues SAA should assist with;

• Identifying funding sources, including SAA’s relationship with the SAA Foundation;

• Determining risks associated with SAA responses and funding;

• Determining the most effective mechanisms for managing and distributing resources (including educational ones) and collaborating with other actors; and

• Assessing the impact on SAA staff.

• Investigating compensation for volunteer work done for SAA.

The Task Force should investigate these issues, identify actions SAA should take and prioritize them, and report back to the SAA Council. The Task Force should seek assistance from non-member experts as needed.

V. Meetings

The Task Force shall meet virtually as needed to conduct its work. The Task Force may conduct its business by email, telephone, or virtual meeting during the year.

Approved by the SAA Council in May 2023. 

Membership Funding and Pathways for Diverse Archives Workers Task Force

I. Purpose

The Membership Funding and Pathways for Diverse Archives Workers Task Force will

·                 By December 2024 (FY25), draft a plan for ongoing funding to support memberships and annual meeting attendance scholarships for diverse archives workers, including retention and engagement (phase 1) and  

·                 By July 2025, make recommendations to the Council on a plan, program, or track focused on building accessible leadership pathways for diverse archives workers (phase 2).

The plan and recommendation will consider the Society’s Strategic Plan 2023-2025 and the DEIA Work Plan and be informed by existing goals and strategies developed by SAA component groups – specifically the Diversity Committee, the Membership Committee, and the SAA Foundation.

The plan and recommendations will be focused in their approach to secure funding and provide clear and accessible membership and leadership pathways for diverse archives workers. They will outline ways to reduce barriers to participation in the Society – specifically through funding memberships and annual meeting attendance costs for diverse archives workers.

The plan and recommendations will be first implemented in FY25, with the goal of the first round of membership and annual meeting funding being distributed during that fiscal year. A second phase–focused on accessible leadership pathways for diverse archives workers– is to be implemented subsequently.

II. Task Force Selection, Size, and Length of Terms

The task force will consist of eight members who will be appointed by the SAA Vice President/President-Elect. The chair will be selected by the task force from among the current task force members. The Task Force members’ terms will end in August 2027. 

Representatives from the component groups and sections shall serve on the Task Force are listed below:  

Awards Committee, chair or designee 
Diversity Committee, chair or designee 
Membership Committee, chair or designee 
Treasurer, chair or designee 
SAA Foundation Development Committee, chair or designee 
Accessibility and Disability Section, chair or designee 
Diverse Sexuality and Gender Section, chair or designee 
Native American Archives Section, chair or designee 

III. Duties and Responsibilities

·         By December 2024, draft a plan and approach for funding memberships and annual meeting attendance scholarships for diverse archives workers, including retention and engagement, starting in FY25.

·         By July 2025, make recommendations to the SAA Council on a plan, program, or track focused on building accessible leadership pathways for diverse archives workers.

·         Consult with allied professional groups funding similar programs. Examples include– but are not limited to– ACRL and the American Society of Association Executives Diversity Executive Leadership Program.

·         Consult with SAA component groups who have implemented similar programs. Examples include– but are not limited to– the Native American Archives Section, the Harold T. Pinkett Student of Color Award, the Brenda S. Banks Travel Award, and the Mosaic Scholarship.

·         Make recommendations to the SAA Council on necessary actions to ensure continued participation of– and secure funding for– diverse archives workers.

·         Explore options for securing ongoing funding for these programs.

IV. Reporting Procedures

The Membership Funding and Pathways for Diverse Archives Workers Task Force reports to the Council and works closely with its Council liaison, the President, and the Chief Executive Officer to ensure that it is responsive to the Council’s needs.

The chair is responsible for submitting a mid-term update and annual report to the Council, a phase 1 report and recommendation by December 2024, a phase 2 report and recommendation by the summer 2025 the SAA Council meeting and may also submit items for Council action or discussion and feedback as necessary.

The chair is also responsible for ensuring that minutes of the Task Force’s meetings are prepared and posted on the Task Force’s microsite to inform SAA members of its activities and comply with SAA’s record-keeping requirements.

V. Meetings

The Task Force shall meet virtually as needed to conduct its work. The Task Force may conduct its business by email, telephone, or virtual meeting during the course of the year. 

Adopted by Council: May 2022

SAA-ACRL/RBMS Joint Task Force to Revise the Statement on Access to Research Materials in Archives and Special Collections Libraries (Affiliated Group)

I. Purpose

The SAA-ACRL/RBMS Joint Task Force to Revise the Statement on Access to Research Materials in Archives and Special Collections Libraries (hereafter “Task Force”) is responsible for reviewing and revising a Joint Statement that was last released by the two organizations in 2009. The Task Force should recommend any and all revisions that would bring the Statement up to date, and should consider two points raised by the SAA Committee on Public Policy:

• Born-digital materials. The last revision of the Joint Statement (2009) was approved prior to the growth of the use of digital forensics software in cultural heritage institutions. (See, for example, Digital Forensics and Born-Digital Content in Cultural Heritage Collections, by Kirschenbaum, Ovenden, and Redwine, 2010, and the development of the revised OAIS reference model, 2012.) Software used by creators often collects additional information about the document without the creator being aware of its collection. This information can be retrieved by the use of digital forensics software. The Committee suggests that input on the Joint Statement be collected from individuals who are familiar with the capture of born-digital documents to ensure that the general tenets of the Joint Statement are revised to adapt to an increasingly digital world.
• Existence of research materials. Point 2, regarding Intellectual Accessibility, states that a repository “should inform researchers… of the collections in its custody…. The existence of original research materials should be reported, even if they are not fully accessible.” However, Point 1 on Responsibility states that a repository “should not… conceal the existence of any body of materials… unless required to do so by law, institutional access policy, or donor or purchase stipulation.” This last qualifying phrase established a seemingly contradictory standard wherein legal, institutional, or donor restrictions could eclipse a researcher’s right to basic knowledge about the existence of materials as stipulated in Point 2. The Committee suggests that the Joint Statement be revised to clarify this issue.

The Statement will be submitted for approval by the executive bodies of SAA and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) and ACRL’s Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS). The Task Force will recommend a plan for periodic review of the Statement at the time the Statement is submitted to SAA and ACRL/RBMS for approval.

II. Selection, Size, and Length of Term

The Task Force is charged for a period that begins in September 2017 and continues through the August 2019 SAA Annual Meeting. The Task Force will include six members, with an equal number of members appointed by SAA and ACRL according to their normal appointment procedures. A Task Force member may be a member of both organizations but will be appointed to the Task Force representing one organization only.  In addition to the committee members, ex officio members and liaisons may be appointed by each organization according to its normal procedures.

Due consideration will be given by each organization to appointing members who have the requisite knowledge and experience in access to research materials in archives and special collections libraries, and particularly those with knowledge of changes in this area since the 2009 Statement was issued.

One member appointed by each organization will be designated to serve as a Task Force co-chair. The co-chairs will be responsible for convening Task Force meetings, leading Task Force work, ensuring that deadlines are met, following procedures of their respective organizations, and communicating as needed or required with the executive bodies and staffs of their respective organizations. 

III. Reporting Procedures

The Task Force co-chairs will report to the SAA and ACRL/RBMS executive bodies according to the following schedule:

• Interim report at the January 2019 ALA Midwinter Meeting and the January 2019 SAA Council conference call meeting.
• Final report at the June 2019 ALA Annual Conference and the August 2019 SAA Annual Meeting.

More frequent reports are welcome but not required.

IV. Duties and Responsibilities

To fulfill its purpose as described above, the Task Force is specifically charged to:

• Consult broadly with the archives and special collections communities to ensure that the revised Statement reflects current and emerging practices relating to provision of access to research materials.
• Conduct one or more public comment periods to solicit input on draft version(s) of the Statement, and address public comments in all reports to the SAA and ACRL/RBMS executive bodies.

V. Meetings

The Task Force will carry out its charge primarily via electronic mail, conference calls, and online meetings in accordance with the meeting policies of the respective organizations.  Face-to-face meetings may also be scheduled during the SAA Annual Meeting (pending space availability) and the midwinter and annual meetings of the American Library Association. Task Force members will be encouraged but not required to attend face-to-face meetings in person.

Minutes will be prepared for each face-to-face meeting and any conference call or online meeting that meets policy definitions for a meeting, and the minutes will be posted within thirty days to the public websites of the respective organizations.

Approved by the SAA Council in August 2017. 

Task Force to Review the Fellows Selection Process (disbanded)

I. Purpose

The purpose of the task force is to review the process of selecting SAA Fellows and recommend any appropriate changes, clarifications, or guidelines that the task force thinks are warranted in administering this program in the future.

II. Size, Composition, Selection, Length of Term

The task force will comprise seven individuals and will include the 2019 chair of the Committee on the Selection of SAA Fellows, two current or past members of the Committee who have also served as SAA President, two former Council members, and two Fellows who have not served as SAA President.

The task force will be appointed by August 12, 2019, and its term will end with submission of a final report and recommendations on December 9, 2019.

III. Duties and Responsibilities

The task force will review the questions put forward by the 2019 Committee on the Selection of SAA Fellows as well as the composition of the committee as a whole, and make recommendations to the SAA Council about any changes or additional guidelines to be included in the Committee’s charge going forward.

IV. Reporting

The task force will prepare a final report with recommendations to the Council by December 31, 2019.

 

Approved by the SAA Council, August 2019.

Tragedy Response Initiative Task Force (disbanded)

I. Purpose

The Tragedy Response Initiative Task Force is responsible for 1) creating and/or compiling material for ready accessibility by archivists who are facing a sudden tragedy and 2) exploring the feasibility of creating a standing body within SAA that would update documentation as needed and serve as a volunteer tragedy response team.

II. Selection, Size, and Length of Term

The Task Force is charged for a two-year period that begins in January 2018, with a final report and recommendations for the Council no later than January 2020.

The Task Force will comprise eight SAA members, one of whom will serve as chair. Task Force members will be appointed by the SAA Vice President/President-Elect.

III. Reporting Procedures

The Task Force chair will prepare a written status report for each of the Council’s spring and fall meetings, and will prepare for Council consideration at its fall/winter 2020 meeting a final written report with recommendations. Should the Task Force recommend that a standing group be created, it should include in its final report a draft charge/description for that group.

IV. Duties and Responsibilities

To fulfill its purpose as described above, the Task Force is specifically charged to:

• Research current best practices and resources for archival tragedy response, including interviewing similar, successful programs (i.e., Disaster Planning and Recovery Subcommittee, AID National Heritage Responders).
• Collaborate with allied organizations to ensure that policies and practices reflect varied needs and strategies for cooperation among various archival institutions.
• Create and/or compile material for the SAA website documenting professional policies and best practices for collecting strategies, management, preservation, and provision of access to memorial collections, including templated forms that are easily adapted.
• Determine whether sufficient need exists to justify the effort and costs associated with establishing a standing body to serve as a Tragedy Response Volunteer Team.
• Determine how such a standing body might be structured, staffed, and governed, with administratively and financially sustainable models for national-, regional-, and state-based structures.
• Determine how such a standing body might be financed and supported.
• Propose how such a standing body might interact with other SAA groups and with external groups.

V. Meetings

The Task Force will carry out its charge primarily via electronic mail, conference calls, online meetings, and face-to-face meetings held in conjunction with the SAA Annual Meeting. Should the Task Force determine that an additional face-to-face meeting would be beneficial, it must apply to the Council (through the Executive Office) for funding. 

Approved by the SAA Council, November 2017.
Disbanded March 2020, per end of task force term.

Archival Compensation Task Force (Disbanded)

I. Purpose

The Archival Compensation Task Force is responsible for 1) identifying issues related to archival compensation, including benefits, salary negotiations, working conditions, etc.; 2) studying and evaluating archival compensation in its entirety using past, current, and new data generated on the subject; 3) creating and disseminating an archival compensation survey to SAA members; and 4) exploring the feasibility of creating a standing body within SAA to liaise and communicate with non-archival entities (such as O-Net, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society, and others) to ensure that SAA continues advocacy efforts and activities, including research and documentation pertaining to these groups.  

II. Selection, Size, and Length of Term

The Task Force is charged for a two-year period beginning in February 2020, with a final report with recommendations due to the Council no later than January 2022. The Task Force will comprise eight SAA members (one of whom will serve as chair) and two non-members (such as compensation and recruitment professionals). Included among the SAA members appointed will be a member of the Business Archives Section, the Committee on Research, Data, and Assessment (CORDA), the Independent Archivists Section, and the Student and New Archives Professionals Section. Task Force members will be appointed by the SAA Vice President/President-Elect.

III. Reporting Procedures

The Task Force will prepare a written status report for the Council’s spring and fall meetings, and will prepare for Council consideration at its fall/winter 2022 meeting a final written report with recommendations. 

IV. Duties and Responsibilities

To fulfill its purpose as described above, the Task Force is charged to:

• Research current best practices and resources for compensation, including conducting a literature review of allied (i.e. library, records management, museums, IT) and non-archives-adjacent professions.

• Conduct an SAA membership compensation package survey.   

• Collaborate with allied organizations to ensure that current or recommended policies and practices reflect varied needs and strategies for cooperation among various archival institutions.

• Create and/or compile material for the SAA website documenting professional policies and best practices for salary-related topics, such as compensation by region/institution, benefits, negotiation practices, labor statistics, etc. 

• Determine whether sufficient need exists to justify the effort and costs associated with establishing a standing body to serve as an Archival Compensation Advocacy Committee. If the group wishes to propose creation of a standing body, its recommendations shall include the following:  1) how such a standing body might be structured, staffed, and governed, with administratively and financially sustainable models for national-, regional-, and state-based structures; 2) how such a standing body might be financed and supported; and 3) how such a standing body might interact with other SAA groups and with external groups.

V. Meetings

The Task Force will carry out its charge primarily via electronic mail, conference calls, online meetings, and face-to-face meetings held in conjunction with the SAA Annual Meeting. Should the Task Force determine that an additional face-to-face meeting would be beneficial, it must apply to the Council (through the Executive Office) for funding.

 

Approved by the SAA Council, December 2019. Disbanded May 2023