Meredith Evans, Candidate for Vice President/President-Elect

Professional Experience: Director, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum, 2015–present. Associate University Librarian, Washington University in St Louis, 2014–2015. Associate University Librarian for Special Collections & Digital Programs, UNC Charlotte, 2012–2014. Director, Special Collections Research Center, George Washington University, 2008–2012. Instructor, Wayne State University, 2008–2011. Instructor, San José State University, 2006–2008. Curator of Printed Materials, Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, 2005–2008. Librarian, Atlanta Technical College, 2003–2005. Instructor, Clark Atlanta University, 2003. Instructor, NC Central University, 2002–2003. Library Assistant, Documenting American South, 2000–2001. Research Room Assistant/Photo Researcher, Atlanta History Center, 1999–2000.

Education: PhD Library Science (Archive Concentration), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; MA, Public History, North Carolina State University, MS, Library Service, and BA, History, Clark Atlanta University. Leadership Training: ARL Leadership Fellow, Harvard Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians.

Professional Activities: Society of American Archivists: Diversity Committee; Archival Educators Roundtable; Archivists and Archives of Color Section. Other: American Library Association; Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL), RBM Journal Editorial Board; National Council on Public History; DocNow Advisory Board; African American Collections Advisory Board, University of California Riverside.

Selected Publications: “Chapter 9: Documenting Ferguson,” New Directions for Special Collections, 2016; “Libraries Creating Sustainable Services During Community Crisis,” Library Management, 2016; “Modern Special Collections,” New Review of Academic Librarianship, 2015; Digitization of African American Publications, Serials Librarian, 2007

Selected Presentations: Society of American Archivists: “But He's Really Rich!” Selection, Appraisal, and Fundraising Campaigns, 2010; Preserving Congregation Records (education program at DuSable Museum), 2006; Another Cross to Bear: Attitudes Toward Recordkeeping Practices in the African American Church, 2002. Other: Perspectives on Leadership, Development, and Practices, ARL/ EBSCO Executive Seminar, 2017; Defining Archives: Ingenuity, Innovation, and New Perspectives, Society of Georgia Archivists and Society of Florida Archivists Conference, 2016; #BlackLivesMatter: Documenting a Digital Protest Movement, ALA Annual Meeting, 2016; “Connections and Context: A Moderated Conversation about Archival Processing and Access for the Digital Humanities Generation,” Schlesinger Workshop on Technology and Archival Processing, 2016; Research Libraries and the Development of African American Historiography, UNCF/Mellon Mentors and Coordinators’ Annual Conference, 2007.

* * *

Questions posed by Nominating Committee:

Question 1: According to SAA’s Mission Statement, “SAA promotes the value and diversity of archives and archivists.” As president, what would be your plan for fulfilling this mission? What concrete steps or strategies would you use to implement your vision for the organization?

Candidate's Response:

As president I will bring my experience in leadership and management to promote the value and diversity of archives and archivists through relationship building, support, and empowerment in the following areas: recruitment/retention, diversifying the record, and community engagement.

Together the Association can:

• provide tools and techniques needed for archivists to be self-aware and leaders within their organizations to improve recruitment and retention initiatives and effectively develop diverse cross-generational teams;
• continue to support diversifying the record through new partnerships that will aid in collection development and access points that accurately reflect the communities being served; and
• lead the transition from “gate keeper” to “collaborator,” creating best practices regarding community engagement beyond exhibits and events and providing archivists the resources and ideas to create new ways to engage audiences and staff who have traditionally been excluded.

Question 2: One of SAA’s Core Values is its commitment to “social responsibility and the public good.” Using this as a framework, please expand on how, under your leadership, SAA will engage in public discourse about events and issues pertinent to the archives profession.

Candidate's Response:

I would like to create a space for meaningful discussions on ethics in archival practice, specifically issues related to privacy, surveillance, and rights, in web archives, social media data collections and other digital/digitized records, and especially those documenting the lives of traditionally marginalized people. These areas are challenged by practical, technical, and theoretical hurdles that should not be ignored. One way this can be achieved is by building upon existing resources and creating new partnerships with other disciplines and professions that can help us develop guidelines and deeply informed recommended practices to help protect and educate the public. In addition, I have consistently demonstrated, throughout my leadership journey and years of service to the profession, a deep commitment to acknowledging, protecting, compensating archival labor and I strongly believe SAA should continue to uphold these values. A supported archives workforce is essential to promoting public good and social responsibility. Finally, to help bring new archivists into the profession who are committed to values of social responsibility and the public good, SAA should be advocate for and champion archival education that centers inclusion, critical thinking, and ethical practices. These values are critical for the young archivists who will lead the profession into the future. I'm excited to bring my passion and care for the profession and for people to this leadership role in SAA and I welcome your support.

2017 ELECTION HOME