Jessica Lacher-Feldman, Candidate for Council

Jessica Lacher-Feldman

Assistant Dean and Joseph N. Lambert and Harold B. Schleifer Director of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation,
The University of Rochester

“The value I bring to our shared community is passionate, committed leadership—listening, reflecting, and acting, both with and on behalf of others. I am committed to responding to the challenges we face and to work actively to develop and retain an engaged, diverse, inclusive, and fulfilled professional community.”

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Assistant Dean/Joseph N. Lambert and Harold B. Schleifer Director of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, University of Rochester, 2016–present.
• Head, Special Collections, Louisiana State University, 2013–2016.
• Curator of Rare Books and Special Collections, 2008–2013; Public and Outreach Services Coordinator, 2000–2008, University of Alabama.

EDUCATION

• MLS (Archives concentration), MA (History), and BA (French/History), University at Albany.
• Leadership Training: Harvard Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians; Archives Leadership Institute, Cohort II, 2009.

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Society of American Archivists: Reference, Access, and Outreach (RAO) Section, Exhibits and Events Committee, founding Co-chair (2017–present), Chair (2004–2005); Program Committee (2017); Research Libraries Section, Chair (2015–2016); SAA-ACRL/RBMS Joint Task Force on Public Service Statistical Measures (2014–2016); CALM (2011–2013); “Introduction to Archival Exhibitions,” Instructor (2006–2012); Committee on Education (2004–2007).
• RBMS: "Digital Exhibitions,” Co-instructor (2013, 2014); Leab Exhibition Awards Committee (2009–2013); Publications/Communications Committee (2014–2016); Diversity Committee (2014–2016); Workshops Committee (2012–2014).
• Society of Alabama Archivists: President (2007–2008).

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS AND AWARDS

• Co-author, "Creating a Holistic Fabric of Services and Collections from the Inside Out: Exploring Convergences of Liaison and Special Collections Librarianship," co-author, Research Library Issues, no. 291 (2017): 32-49.
• Exhibits in Archives and Special Collections Libraries (Society of American Archivists, 2013).
• Legacy Award, Academy of Certified Archivists (2012).

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

• Society of American Archivists: “Unpacking the ‘Treasure Trove’: Isabella Beecher Hooker, Susan B. Anthony, Discovery Acquisition, and Beyond…,” Women’s Collections Section (2018); "Connecting Our Collections to Our Communities: Developing Exhibit Programs in Archives" (2014). 
• RBMS: “Virtual, Mechanical, Invisible, and Radical: Rochester Convergences Across Town and Across Disciplines” (2018). 
• MARAC: “Making It Count: Rethinking Special Collections Metrics from an Administrative Perspective" (Fall 2016). 
• American Cultural Association/Popular Culture Association: “Beefcake on the Bayou: Carl Corley, Southern Queer Pulp and Building Controversial Collections in 21st c. Special Collections” (2015).

As a governing leader of SAA, how will you use your three years on the SAA Council to provide value to SAA members, to increase opportunities for participation for all members, and to ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment in which SAA members can share, learn, and grow together?

CANDIDATE'S RESPONSE

SAA is a true community of creative, dedicated, and highly skilled individuals who help to foster our collective goals and responsibilities in caring for the historical record. My commitment to our profession and desire to serve on Council is in no small part due to these connections with SAA and the countless people I have worked with over the past two decades.

The value I bring to our shared community is passionate, committed leadership—listening, reflecting, and acting, both with, and on behalf of others. I am committed to responding to the challenges we face, and to work actively to develop and retain an engaged, diverse, inclusive, and fulfilled professional community. Each of us brings unique and important contributions. The future of our organization, our profession, and our communities depends on our commitment and those contributions.  I will work with others toward increasing opportunities for participation for all members through fostering dialog and goodwill throughout SAA.

The notion that SAA members can share, learn, and grow together is one key reason that we devote ourselves to this organization. SAA’s strength is in the diversity of our profession, from each person’s experiences, perspectives, and talents, the breadth of the profession itself, as well as our commitment to what we do and what that means to our constituents and to our world. Having a community of practice, and building that community and our profession going forward, is a challenge that we all must face head-on. SAA is critical in providing a platform for fostering opportunities for every member of our organization to flourish. As an advocate, a voice, a guide, and as an engaged member of our collective community, I welcome the opportunity to devote my energy, creativity, and passion to our professional organization as a member of Council.

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