Janet Carleton, Candidate for Council

Janet Carleton

Digital Initiatives Coordinator,
Ohio University Libraries

“I have a passion to connect people to each other, as well as to information, whether it be through an educational event or by sharing information between related branches of our broader cultural heritage profession. What we can learn from each other, our differences and similarities, is crucial.”

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Digital Initiatives Coordinator, 2005–present; Digital Projects Librarian, 2000–2005; Scripps Project Reformatting Archivist, 1998–2000; Ohio University Libraries.
• Archivist II/Webmaster, 1997–1998; Electronic Records Archivist, 1996–1997; State Archives of Ohio, Ohio Historical Society.

EDUCATION

• MLIS, Archival Enterprise, University of Texas at Austin.
• AB, History, BFA, Art History, Ohio University.
• Certificate in Curation and Management of Digital Assets, University of Maryland.
• Archives Leadership Institute.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Society of American Archivists: Preservation Publication Award Subcommittee (2017–2018, 2019–present); Preservation Section, Vice/Chair/Past (2016–2019); Host Committee, Co-Chair (2014–2015); Metadata & Digital Object Section, Co-Chair/Past Chair (2008–2011); Description Section, Steering Committee/Web Liaison (2008–2011); Membership Committee, Member (1999–2002, 2005–2008), Key Contact, OH & WV; Conference Navigator; Mentor.
• Academic Library Association of Ohio: Special Collections & Archives IG, Co-Chair (2016–2018). 
• Best Practices Exchange: 2019 Conference Lead, Steering, Member (2018–present).
• Midwest Archives Conference: Education Co-Chair (2018–2020). 
• Ohio Digitization Interest Group: Coordinator (2006–present).
• Society of Ohio Archivists: Vice President (2017–2019); Marketing Chair (2019–present).
• Ohio Digital Network: (DPLA) Planning Steering/Governance Co-Chair (2014–2016).
• State Library Board: Member (2020–2025).
• Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board: Member (2008–2015).

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS AND AWARDS

• Society of Ohio Archivists Merit Award, 2015.
• “Finding Friends For Our First Alumna: Connecting Patrons With Special Collections Via Social Media,” co-authored with Jessica Hagman, College & Research Libraries News 75, no. 1 (2014): 14–17.
• “Promoting Your Library’s Unique Materials With Social Media: The @Maggieboyd1873 Twitter Project,” Ohio Libraries Quarterly 2, no. 2 (2013): 3.

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

• Society of American Archivists: “From Project to Strategy: Scalable Digital Preservation at Ohio University Libraries,” Research Forum poster, 2016; “Voinovich Political Papers Project: User-Selected Digitization: Politics & Access, Hand-In-Hand,” 2013.
• Other: “Outreach & Advocacy for OHIO University Through Digital Archival Collections & Social Media,” LYRASIS Leaders Forum, 2019; “Better Together: Reimagining Social Media Content Through Student Collaboration,” Academic Library Association of Ohio, 2013; Opening remarks “@MaggieBoyd1873: Finding Friends For a Long Dead College Girl,” Celebrate Women Conference, 2013.

QUESTION POSED BY NOMINATING COMMITTEE

In the past, the SAA Council has had to face situations that challenge the strategic priorities and values of the organization. How would you balance the need to support members’ needs and the archival community with the financial needs of the organization?

CANDIDATE’S RESPONSE

Change

We are indeed in a major time of change—for the field and for the organization. Aligning our strategic priorities with our changing world is a must. Diversifying the field cannot be seen as just an option if we want to continue to serve our communities, including with community based and non-custodial models. We must continue to reevaluate what value and relevancy we can offer to students and new members and act to reach out to those groups in a meaningful way as growth in membership drops, particularly in those categories. The same old will no longer work.

In recent years the membership has voted to bring a more diverse group of archivists into the leadership of the Society. I was thrilled to see that work continue with the excellent slate that the 2020 Nominating Committee brought. I stand in support of the difficult and thoughtful work that they accomplished in bringing such a strong mix of folks from different areas of responsibility, experience, and most importantly, from groups traditionally underrepresented in our field. We need to empower and offer leadership as well to those newer to the profession. We cannot change and grow without these varied insights. And if we do not change and grow, the organization will wither away.

Connections

I have a passion to connect people to each other, as well as to information, whether it be through a conference or educational event or by sharing information between related branches of our broader cultural heritage profession. What we can learn from each other, our differences and similarities, is crucial. I will work with both the leadership and membership to bring those connections into play.

Fiscal Responsibility

I also have a drive to find efficiencies, especially those that can benefit all. And in order to properly balance the needs of our membership, current and future, and the profession and the field, with the financial needs to keep SAA strong we must continue to seek out those efficiencies. The work to balance updated priorities and finances will not be easy. Determining SAA’s existing and updated priorities and matching them to funding will be a focus.

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