2020 Security Section Election - Call for nominations

The Security Section needs nominations to fill One (1) vacancy the position of Vice-Chair (Chair-elect).

A 3-year position, the incumbent will serve in that position for a year, move into the Chair position for a year, and finish as Immediate Past-Chair the final year.

We also are calling for an Early-Career Volunteer to serve on the steering committee under the mentorship of the Officers and leadership of the section.

Students and new professionals (within three years of entering the profession) are eligible to run for this position. If interested in further experience in archives in general or security issues, whether traditional or cyber/electronic in nature, or if you have a proposal of need and purpose we have yet to explore, please consider contacting us.

Attendance at the annual meeting is not a requirement, although we recommend it when physically possible.

A previous interest or experience are not a requirement for these positions, although one may discover security has been a part of one’s career focus already.

Security covers the range from theft, vandalism, physical attack or attack by remote means, disaster, or disease. natural disaster, forgery, physical objects, documents, digitized items, and “born-digital” records. It also is concerned with human safety for staff, researchers, donors, or others. At least these are a beginning of where security fits into the archivist’s life.

People often fail to consider how important security is to the successful practice of our profession.

• ·         Security helps protect people and collections in the event of environmental hazards or disease.

• ·         Security is what provides for continuity of mission when normal means of communication, access, and tool acquisition and use, are disrupted and alternatives must be found and implemented.

• ·         Security is necessary to assure item integrity of evidence and validate the authenticity of the record or object.

• ·         Donors expect their contribution to be kept secure and the professionals to be able to demonstrate that it.

• ·         Secure access is required to protect the collections, the researcher, and privacy.

• ·         How does one preserve something when it is not secure from forces that might damage or destroy it?

• ·         Storage facilities must increasingly offer evidence of compliance with security standards for legal reasons.

• ·         Planning for the protection of the collections, researchers, and staff, as well as the ability to carry out our mission, depend on security.

Nominees, of oneself or others, can be sent via email to:

·        the present Chair, Jim Havron- jimhavron@comcast.net
the Vice-chair/Chair-elect, Ken Fieth,  Ken.Fieth@nashville.gov
or the Past-chair, Bryan Whitledge, bwhitle2@gmail.com 

Questions or comments may be sent to jimhavron@comcast.net 

Society of American Archivists does not assume responsibility for the opinions and views published on this site.