The Task Force to Revise Best Practices for Working with Archives Employees and Archives Researchers with Physical Disabilities
Conference Call Minutes
August 8, 2018
Time: 1:00pm -2:00pm CST
Participants:
- Krystal Appiah
- Daria D’Arienzo
- Kathy Marquis, Co-Chair
- Donna E. McCrea
- Lydia Tang
- Sara White, Co-Chair
- Felicia Owens (SAA staff)
Sara’s SAA Diversity Forum Panel Discussion
- What would you like Sara to share with Diversity Forum?
- Start from the beginning - we have been combining both documents.
- Ask for suggestions for what should be included, what guidance do they need?
- Living document, something to be added onto regularly/frequently.
- Is disability well represented/included in SAA's diversity efforts? How do we go from speaking about it to being active about it?
Current Status of Final Revision of Best Practices
- Suggestions to either greatly shorten our document (to make it more likely archivists will read it) or to have two versions: brief and extended.
- Consider readability/depth for laptop/phone/etc. reading. Include more bullet points, something that is easily glanced over and referenced.
- Shorter document posted online, with option to access a longer, more detailed version.
- Kathy - I've seen web pages where they provide a brief overview/introduction and then have a link to the full document/more resources.
- New table of contents will make the document more navigable.
- Example: DACS online - very navigable, table of contents is ever-present in a sidebar to use.
- Preference for single, short document expressed. Sidebar would be nice, but will that work with screen readers, etc? Keep all aspects of accessibility in mind. Core document should also be accessible as pdf that can easily be printed and distributed.
- *Make sure this document focuses on what is unique to archives - don't reinvent the wheel for what is already included in other, more general guidelines/manuals on accessibility.
- Best place to include Visible and Invisible disabilities into Best Practices
- As well as temporary disabilities.
- In one place or throughout?
- Need to tighten document, reduce repeated advice.
- Avoid being too elementary or condescending - but we should not make any assumptions. We are serving many different audiences for various purposes and reasons.
- Example of lumpy rug being a tripping hazard. Our guidelines can be expertise or backup for archivists to point to when they are requesting for these items to be removed from their reading rooms.
- Other examples: lifting 40-50 lbs boxes, required typing tests. We don't have to mention every example like this; recommend that people look at their job ads to see if they have outdated language or unnecessary requirements.
- Working Title - Guidelines for Creating Accessible Archival Environments for People with Disabilities
- "Accessible" has many different meanings; using "disability" will make it clear what this document encompasses.
- Should also include the word "inclusion" in the title and/or introduction. Directly related to communication.
- Also include "visible and invisible disabilities." Can also include light sensitivity, etc.
- Let's make sure this document is accessible, useful, and regularly maintained.
- Need more time to review Sara's new draft with 3 main sections. [Add to agenda for meeting in DC.
Tanya requested a draft to show the Council at the August meeting. Kathy will send out a draft "draft" to everyone to review before forwarding to Tanya. Or we can provide current working draft "for Council eyes only." [Hooray!]
SAA Task Force Meeting
- Length and structure of our final document
- Our table near the registration desk. Ideas for questions to ask meeting attendees (KM)
- Ask people to fill in the blanks on some basic questions.
- I have felt an archives is not accessible when....
- I want a Best Practices on Accessibility document to help me with...
- Accessibility in archives means....
- [Inclusion]
- And have a "free form" option - we don't know what we don't know!
- Hold a portion of our meeting at the info table?
- Post large sheet of butcher paper with pens for people to fill in the blanks.
- Grab rolls of brown wrapping paper and markers out on a table.
Open for discussion
Webinar for Continuing Education
● The Disability Community in the Library: Education, Access, and Advocacy
https://ischool.wisc.edu/continuing-education/disability-community-in-the-library/
