VOTE!!: Women's Collections Section 2023 Ballot

Vice Co-Chair Candidate

Caroline Collins

Biography

My name is Caroline Collins (she/her) and I am a local records archivist at the Library of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia. I received bachelor’s degrees in Information Science and History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and I earned my MSIS from the University of Texas at Austin in 2021. While in Austin, I interned at the Briscoe Center for American History. Prior to my current position, I worked part-time as a library assistant and archivist at the Sandhills Community College Library in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Candidate Statement 

I am interested in serving as a vice co-chair/co-chair elect of the SAA Women’s Collections Section because I believe in the importance of uplifting women’s stories in archives. The perspectives of women have historically been excluded from archives and overlooked or minimized in the construction of historical narratives. As such, it is imperative that archives intentionally acquire and preserve materials related to women in order to foster representative, inclusive collections. As part of my current position, I try to ensure that women’s stories and perspectives are discoverable when describing and indexing records. In collaboration with other members of the SAA Women’s Collections Section, I want to explore practical strategies for collecting and preserving women’s stories in archives. I also hope to emphasize the importance of centering the stories and experiences of women that already exist in our collections through exhibitions, public programming, and outreach. Ultimately, I want all women, and especially those who belong to other marginalized communities, to recognize that they occupy an important place in history and to feel like archives not only value their stories and perspectives, but actively encourage their acquisition and elevation. 

Ballot Page: https://mysaa.archivists.org/myballots  

The “View Ballot” link will direct users to the usual SurveyMonkey election ballot. Users must be logged in to access the page. The Ballot will close Wednesday, Sept. 27.