Resources for Response to COVID-19 Health Crisis

The SAA Council has created the following page to provide links to tools for managerial advocacy, support for displaced archives workers, and other resources to help the archives community navigate this global health crisis.

We invite members to submit additional ideas for resources to saahq@archivists.org.

AID

FOR INDIVIDUALS

Archival Workers Emergency Fund 
Created in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Archival Workers Emergency Fund was established by the SAA Foundation to provide financial assistance for archival workers experiencing acute, unanticipated financial hardship due to the crisis.

Tri-State Relief Fund to Support Non-Salaried Workers in the Visual Arts 
The Tri-State Relief Fund to Support Non-Salaried Workers in the Visual Arts will distribute one-time unrestricted cash grants of $2,000 each to freelance, contract, or non-salaried archivists, art handlers, artist/photographer’s assistants, cataloguers, database specialists, digital assets specialists, image scanners/digitizers, and registrars. Applications will be accepted over three cycles starting Tuesday, May 5, 2020. 

CA CARES: Humanities Relief Grants  for Individuals
California CARES Relief Grants for individuals aim to provide general operating support to individuals whose work in the public humanities is currently impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Museum Workers Relief Fund
The Museum Workers Relief Fund operates by the principles of mutual aid: organized by and for museum workers, founded on equity, trust, solidarity, and empowerment of our members, without conditions.

Mutual Aid/Food/Supplies During COVID-19 
Crowdsourced list of mutual aid efforts organized geographically.

Help a Library Worker Out (EveryLibrary Institute)

United Way WorldWide's COVID-19 Fund

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Search for local assistance finding food, paying housing bills, or other essential services.

FOR ORGANIZATIONS

U.S. Small Business Adminstration Coronavirus Relief Options 
Provides information on options available to small businesses, particularly related to the Paycheck Protection Program. 

Paycheck Protection Program First Draw Loans
SBA is reopening the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for First Draw Loans the week of January 11, 2021.

IRS: Eligible Paycheck Protection Expenses Now Deductible 
The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued guidance on January 6, 2021, allowing deductions for the payments of eligible expenses when such payments would result (or be expected to result) in the forgiveness of a loan (covered loan) under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

IMLS CARES Act Grants for Museums and Libraries support museums and libraries in addressing their communities’ immediate and future needs caused by the pandemic. Projects may focus on preserving jobs, training staff, addressing the digital divide, planning for reopening, or providing technical support and capacity building for digital inclusion and engagement. Applicants are encouraged to prioritize services for high-need communities. The deadline for submitting applications is June 12, 2020, with award announcements anticipated in August.

IMLS CARES Act Grants for Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum and Library Services assist tribes and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians in responding to the urgent and future needs of their communities. Applications focused on digital inclusion, technical support, rehiring or retraining staff, reopening planning, and other pandemic-related priorities are welcomed. The deadline for submitting applications is June 12, 2020, with award announcements anticipated in August.

NEH CARES (National Endowment for the Humanities grants)

CA CARES: Humanities Relief Grants for Organizations
CA CARES: Humanities Relief Grants for organizations aim to provide general operating support to organizations that have experienced the cancellation of their public humanities activities due to a decrease or loss of revenue, cancellation of programming opportunities, loss of paid staff, or venues as a result of COVID-19. 

RESOURCES

SAA Accessibility & Disability Section’s “Archivists at Home” Open Document
A crowdsourced document for advocacy and ideas on remote labor.

Documenting Your Community’s Experience of COVID-19: A Resource List
The SAA Students and New Archives Professionals (SNAP) Section has created an annotated resource list for various community archiving initiatives related to documenting experiences and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The list is divided into two sections: institutional responses and broad guidelines for documentation. 

Documenting in Times of Crisis: A Resource Kit
Various documents and templates developed by the SAA Tragedy Response Initiative Task Force to assist archivists in collecting materials on tragedies within their communities.  

HENTF COVID-19 Resource Hub
The Heritage Emergency National Task Force has launched this web portal with an array of resources that can help you and your constituents respond to and recover from the pandemic. 

National Trust for Historic Preservation
A range of resources for preservationists, museums, and historic sites, in response to COVID-19.

What to do during covid-19? A list for archivists
Crowdsourced list of online trainings, videos, and podcasts related to archives. 

Resources for Displaced Archival Workers
Collection of resources useful to U.S.-based archival workers navigating rapidly changing conditions during the COVID-19 emergency, related to remote work, archival labor, mutual aid, access to unemployment benefits, and more. 

Covid-19 Basics: Disinfecting Cultural Resources
Webinar from the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, presented by Dr. Mary Striegel, about isolating, cleaning, or disinfecting historic materials.

REopening Archives, Libraries and Museums (REALM) is a research partnership between OCLC, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and Battelle to create and distribute science-based information and recommended practices designed to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 to staff and visitors who are engaging in the delivery or use of museum, library, and archival services.  

Visit oc.lc/realm-project for more information on the project, research timeline, and committee members. Project updates and resources will be added to this information hub as they become available. 

We encourage you to sign up to receive project updates by email and/or bookmark the project page, as it will be the primary source for housing all program results and resources. You can also follow OCLC on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn for the latest project updates and join the conversation using #REALMproject.  

STATEMENTS

SAA Council Statement on Impact of COVID-19 Health Crisis on Archives Workers (March 2020)

Association of Canadian Archivists Statement (March 2020)

American Library Association Statement (March 2020)

ITHAKA S+R Academic Library Response to COVID-19 Survey and Findings (March 2020)

RBMS Institutional Responses to COVID-19 (March 2020)

Message from the Archivist of the United States (March 2020)