Category: Research

Call for Participants: Archives, Slavery & Race-Making Summer School, King’s College London, July 3- 7, 2023

The Centre for Early Modern Studies (CEMS) at King’s College London is pleased to invite applications for a fully-funded, week-long summer school exploring new methodological approaches to the archives of race & slavery in the early modern world.  

Bringing together leading scholars in a variety of methodologies and disciplines, the Archives, Slavery & Race-Making Summer School aims to introduce a new generation of researchers to cutting-edge approaches to the field. This summer school comprises morning master classes with leading scholars, followed by afternoon sessions in which participants will have the opportunity to workshop chapters from their dissertation or a related article project. The topics covered will include:

Diana Paton (Edinburgh): Gender and Slavery in the Atlantic World

Stephanie Smallwood (Washington University): The Middle Passage

Farah Karim-Cooper (The Globe/KCL): Race and Contemporary Performance

Alexandre White (Johns Hopkins University): Sociological Approaches to Archives of Slavery 

Tamara Walker (Barnard): Visual and Material Culture

This workshop is open to PhD students actively researching their dissertation and ECRs, broadly defined, from any relevant discipline. This event is being organised and hosted by Medicine and the Making of Race, 1440-1720, a UKRI Future Leader’s Fellowship Project. MMoR will cover the cost of travel, (domestic or international), to London.  Participants will receive accommodation for six nights, and breakfast and lunches will be provided. We intend this workshop to be fully accessible to all; if extra assistance is required to participate, please feel free to raise this with us in advance.

Interested applicants are invited to submit a short application, including a CV and a (ca.1000 word) covering letter which includes a description of their research interests and how this workshop might benefit them. The name of one referee is required, but will only be contacted at point of shortlisting. Please note we expect participants to be in a position to submit pieces of writing c.5000 words at least a month in advance of the workshop. Participants will also be expected to carry out reading for each masterclass in advance, and attendance of all elements of the workshop are mandatory. This is an opportunity to meet and collaborate with other emerging researchers in the field from across the globe, and the week will include time for networking and for visiting relevant sites and archives in London.

Please send your application material to mmor@kcl.ac.uk by Friday March 3rd, 2023. Applicants will be selected with a view to research fit, as well as to ensuring a diversity of research interests, methodologies, and academic backgrounds. Priority will be given to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to travel or network internationally. 

Contact Email: 

mmor@kcl.ac.uk

URL: https://www.mmor.co.uk/news/cfp-summer-school

Participate in a research study about the impact of chronic illness and disability on careers in special collections libraries and archives

Special Collections librarians and archivists are invited to participate in a research study about the impact that having a chronic illness and/or disability has on their careers. To participate, you must be 18 years or older, a current employee at a special collections library or archive, and self-identify as having a chronic illness and/or disability.

This study consists of an online survey and is being conducted by Melanie Griffin, Director of Special Collections Services at the University of Arkansas Libraries (melanieg@uark.edu).  The survey will ask questions about your current employment status as well as questions related to your experiences working with chronic illness and/or disability while working in a special collections library or archives. It should take 10-15 minutes to complete the survey.

If you decide to participate, understand that participation is voluntary and can be discontinued at any point without penalty. You can choose not to participate. There is no cost associated with participating in this study, and you will not receive compensation for participating. At the conclusion of the study, you have the right to request feedback about the results by contacting the researcher.

All information will be kept confidential to the extent allowed by applicable State and Federal law. Data will be anonymized before analysis, and results will only be presented in the aggregate. Records will be stored on secure university servers.

If you have questions about the study, please contact Melanie Griffin, Director of Special Collections Services at the University of Arkansas Libraries, by emailing melanieg@uark.edu.

The deadline to complete the survey is March 1, 2023.

Access the survey: https://uark.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3sZ99mGKviYwK58.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Melanie Griffin
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Melanie Griffin
Director of Special Collections Services
University of Arkansas Libraries
Fayetteville AR
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Call for Participation: Research Study on Corporate Archives

My name is Michelle Witt, and I am a master’s student at UNC-Chapel Hill pursuing a degree in library science with a specialization in archives and records management. I am conducting a research study on the challenges that corporate archivists face in filling gaps in their collections. If you are a corporate archivist working for a Fortune 1000 company, I would ask that you consider joining this study. Participation involves one 60-minute interview with me via Zoom. For more information, please reach out to me at michemor@email.unc.edu.

If you have any questions or concerns about your rights as a research subject, you may contact the UNC-Chapel Hill Institutional Review Board at 919-966-3113 or IRB_subjects@unc.edu.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Michelle Witt

IRB Study # 22-3197

SAA Research Forum Recordings Available

The recordings of the Research Forum sessions are now online here: https://www.pathlms.com/saa/events/1994/event_sections/11947

People who registered for the conference have immediate access to the recordings.

For people who were not registered, the all-access recordings package is available to purchase through the conference registration page: https://www2.archivists.org/am2020/attend/Conference-Registration

Many thanks to the presenters and attendees for making the first virtual Research Forum a success!

Kate Neptune and Rebecca Thayer
Research Forum (RF) Coordinators, on behalf of the RF Program Committee

CFP: Survey on Dual Role as Archivist & Librarian

I am conducting a survey regarding the work experience of people with dual roles as archivists and librarians and I was wondering if you would send out the link to your members? I am also open to suggestions for other places to place the call. I am a long-time librarian recently moving into archives so I am very likely oblivious to the best spots to generate some interaction on the archival side.

https://uidaho.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8uo3HsmEwmyQgRv

Thank you for considering this request!

Robert

Robert Perret
He/him/his
Special Collections and Archives, Reference
University of Idaho Library
208-885-6631
rperret@uidaho.edu

New Research and Education Special Interest Group, Australian Society of Archivists

10 Aug 2020

ASA Council has approved the formation of a new Research and Education Special Interest Group, or REDSIG.

Many researchers and educators in fields such as archives, archival science, records management, digital preservation, conservation, and related disciplines (referred to here as ‘archival research and education’) work in the university, training, and consultancy sectors, as well as in dedicated archival institutions. Though these members of the ASA and their colleagues have many shared issues and concerns (e.g. accreditation, changing university fee structures, student access, proposed changes to research funding models, the need to develop links between theory and practice) their interests are not currently represented by an existing ASA SIG.

The draft objectives of REDSIG are as follows:

  1. To develop Australia’s research capacity and capability with regard to archives, archival science, records management, and digital preservation, and promote the rich legacy of Australian archival research and archival theory.
  2. To advocate on behalf of researchers and educators to government, educational institutions, unions, employers, and the Society with regard to issues which affect archival research and education in Australia.
  3. To foster relationships and collaborations which create and invigorate connections between archival theory and practice in Australia.
  4. To assist with the diversification of Australia’s archival profession, through the pursuit of equity of access to archival education and improved diversity and representativeness in research.
  5. To advise the Society on matters related to research and education, including accreditation standards and advocacy issues.
  6. To provide opportunities for researchers and educators to discuss matters of mutual concern and to study the problems and needs of Australian archival researchers and educators, including publishing or otherwise promulgating the results of such studies.
  7. To provide a local organisational structure through which to develop further engagement with international groups such as the Archival Education and Research Initiative (AERI) and the International Council on Archives Section for Archival Education and Training (ICA-SAE).

The rules of the SIG, including these objectives, will be confirmed at an inaugural REDSIG AGM in September, at which time a Convenor and Secretary will also be elected. In the meantime, Dr Mike Jones will act in these roles for the purposes of setting up the AGM and corresponding with prospective members.

To join the REDSIG:

  • go to My Memberships in the Member Centre
  • select the Update Details tab
  • select REDSIG from the list of available Special Interest Groups.

If you have any questions regarding the new group please contact Mike via email here.

IASA Research Grant

IASA Research Grant Guidelines
IASA regularly offers financial awards to encourage and support research and publication within the field of audiovisual archiving and preservation. In order to be considered for a research grant, the following guidelines apply:

  1. Research can, but need not, form part of an academic programme.
  2. The level of financial support will be determined by the IASA Executive Board individually on a case by case basis, but individual awards will not normally exceed Euro 2,000. All costs are eligible if the applicant can show clear justification for them within the scope, aims, and purposes of the project.
  3. IASA will only consider applications from IASA members whose membership is in good standing at the time of application.
  4. IASA promotes diversity in the audiovisual archiving field and encourages applications from developing countries.
  5. IASA will support a research project only if there is evidence that the results are within the scope of IASA’s purposes. This includes, but is not limited to the care of, access to, and long term preservation of sound and audiovisual heritage including the development of best professional standards and practice for sound and audiovisual heritage. See paragraph 2 of the IASA constitution (www.iasa-web.org/iasa-constitution#intro) for an articulation of IASA’s purposes.
  6. Depending on the scope and the overall duration of a research project, the applicant should arrange appropriately defined project phases. Interim reports should be sent to IASA at the end of each phase. A final report must be submitted no later than two (2) months following the end of the project.
  7. IASA will issue a research grant on the basis of a written agreement signed by the Secretary-General for the Association.
  8. The recipient will acknowledge IASA in all papers, presentations, and other publications that reference research supported by IASA.
  9. IASA will not pay Research Grants in advance of a project

To apply for a IASA research grant, click here (IASA members only)

Call for Research Participation: A Study into Environmental Sustainability and Archival Practice

A Study into Environmental Sustainability and Archival Practice

I am Georgina Robinson, an Archives and Records Management MA student at University College London currently undertaking dissertation research to explore environmental sustainability within archival practice. My aim is to quantify levels of awareness and action in the UK. This investigation will form the basis of my dissertation and the results may be published as an article to encourage further discussion on this topic.

For the purpose of this study:

  • Those involved in archival practice are taken to be anyone (aged 18 or over) whose work involves the care and curation of archives, records or data, e.g. archivists, records managers, conservators or digital curators.
  • The practice of environmental sustainability is to ensure that the needs of today’s population are met without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. This is done through responsible interaction with the environment to avoid depletion or degradation of natural resources.

If you are interested, please follow or share this link to the online questionnaire: https://opinio.ucl.ac.uk/s?s=67873

There are 17 questions it total, which should take about 10 minutes to complete. The closing date for responses is the 22nd June 2020.

If you have any questions please contact me on georgina.robinson.18[at]ucl.ac.uk

Background to this study

In archival discourse, the term ‘sustainability’ has mostly been used in relation to the sustainability of running an archive service. This may seem understandable in a sector where many are subject to financial and practical limitations in their work. This study aims to explore whether costs are ever a contributing or motivating factor in the implementation of environmental sustainability. An example would be the assertion that decreasing energy consumption in an archive will save money and reduce fossil fuel consumption.

Although environmental sustainability has been less frequently explored in archival theory, significant literature exists on how to be a ‘Green’ Archivist[1] or how to build a ‘Green’ Archive.[2]

This project, however, seeks to explore current awareness of our environmental impact and what cultural heritage professionals in the UK are doing about it. Interest in this study has already shown that there is significant concern about the issue of Climate Change and desire to act upon it from within the Archive sector. In part this may have been accelerated by the recent waves of environmental awareness seen over the world with climate strikes and protests.

This is true in US as well as in the UK and Europe. Over the last couple of years, we have seen an increasing level of discussion on this issue from archive professionals in the US. Detailed papers, such as Harvard Library’s Toward Environmentally Sustainable Digital Preservation[3] and Ben Goldman’s It’s Not Easy Being Green(e): Digital Preservation in the Age of Climate Change[4] detail the impact of Digital Preservation and what Archivists can do to alter theory and practices to better reduce their collection’s toll on the environment.

The common theme of these studies is whether we, as archivists, records managers or conservators, have a duty to mitigate the impact of our work on the environment? Do we have any power in the struggle for Climate Justice? Why should we care?

I would like to hear about your experiences, thoughts and opinions on this issue. I am looking for UK based archivists, record managers and conservation professionals who are willing to participate in this study. Any support with this will be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Georgina Robinson

Department of Information Studies
University College London

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/georgina-robinson-90160bb1

Twitter: @georginarobin

[1] Heidi N. Abbey, The Green Archivist: a primer for adopting affordable, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible archival management practices,
Archival Issues, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 91-115, 2012

[2] IFLA PAC, Library & Archives Facing the Challenges of Sustainable Development, International Preservation News, No 44, 2008.

[3] Keith L. Pendergrass, Walker Sampson, Tim Walsh, and Laura Alagna, “Toward Environmentally Sustainable Digital Preservation”, The American Archivist 82 (1): 165–206, 2019.

[4] Benjamin Goldman, “It’s Not Easy Being Green(e): Digital Preservation in the Age of Climate Change,” in Archival Values: Essays in Honor of Mark Greene, Society of American Archivists, 2019.

Image from page 141 of “The Canadian field-naturalist” (1919). Cortesy of Internet Archive Book Images.

Call for Survey Participation: Archives and Refugees

Dear All, I am currently undertaking a dissertation research about: “Archives and Refugees: An investigation on mainstream and community archives and other projects and their relationship with refugee records”.I compiled a questionnaire and would be happy, if everybody who is working with refugee records or with projects that record the heritage of refugees could take part in my survey. The questionnaire can be found here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7vv_ecp8jo8f9D1BpdsxVCVr8XhSdXm-fhf9aO0W_95OXCg/viewform?usp=sf_linkI would love to gather as many different responses as possible! Any support with this is massively appreciated.Thank you in advance and stay safe!

Elisa Schlarp

Call for Participation: Survey on COVID-19 and Information

Dear All,

Please consider participating in the following brief survey that seeks to understand the public attitude about information during a public health emergency.

Link to survey: http://sjudlis.com/covid19survey/

This is the final call for participation – the survey closes on Thursday, June 4. Feel free to pass on the survey link to anybody who may be interested in filling this out.

Thank you for considering participation in this research project.

Best,

Rajesh

—

Rajesh Singh, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Division of Library and Information Science

St. John’s University

8000 Utopia Parkway

Queens, New York 11439

Tel: 718-990-5705