American Archivist Call for Microreviews

Are you interested in reviewing the latest archives resources for your colleagues? The American Archivist wants to hear from you!

We are actively seeking microreviews of archives-related books for our Reviews Portal. Microreviews are short, informal contributions (about 100–400 words) that summarize a work and share your reaction to it. An example is Samantha Cross’s 2022 microreview of the podcast The Magnus Archives.

Microreviews are a great way to contribute to the archival literature no matter where you are in your professional journey. Never written a review before? No problem! Our Reviews Editors, Rose Buchanan and Stephanie Luke, are available to answer questions and guide contributors through the entire review process.

For more information about writing a microreview, please see our guidelines for preparing a microreview. If you’re interested in writing a review, please contact us at ReviewsEditor@archivists.org.

We look forward to hearing from you!

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Rose Buchanan & Stephanie Luke
Reviews Editors, American Archivist

Survey: Tell us about your American Archivist reading experience!

What do you love about the digital American Archivist? What would you like to read more of? Tell us in this 15-minute survey.

Take the Survey

In the last decade, the Journal has seen a tremendous shift in how readers engage with it. Established in 1938 in a physical format, American Archivist launched a companion digital format in 2010. Then in 2021, the Journal shifted to a digital-only format. With these recent changes, the Editorial Board seeks your input on how you interact with the digital American Archivist, what you think of it, and how your reading experience can be improved. Take the survey by March 1 and send additional comments to AmericanArchivist@archivists.org.

New Issue: American Archivist

In the digital-only issue of American Archivist 85.2, two international perspectives share steps taken toward disaster preparedness in Germany’s cultural archives, and lessons learned from a data recovery project at the National Archives of Australia; Heather Soyka discusses the effectiveness of the Archives Leadership Institute’s career building opportunities; and Alston Brake Cobourn, Jen Corrinne Brown, Edward Warga, and Lisa Louis show how metaliteracy and transliteracy projects are doable at underserved institutions.

Other articles examine the current state of archival education, user experience and reference staffing in archives, and the personal archiving habits of modern soldiers. In addition, contributors review several books that consider social and cultural movements and the fate of historical archives.

On the cover: German archivists participate in a training course on disaster and emergency response at the Augsburg City Archive in 2016. Guided by a conservator, small groups practiced the handling, packaging, and transport of damaged materials. In his article, “’Together We Are Strong’: Emergency Associations for the Protection of Germany’s Cultural Heritage,” Rainer Jedlitschka discusses the creation and development of several emergency associations in Germany that have collaborated to offer mutual support in the event of natural and humanmade disasters. Read more about the role and success of the new networks and German archivists’ new experience and preparedness. Photo courtesy of Kerstin Lengger, Augsburg City Archive.

American Archivist 85.2 (Fall/Winter 2022)
Table of Contents

(Review access here)

From the Editor

Articles

Reviews

Love what you’ve read? Share it with a friend or colleague! 

Interested in writing an article or review? Check out American Archivist’s submission guidelines.

New Issue: American Archivist

Fall/Winter 2019 Issue Online Now,
Print Edition To Be Mailed Later

The Fall/Winter 2019 issue is available open access online. Read about the historical hazards of finding aids, virtual reality experiences in the archives, reassessing audiovisual archives, and more! Note: Due to shelter-in-place orders across the country, our printer/distributor has recommended delaying the mailing of the print edition as the majority of copies are sent to members’ workplaces and institutions. Expect your Fall/Winter 2019 and Spring/Summer 2020 issues to arrive together in early summer. Until then, read all content online at AmericanArchivist.org—and let your colleagues and friends know that the most recent journal content is temporarily fully accessible through June 30!

American Archivist Temporarily Removes Embargo

SAA is temporarily removing the embargo on the six most recent issues of American Archivist and making them available to all through the website. All content from these issues will now be freely accessible through June 30, 2020. (As is standard, the balance of the back issues dating from 1938 will continue as open access.) Stay home with some good reading!

Go Green with SAA Publications

Do you find yourself reading American Archivist or Archival Outlook only online? Now you can “go green” and opt out of the print version of these publications. By doing so, you’ll help SAA reduce our costs and climate impact—it’s a win-win!

And it’s easy to make the switch. Simply log in to your SAA profile, click “Edit My Profile” in the left column, scroll down to “Communications and Mailing Preference,” and click “opt out” of the journal and/or magazine. Then keep an eye on In the Loop so you never miss a new issue of American Archivist and Archival Outlook!

You’ll still enjoy the same great content—now a little greener and in the format you prefer.

Call for Applications: Editor, American Archivist

Are you an avid reader of professional literature and an author? Do you have experience as an editor? Do you get excited about nurturing new knowledge and voices in the profession? Are you brimming with ideas for expanding this journal’s readership?

If so, you could be the next editor of American Archivist!

Established in 1938, American Archivist is the leading publication in the archives field. Published semi-annually by the Society of American Archivists, the journal features research articles, case studies, perspectives, and international scene pieces as well as reviews of professional literature, archival technologies, and resources. It strives to publish contributions that advance the core organizational values and strategic goals of SAA.

SAA seeks a dynamic individual with excellent communication skills who will enhance the visibility of American Archivist in the archives and allied professional communities and grow the number of high-quality submissions. The Editor is responsible for the solicitation, selection, peer review, and final approval of articles and features. A successful candidate shall demonstrate an ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as reflected in the SAA Statement on Diversity and Inclusion. Critical to advancing the goals enumerated in the SAA Strategic Plan, we seek a candidate who will continue to diversify and strengthen the peer review system, harness the diverse talent and perspectives of the Editorial Board, and focus on making our journal more inclusive and accessible. Thus, we welcome a candidate who will maintain the independence, prominence, and credibility of American Archivist as a critical venue for presenting the diversity of knowledge and ideas relevant to the archival profession, through a rigorous peer review process that values diversity and inclusivity and produces excellent scholarly and professional contributions.

The Editor will use PeerTrack (an author- and reviewer-friendly manuscript submission and peer review system) to work with authors and prospective authors on necessary revisions. In addition, the Editor works closely with the reviews editor, a copyeditor, an indexer, and the SAA staff (who handle journal production and business matters). The Editor also coordinates the activities of the American Archivist Editorial Board, serves ex officio on the SAA Publications Board, and reports to the SAA Council.

Candidates should possess the following qualifications:

• Demonstrated leadership skills, to include a strong and clear showing of a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity and a vision that places the journal at the forefront of professional dialog.

• Demonstrated ability to develop and nurture relationships with authors, both emerging and established, to encourage them to explore interesting questions, and to submit ideas and articles to the journal.

• Strong understanding of archival work or the archival profession, ability and willingness to develop ideas in emerging areas of the profession, to support the thoughtful reexamination of past professional insights, and to address issues of particular relevance to historically underrepresented populations.

• Ability to nurture intriguing, but not completely formed, submissions to successful publication.

• Excellent personal communication and writing skills, including the ability to edit scholarly material, to give feedback to authors, and to make timely reports to those in SAA with oversight responsibility for the journal.

• Sufficient financial and time-management skills to ensure that the journal is published regularly, on time, and on budget.

The term of the current Editor, Cal Lee, expires on December 31, 2020. His successor, who will serve a three-year term, will begin work no later than January 1, 2021. The honorarium is commensurate with experience ($20,000–$30,000).

Interviews of finalists will be conducted in May 2020. Submit letter of interest and curriculum vitae/résumé by April 15, 2020, to saahq@archivists.org and in the subject line state “Application for Editor of American Archivist.”

Questions should be directed to SAA Executive Director Nancy Beaumont at nbeaumont@archivists.org or 866-722-7858.

Call for Contributions: Special Section of American Archivist

Hello and good day, everyone,

I am writing to you this morning as both a member of the SAA Design Records Section and as an Editorial Board member of the American Archivist. I would like to invite you all to consider writing an article for an upcoming special design records-related section of the journal.

The section will focus on such topics as design records management, repositories, practices, content, challenges, etc. We will also feature an image from a contributing repository for the issue’s cover.

Submitting a written work to AA is a wonderful way to reach out to your peers, contribute to the professional literature, and highlight your innovative practice and special content.

The AA Editor and Editorial Board have designated volume 84, issue 1 (fall/winter 2021) for this dedicated content; the publication/production calendar is:

July 1, 2020: Submissions due
December 2020: Peer review feedback returned and final decisions made
June 2021: Final drafts due

Many submission questions can be answered at www2.archivists.org/american-archivist/submissions. I am also certainly happy to field any questions and you are welcome to write to me off-line (please see my contact information below).

Thank you for considering this invitation; we look forward to your submissions!

Yours,
Karen

——————————
Karen Jamison TRIVETTE, MLS
Assoc. Prof., Head of Special Collections and College Archives
Gladys Marcus Library | Goodman Resource Center | Room E432
Fashion Institute of Technology – SUNY
Seventh Avenue at 27 Street
New York City 10001-5992
www.fitnyc.edu/library
karen_trivette@fitnyc.edu
212 217.4386 office | 212 217.4371 Library fax | 518.526.6307 cell

Fall/Winter 2019 Issue of American Archivist

Half of the content—including 11 articles and reviews—from the latest American Archivist is now online! Articles examine the roles of archivists and catalogers, consider virtual reality experiences for archival collections, reflect on the adoption of EAD twenty years later, highlight a case study for reassessing audiovisual materials, and more. Start reading now (you’ll need to log in to access the issue).

There’s more in the pipeline. The journal is experimenting with “advance article publication,” meaning that content will continue to be published online as it becomes available for this issue. The print edition, which will include the volume index, is projected to be available by March. View the entire table of contents for the issue.

CFP: The American Archivist

Call for Journal Contributions on Design Records
You are invited to consider writing an article or presenting a case study on design records management, repositories, practices, content, etc., for volume 84, issue 1 (Fall/Winter 2021) of American Archivist. Visual materials are encouraged. Karen Jamison Trivette of the Fashion Institute of Technology – SUNY and a member of the American Archivist Editorial Board can answer any questions you may have about this special section and/or issue of the journal. She may be reached at karen_trivette@fitnyc.edu or 212-217-4386. Click here for more info on submissions. Submitting a written work for publication consideration in the journal is a wonderful way to reach out to your peers, contribute to the professional literature, and highlight your innovative practice and special content.