This class has been the most challenging and fulfilling of my MLIS journey so far, thank you Professor Lawrimore. I now realize that I essentially knew nothing about how archives function and the challenges that they face at the beginning of this class. In my naivete I subscribed to the “dusty old archives” myth, imagining naturally accumulating stacks of records that showed a neutral and accurate version of past events. I now emerge post- INFO256 with a much clearer perspective on the reality of what archives have been, what they are today, and what the future must hold if archives continue to tell our stories.
Archives are places of bias
Because the inner workings of an archives have historically been opaque, they have benefitted from the myth of archival neutrality. Archives were often viewed as unbiased reflections of the historical record, with archivists watching over the contents without no power or influence. This could not be further from the truth, archives “wield power over the shape and direction of historical scholarship, collective memory, and national identity” (Schwartz & Cook, 2002, p. 2). Archives reflect the biases and priorities of archivists and the institutions that employ them. In choosing what to keep, or to erase, for the permanent record, archivists have great power to change our perception of history. Archives have traditionally amplified the stories of white male individuals with the power and resources that allowed them to create and maintain records. The voices of marginalized members of society were ignored and erased, leading to archival silences. When the voices of one group are prioritized they increase in power over time, eliminating the cultural heritage of silenced populations and skewing the historical record.
Archives should protect records in order to increase transparency, accountability, and to preserve the rights and cultural history of all. There is no way to accurately know how a record might be used in the future, but an archivist must imagine future possibilities in order to keep a balance of records. To correct the existing biased historical record and to prevent future bias as much as possible, archivists have the responsibility to become advocates, as “the act of advocacy intervenes against larger tendencies to erase the past,” (Tansey, 2015, p.10). Archival advocacy can apply to current work, as well as going back to fix old racist subject headings and finding aids. Archivists can also examine archival silences and attempt to advocate for the unheard, filling these silences. Reparative collecting allows marginalized stories to return to the historical record, reclaiming their cultural history for all “so their experiences will not be forgotten or denied,” (Cook, 2011, p. 183). The framework of cultural humility cautions the archivist to recognize that they will never fully understand a community that they aren’t a part of, and to be self-critical and open about this fact when working with records. By acknowledging biases and weaknesses, archivists can continue their work transparently, knowing that it is an ongoing iterative process. When they know better, they will do better, keeping records of past mistakes and reasons for alterations.
As a new archivist I understand that I must make decisions carefully, recognizing my own internal bias and fallibility but doing my best to ensure that all voices are heard. I acknowledge that I will make mistakes, and what matters most is that I’m honest about them and that I am transparent about the way that I fix them.
Chronic underfunding
For decades, archives have been locked in a “cycle of poverty” (Tansey, 2015, p.5), many without funding to even fulfill their most basic tasks. The advent of digital born records and the push for digitization has helped to create an massive backlog of unprocessed collections. Lack of funding for continuing education about new digital formats has exacerbated the problem, with many digital records in danger of being lost forever. The combination of climate change and lack of funding is another huge problem for archives, some are already feeling the effects with a much larger number likely to be at risk in the coming years.
The “More Product, Less Process” model is one way that archivists can fight back against the “hidden collections” of unprocessed records in their facilities (Meissner & Greene, 2005). By moving to quickly process collections on a less granular level, more collections become available to patrons albeit in a slightly rougher form. This is a more efficient way to achieving the archival goal of access.
As a new archivist I recognize that I need to be time-efficient in processing, avoiding item level description. I am not a historian, and my finding aids must reflect this. In the goal of making inaccessible collections accessible, the perfect is the enemy of the good.
Marginalization of Archivists
Archivists are chronically underpaid because their societal importance is overlooked, as “the public values records but not keepers of records” (Tansey, 2015, p.1). While many people vaguely understand the value of historical records, they don’t understand the work involved in obtaining, processing, and maintaining these records. Archivists are seen as stuffy unapproachable dust shufflers with no connection to the average person, only serving a small sector of society. This perception “has seriously diminished the influence of archivists in the public sphere,” (Tansey, 2015, p.4).
In this age of social media, records are often shared and commodified, disconnected from the archives and work of the archivists (Tansey, 2015, p.8). Historians claim great discoveries in archives, again erasing the archival work (and requisite funding) that enabled them access to their “finds”. The work of archivists is misunderstood, downplayed, questioned, and ignored. Archivists have a lot of work to do to prove their importance.
Outreach and advocacy are crucial to allow archives to reach out beyond their stereotypical group of users. There are lots of opportunities for archives to push out into their communities, gaining new patrons, publicity, and funding. Within the archives, archivists must adopt a “access of all” approach, democratizing finding aids by simplifying language, providing translation services, and ultimately focusing on the needs of the widest possible group of patrons. Archivists must not prioritize the needs of historians and scholars, for archives to remain relevant cultural institutions they must reach a wider audience.
As a new archivist I recognize that without patrons there is no archives, records are saved so that they can be used. I will also remember that a narrow user-base means narrow funding, my goal will be to engage new patrons and populations in and beyond my community.
In conclusion, I’m very thankful for all of the important lessons that I’ve learned in this class and I look forward to moving forward, carefully, deliberately, and transparently into the archival field.
References:
Archives for Black Lives in Philadelphia’s Anti-Racist Description Working Group. (2019, October). Anti-racist description resources. Archives For Black Lives. https://archivesforblacklives.wordpress.com/resources/
Carter, R. (2006). Of things said and unsaid: Power, archival silences, and power in silence. Archivaria, 61, 215–233.
Cook, T. (2011). We are what we keep; we keep what we are: Archival appraisal past, present and future. Journal of the Society of Archivists, 32(2), 173–189. https://doi.org/10.1080/00379816.2011.619688Links to an external site.
OCLCResearch. (2021, June 8). Corrective collecting: A practical, holistic, EDI-centered strategy for community archives. . Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j16A-rq5CMY
Meissner, D., & Greene, M. A. (2005). More product, less process: Revamping traditional archival processing. The American Archivist, 68(2), 208–263. https://doi.org/10.17723/aarc.68.2.c741823776k65863
Schwartz, J. & Cook, T. (2002). Archives, records, and power: The making of modern memory. Archival Science, 2(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02435628Links to an external site.
Tai, J. (2021). Cultural humility as a framework for anti-oppressive archival description. Radical Empathy in Archival Practice 3(2), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.24242/jclis.v3i2.120
Tansey, E. (2015, December 22). Archives without archivists. Reconstruction (Bowling Green, Ohio), 16(1).