OVERVIEW: As government archivists and records professionals, we serve entities that change over time or sometimes house materials focused on difficult topics. This session seeks to explore and share experiences that reflect this, including working with changing governing points of view or materials that are deeply disturbing.
Challenges aren’t insurmountable! There is strong interest in the records at the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration that relate to Eugenics, sterilization, and institutionalization. Mariessa Dobrick, reference archivist, will talk about ways Vermont balances the statutory limits and ethical concerns to accessibility. Providing access to records with researcher conversations and partnerships, training opportunities with other state agencies and honest conversations with stakeholders about the nature of the records we hold. Key takeaways will include how to embrace a challenging set of records with ethical care and concern.
Kathie Schey, City Archivist of Huntington Beach, California will share archival responses to shifts in elected governance and community priorities – including necessarily incorporating viewpoints we do not share. How do we handle challenges to materials associated with the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, or people of color? How has guidance from members of these important communities been achieved? She will also share the ways, over time, access points have changed sometimes to save the records themselves.
We want others to benefit from our experiences and know that if they find themselves in similar situations, they are not alone.
GARA CERTIFICATE CORE COMPETENCY AREAS: "Training, Advocacy and Outreach" OR "Archives and Long-term Preservation"
TARGET AUDIENCES: Federal, State/Tribal, Local, Public Institutions of Higher Learning
FOCUS AREAS: Archives, Records Management
PRESENTERS: Kathie A Schey, City Archivist, City of Huntington Beach, County of Orange | Mariessa Dobrick, Reference Archivist, Vermont State Archives and Records Administration