Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Footprint And The Stepping Foot: Archival Records, Evidence, And Time, Kimberly D. Anderson

Kimberly D. Anderson

This paper provides an analysis of the archival concepts of “record” and “evidence” as socio-cultural constructs arising out of a particular view of time. Archival records are usually characterized as having certain relationships to evidence in its temporal aspects—specifically, the requirement for a temporal disconnect between creation and use. This disconnect also necessitates a break between knowledge and the knower in which the record must be externalized and set aside from its creator in order to have “recordness”. This paper explores how Western concepts of time impact concepts of records and archival evidences and proposes an alternative framing. Since records …

Into The Breach: The Career Of David B. Gracy Ii, Kimberly D. Anderson

Kimberly D. Anderson

David B. Gracy II has had a significant influence on the development of archival practice in the United States. Through his service in and leadership of the Society of American Archivists, and his activism regionally in both Texas and Georgia, Gracy has shaped the profession and inspired several generations of students and future archivists. This paper explores the development of Gracy’s career and the impact it has had on archives, archivists, and the field of archival enterprise.

(Conceptual) Conversion: Reworking Archival Curriculum To Incorporate The Multiverse, Kimberly D. Anderson

Kimberly D. Anderson

http://aeri2012.wordpress.com/conference-schedule/workshops/pedagogical-approaches-in-a-conceptually-based-curriculum/

Kimberly Anderson will share her experience of transforming a class on archival outreach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The fully online course, “Archival Outreach: Programs and Services” was re-worked into conceptual modules that formed the underpinning for the class. These concepts were reinforced throughout the semester and students were asked to use them as a framing throughout the discussion and applied activities. The resultant class was a dramatic departure from the both the previous iterations of the course and the way in which other courses in the archives program are taught, which have previously focused heavily on practices. Dr. …

Educating For The Archival Multiverse, Kimberly D. Anderson, Joel A. Blanco-Rivera, Snowden Becker, Michelle Caswell, I-Ting Emily Chu, Morgan Daniels, Shannon Faulkhead, Anne Gilliland, Amy Greer, Francesca Guerra, Tyrone Howard, Trond Jacobsen, David Kim, Allison Krebs, Andrew J. Lau, Sue Mckemmish, Ellen Pearlstein, Liladhar R. Pendse, Ricardo Punzalan, Elizabeth Shepherd, Joanna Steele, Kelvin L. White, Milna Willer, Vivian Wong

Kimberly D. Anderson

Diversity addresses issues of inclusivity and the systemic nature of exclusivity in various settings, including the role of archival education in preparing new generations of archival practitioners, educators, and researchers. This article discusses why pluralist approaches might help to achieve greater diversity and cultural sensitivity in practice and scholarship. It addresses three key components of such approaches: identifying ways in which dominant cultural paradigms narrow archival pedagogy and practice; envisioning and exploring alternatives to these paradigms; and developing an archival educational framework to promote a critique of professional and societal norms and include diverse perspectives on archival theory and practice. …

Appraisal Learning Networks: How University Archivists Learn To Appraise Through Social Interaction, Kimberly D. Anderson

Kimberly D. Anderson

The appraisal of archival materials for ongoing value is one of the core responsibilities of the archivist, yet empirical research on how archivists learn to appraise is absent from the field. The purpose of this study is to understand how and when archivists learn to appraise and to devise a methodology for further studies in archival learning and knowledge transmission. It was hypothesized that the appraisal learning (continuing and formal) structures of university archivists can be understood as a network of relationships that demonstrates lineages of ideas and influences. The study employed an iterative process in which exploratory research and …

Archival Information Retrieval: Searching For Evidence In The Relationships Between Documents, Kimberly D. Anderson

Kimberly D. Anderson

Although archivists have engaged in analog information retrieval (IR) for many decades, automated archival IR is relatively unexamined in either IR or archival literature. The strength of primary source materials lies in their ability to support inference and deduction through the provision of evidence, through both content and context of documents. The hierarchical and spatial structures of archival records may be leveraged in the search for retrieving this kind of relational evidence. The bulk of work done on archival IR has used term matching as the means of retrieval. This is inadequate for research that is concerned with the relationships …

Teaching Reflexive Practice In Archives: Questioning Permanence, Evidence, And Institutions, Kimberly D. Anderson

Kimberly D. Anderson

Part of session 1.4: "Indigenous Memory, Identity, and Sustability: Decolonizing Archival Education and Methods"

Session abstract: Scholars who have conducted research on and with archives in indigenous and marginalized communities will describe the Western hegemony in current archival systems and practices. They will suggest ways to decolonize and pluralize archival education, thus giving voice to indigenous knowledge systems and community-based rules and norms for preserving memory and identity. They will suggest methods for archival education that is inclusive and culturally responsive.

Review: Personal Archives And A New Archival Calling: Readings, Reflections, And Ruminations, Kimberly D. Anderson

Kimberly D. Anderson

Within the archival community, the concept of personal archives has evolved from that of the private papers of well-known and/or powerful individuals (literary manuscripts, private diaries of administrators, etc.) to incorporate the daily recordkeeping and memory practices of potentially all individuals, regardless of their status. With the advent of digital technologies, the ability to create and share evidence of self, family, and community has grown in the public consciousness. Richard Cox’s new book Personal Archives and a New Archival Calling is an appeal to archivists to tap into this increased awareness and to develop a “new partnership” with the public.

Identity Construction In Documentary Appraisal: Conflict, Inclusion, And The "Collecting" Archive, Kimberly D. Anderson

Kimberly D. Anderson

Appraising archival material with the intent to document or represent a specific institution, community, or other entity involves identity construction on the part of the archivist. In order to judge records as representative or part of a given entity, the archivist must have a concept of the boundaries of the given entity’s identity and whether or not the proposed records fall within these boundaries. In order to determine boundary, identity must be constructed and reinforced by the archivist. Four primary identity constructions are proposed: Accepted by All, Self-Identified/All-Else Excluded, Insider Accepted/Outsider Excluded, Outsider Accepted/Insider Excluded. Archivists should be aware and …