Views on Archives within Libraries: Administrator and User Perspectives
Explore the tensions and organizational dynamics of archives existing within libraries, delving into the corporate identity, user experience, and perspectives of stakeholders. Research findings shed light on the challenges faced in positioning and integrating special collections within library structures.
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Presentation Transcript
+ No ideal place for [special collections and archives]: Administrator and user viewpoints on archives existing in libraries Ashley Todd-Diaz SAA Research Forum 2019 Austin, TX August 2, 2019
+Point of departure 2 Libraries and archives have existed separately. The majority of academic archives in the US exist organizationally in libraries. Within the last decade, research on the convergence between libraries and archives has increased. Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
+Research questions 3 Is there a perceived tension between libraries and archives from an administrative perspective? How is that tension expressed? 1. Behavioral theory of the firm (Cyert & March, 1963/2010) What is the corporate identity of an archives within a library? 2. To what extent does the corporate identity of archives within libraries affect the user experience? 3. Stakeholder theory (Freeman, 1984/2010) Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
+Methodology 4 Study #2: Internal perspective Users Heads of Archives Administrators Study #3: Validating study Study #1: Contextual basis Corporate identity documents Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
+ Positioning Physical, administrative, conceptual 5 Todd-Diaz, Archives in libraries
+Corporate identity findings Organizational structures 6 Inst. 1 Inst. 2 Inst. 3 Inst. 4 Inst. 5 Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Associate Dean for Public Services Associate Dean for Collections Head of Research Center Associate Dean for Collections Associate Dean [Associate Dean] Head of Archives Head of Special Collections Heads of Archives (x3) Heads of Archives (x2) Head of Archives_1 Mid-level Manager Head of Archives Mid-level Manager Head of Archives_2 Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
+Administrator findings Dropped into organizational structure 7 I think special collections is always an outlier, so within the library organization there probably is no ideal place for it (Verne, Head of Archives Unit_1, Institution 3). Even though [special collections] ha[s] a big public services component, they do not fall within my part of the organization I think we all acknowledge there isn't a perfect way to organize it (Lawrence, Associate Dean for Public Services, Institution 3). In the context of the larger library system, the archivists do feel apart in some measure. I've tried my best to prevent that, but it's just a reality. They aren't members of the faculty and so whatever one does, one can't really quite get past the fact that they do feel apart (Harold, Associate Dean for Collections, Institution 1). Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
+User findings Location doesn t impact success 8 Acknowledge the variety of materials in archives (n=27), but many only mention one or two formats. Regarding location, some users interpreted archives at the repository-level, and others at the collection-level. A quarter of respondents noted they had never thought about the location of the archives. Todd-Diaz, Archives in libraries
+Implications 9 Equality: Libraries and archives will realize the promise of distinctiveness if they exist as equal partners in a single organization. Identity: If library administrators perceive and promote archives as dynamic resources, users will perceive them as more than just collections. Coalitions: Findings reinforce Cyert and March s (1963/2010) expectations of bounded rationality and conflicting goals held by different units within the parent-child relationship. Strategic potential: According to Freeman (1984/2010), aligning internal and external priorities can lead to increased strategic potential. Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
+Thank you! 10 Any questions? Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
+References 11 Cyert, R., & March, J. G. (2010). A behavioral theory of the firm. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc. (Original work published 1963.) Dooley, J. M., & Luce, K. (2010). Taking our pulse: The OCLC Research survey of special collections and archives. Retrieved from http://www.oclc.org/content/dam/research/publications/lib rary/2010/2010-11.pdf Freeman, R. E. (2010). Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (Original work published 1984.) Thomassen, T. (2001). A first introduction to archival science. Archival Science 1, 373-385. Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
+Population of study 5 cases 12 Public or Private Residential Status NCAA Division Highest Degree Enrollment Location Large Urban Northeast University Northeast, urban 50,000+ Private Residential Division III Doctoral Medium Rural Mid-Atlantic University Mid- Atlantic, rural 8,500 Public Residential Division III Master s Large Suburban Mid-Atlantic University Mid- Atlantic, suburban 39,000 Public Residential Division I Doctoral Medium Urban Mid-Atlantic University Mid- Atlantic, urban Non- 6,000 Public N/A Master s residential Large Rural Midwest University Midwest, rural 24,000 Public Residential Division I Doctoral Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
+Findings 13 Users Collections Success Mystery Location Library Administrators Uniqueness Limited familiarity Differences Location Archivists Location Representation Educational value Distance Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
+Corporate identity findings Mission statements 14 University- level Library-level Archives unit-level foster empower, cultivate educate advance encourage support develop connect enable sustain preserve collect organize provide access Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
+Administrator findings Proximity supports collaboration 15 An army of three is not very strong. We have 15 faculty; so a library of 15 is stronger than an army of three (Barbara, Dean, Institution 4). Some of the benefits of the arrangement as it is now, we work together our point of view is we're trying to make something [users] don't have to worry about (Sheldon, Head of Branch Library, Institution 3). Everyone knows that we're part of the library Our current dean has been very much a proponent of that So now the librarians can have easier access. They never had access to [us] before... And there was always a barrier and it was a physical and a relationship barrier. That has changed (Bella, Head of Archives Unit_2, Institution 5). Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
+User findings Network of unique collections 16 Acknowledge the variety of materials in archives (n=27), but many only mention one or two formats. Perceive archives in relation to libraries. More users mentioned librarians (n=5) than archivists (n=1), though many (n=11) seemed to be indirectly aware of archivists work. Associate a sense of exploration and anticipation when conducting research in the archives. Perceive archives as only relevant to certain users. Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
+Further research 17 Study alternative administrative structures. Explore the skills, qualifications, and expectations of upper library administrators. Model the relationship between the professional identities of special collections professionals and archives professionals. Todd-Diaz, SAA Research Forum 2019
