Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference

October 19–22; College Park, Md

The descriptive practices of yesteryear failed to be inclusive of the diverse communities archives are meant to serve. The legacy issue of harmful language requires repair and a reimagining of archival description practices. Panelists from government and university archives will discuss current projects and goals in reparative description, along with the challenges, opportunities and benefits these initiatives afford the archival profession.

In July, 2021, the National Archives and Records Administration chartered a ReparativeDescription and Digitization Working Group in response to the report by the Archivist’s Task Force on Racism. Pamela Wright, Chief Innovation Officer, and chair of the Reparative Description and Digitization Working Group will serve on the panel.

Katie Rojas, the Archival Processing and Discovery Supervisor for the University of Virginia’s Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, will discuss the approach that her repository is taking to practically implement and sustain reparative description practices.

Deyane Moses, archivist for Maryland Institute Black Archive (MIBA), will discuss her project work at MICA, the crossroads of institutional/community archiving, and the challenges of access created by poor description.

Moderated by Megan Cranyon, Deputy Director, Special Collections Maryland State Archives