"Unintended Consequences: Trauma-Related Archival Labor in Sensitive Collections "

Panel Presentation at So Cal Archivists Annual General Meeting 

April 27, 2021 

10:25- 11:55 AM (PDT)

Panelists: Katherine Schlesinger (MLIS student, University of Arizona, Tucson), Isaac Fellman (GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco), Joseph Quintana (United American Indian Involvement), Katie Sloan (Government of British Columbia), Genevieve Weber (Royal British Columbia Museum)

In the course of a century, theoretical thinking about the role of the archivist evolved from that of passive objective guardian of records to activist agent in the service of social justice and human rights. The shift towards activism inherently requires archivists to increase their level of exposure and engagement with sensitive collections which contain what is called aversive materials including records of state-sponsored terrorism, forced family separations, or other abuses of power. The pivot towards archival activism dovetails with the growing acceptance of the archive as a site of emotion and affect. Indeed the very nature of contemporary archival practices elicits an unavoidable emotional response from the practitioner working in sensitive collections, putting archivists at risk of trauma or stressor-related disorders. Such serious mental health outcomes could be the unintended consequence of embracing important archival activism, yet to date, the American archival community has been slow to address this risk. The proposed panel session elucidates the potential risks of trauma and stress-related illness to archival workers when working with adverse archival materials.

Trigger Warning: This panel will discuss topics related to sensitive archival materials and instances of trauma in the archives that are potentially disturbing or distressing. By putting on this program, we hope to provide a safe, open, and compassionate discussion of trauma-related archival labor. This session will not be recorded, and we ask that attendees don't record or photograph the panelists or attendees. A list of resources will be provided at the end of the discussion for those who would like to seek additional support.