Prompted by the 2022 Society of American Archivists (SAA) publication of Museum Archives: Practice, Issues, Advocacy (ed. Rachel Chatalbash, Susan Hernandez, and Megan Schwenke), the Yale Center for British Art and SAA's Museum Archives Section are hosting a one-day symposium to examine the current position and future directions of the museum archives field. The symposium will be held in person at the Yale University Art Gallery and livestreamed online. We welcome proposals from new and established museum archivists, and their professional allies, that examine any aspect of the museum archives profession. Themes for consideration include, but are not limited to:
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The emergence of museum archives as a distinct profession in the second half of the twentieth century
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The development and implementation of museum records management programs
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The impact of museum archives standards, best practices, and publications on current museum archives practice
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Strategies for advocating for museum archives within the museum environment and establishing relationships with colleagues
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Integrating museum archives into exhibitions, marketing, programs, and other museum activities
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Establishing the infrastructure for and stewarding of born-digital material in the museum environment
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Creating a museum archives program and establishing procedures for accessioning, description, and access
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Museum archives–based responses to contemporary issues in the sector, such as repatriation and reparative descriptive work.
The symposium will be held on Friday, May 10, 2024. Please submit an abstract of no more than 250 words and a short biography by Wednesday, February 14, 2024, 5 pm ET: Call for Papers | Museum Archives | Yale Center for British Art. The YCBA will provide travel and accommodations for successful applicants. For more information, please email ycba.research@yale.edu.