Reference and Access

Kate Theimer is the author of the popular blog ArchivesNext and a frequent writer, speaker and commentator on issues related to the future of archives. She is the author of Web 2.0 Tools and Strategies for Archives and Local History Collections and the editor of A Different Kind of Web: New Connections between Archives and Our Users, as well having contributed chapters to Many Happy Returns: Advocacy for Archives and Archivists, The Future of Archives and Recordkeeping, and the Encyclopedia of Archival Science. She has published articles in the American Archivist and the Journal of Digital Humanities. Kate served on the Council of the Society of American Archivists from 2010 to 2013. Before starting her career as an independent writer and editor, she worked in the policy division of the National Archives and Records Administration in College Park, Maryland. She holds an MSI with a specialization in archives and records management from the University of Michigan and an MA in art history from the University of Maryland. Kate Theimer is the 2014 recipient of the Society of American Archivists’ Spotlight Award. The Spotlight Award recognizes the contributions of individuals who work for the good of the profession and archives collections—work that does not typically receive public recognition. Since 2011, Theimer has used Facebook, Twitter, and her blog to raise money for Spontaneous Scholarships that help unemployed, underemployed, and underfunded archivists to attend SAA’s Annual Meeting. The first year the scholarships were offered Theimer raised $5,504 to assist 18 students and 8 SAA members at the full registration rate; the program continued in 2012 and 2013 resulting in a total of more than $20,000 in donations and almost one hundred archivists assisted over the first three years. Theimer recently launched a campaign to raise funds for the 2014 scholarships.

• Introduction1) Building Bridges: Closing the Divide between Minimally Processed Collections and ResearchersEmily Christopherson and Rachael Dreyer, American Heritage Center2) Managing Risk with a Virtual Reading Room: Two Born-Digital Projects Michelle Light, University of California, Irvine3) Improvements on a Shoestring: Changing Reference Systems and Processes Jackie Couture and Deborah Whalen, Eastern Kentucky University 4) Twenty-First Century Security in a Twentieth-Century Space: Reviewing, Revising and Implementing New Security Practices in the Reading RoomElizabeth Chase, Gabrielle M. Dudley and Sara Logue, Emory University 5) Talking in the Night: Exploring Webchats to Serve New Audiences Gary Brannan, West Yorkshire Archive Service6) A Small Shop Meets a Big Challenge: Finding Creative Ways to Assist the Researchers of the Breath of Life Archival Institute for Indigenous Languages Leanda Gahegan and Gina Rappaport, National Anthropological Archives,Smithsonian Institution7) The Right Tool at the Right Time: Implementing Responsive Reproduction Policies and ProceduresMelanie Griffin and Matthew Knight, University of South Florida8) Going Mobile: Using iPads to Improve the Reading Room Experience Cheryl Oestreicher, Julia Stringfellow and Jim Duran, Boise State University9) Beyond “Trial by Fire”: Towards A More Active Approach to Training New Reference StaffMarc Brodsky, Virginia Tech10) Access for All: Making Your Archives Website Accessible for People with DisabilitiesLisa Snider11) No Ship of Fools: A Digital Humanities Collaboration to Enhance Access to Special CollectionsJennie Levine Knies, University of Maryland12) Websites as a Digital Extension of Reference: Creating a Reference and IT Partnership for Web Usability StudiesSara Snyder and Elizabeth Botten, Archives of American ArtAbout the EditorIndex

This volume consists of case studies about the reference and access dilemmas that archivists face today. How do we meet rising patron expectations in a time of shrinking repository budgets? How do we provide access to our unique and valuable collections while keeping these materials safe from theft? Most cases in the volume follow a single format composed of six sections—introduction, planning, implementation, results, lessons learned, and conclusion. This consistency helps guide the reader through the varied terrain. The cases come from repositories large and small, primarily but not entirely academic. As Kate Theimer notes in her introduction to the volume, one of the key criteria for inclusion in the book is a case’s relevance to a wide range of archivists. . . .Overall, the cases inspire the reader to be prepared to seize any opportunity to improve service to researchers.