 |
And the 2001 SAA Awards Go To...
The Society of American Archivists recognized and celebrated outstanding
archival achievements for the calendar year 2000 at an awards ceremony
held August 30, 2001, during its 65th annual meeting at the Hilton &
Towers in Washington, D.C. Subcommittees of the Awards Committee, which
was chaired by Roland Baumann, Alexandra Gressitt, and Deborah Day, selected
recipients of the SAA-sponsored awards. SAA heartily congratulates all
of the award winners.
Distinguished
Service Award
Philip M. Hamer and Elizabeth Hamer-Kegan Award
C.F.W. Coker Award
Fellows' Posner Award
Waldo Gifford Leland Award
Sister M. Claude Lane, O.P., Memorial Award
Preservation Publication Award
Theodore Calvin Pease Award
Oliver Wendell Holmes Award
Harold T. Pinkett Minority Student Award
Colonial Dames Scholarship Award
Council Exemplary Service Award
See also SAA Names Five New Fellows (Aug
2001)
Back to SAA Recognitions home page
Distinguished Service Award
The OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Archives/Library Division, is the
recipient of SAA's 2001 Distinguished Service Award. Established in 1964,
the award recognizes a North American archival institution that has provided
outstanding public service and has made an exemplary contribution to the
archival profession. GEORGE PARKINSON (pictured at left), chief
of the Archives/Library Division, received the award on behalf of the
institution.
With technology changing, costs rising, and state money often shrinking,
it is a daunting challenge for state archives to find ways to meet the
needs of an ever-more insistent public for increased, if not instantaneous
access, to historical information. The Archives/Library Division of the
Ohio Historical Society has risen to this challenge and provided more
than one model for those dealing with the same issues. Through the clever
and careful use of state money and grant funds, Mr. Parkinson and his
staff have shown that it is possible not only to increase access to historical
records via the Internet, but at the same time, launch major initiatives
to manage electronic records of historical value being created by a variety
of government departments.
The results of their work for researchers may be seen on the Ohio Historical
Society's outstanding Web site www.ohiohistory.org. Interested
in the basic records defining governance? Then, click on the Ohio Fundamental
Documents Database where you can find the text of the Ordinance of the
Northwest Territory of 1787 as well as the state's constitutions. Interested
in the state's African-American history? Then go to award-winning African-American
Experience in Ohio, 1850-1920, developed as a contribution to the Library
of Congress' American Memory project. Looking for genealogical information?
Then check out the searchable Ohio Death Certificate Index, 1913-1937.
This Web site also provides evidence of the Archives/Library Division's
leadership role in developing management strategies for state government's
electronic records. The division was the driving force behind the organization
of an Electronic Records Committee that brought together government supervisors
from various departments with an interest in managing the preservation
of electronic records. The breadth and depth of the committee's work is
reflected in the documents available electronically, for example: "Digital
Document Imaging Guidelines," "Electronic Records Management Guidelines,"
and "Managing Electronic Mail."
Nominators for this award noted that one reason for the division's recent
successes was due in large part to their leaders' unshakeable belief in
collaborating with other state institutions and government departments.
This willingness to go out and find partners to accomplish common goals
is an object lesson for all institutions struggling to organize similar
projects. Another key to success mentioned by the nominators was the division's
use of one successful project to leverage another. For example, the division
is currently working with the Ohio Bicentennial Committee to develop the
Ohio Memory Project. Building on the knowledge gained from the African-American
Experience in Ohio, this project will be a collaboration of the state's
leading archives and libraries to create a digital collection reflecting
the most important events in the state's long and rich history.
Philip M. Hamer and Elizabeth Hamer Kegan Award
SHELLY HENLEY KELLY of the University of Houston-Clear Lake received
SAA's 2001 Philip M. Hamer and Elizabeth Hamer Kegan Award for increasing
public awareness about a specific body of documents. Established in 1973,
the award honors the memory of two SAA Fellows and former presidents.
Ms. Kelly, formerly assistant archivist at the Galveston and Texas History
Center at the Rosenberg Library, worked with primary documents from the
Rosenberg Library relating to the deadly and disastrous Galveston hurricane
of 1900. For the 100th anniversary of the event, she wrote articles, made
presentations to schools and civic groups, and publicized documents about
the storm in the archives holdings. The final culmination of her work
was the publication, Through a Night of Horrors: Voices from the 1900
Galveston Storm, a compilation of manuscripts and oral histories of
storm survivors, which is both well documented and illustrated, in addition
to being very readable.
Ms. Kelly has demonstrated historical entrepreneurship and perseverance
in instigating this project and getting it done. SAA commends her commitment
to the project, and the quality of her activities throughout the two or
more years that were required to bring the book and related materials
to the public.
C.F.W. Coker Award
WAVERLY LOWELL of the Environmental Design Archives at University
of California, Berkeley and KELCY SHEPHERD of Special Collections
and Archives at W.E.B. Du Bois Library at University of Massachusetts,
Amherst, received SAA's 2001 C.F.W. Coker Award for their guide, Standard
Series of Architecture and Landscape Design Records: A Tool for Arrangement
and Descriptions of Archival Collections. Established in 1983, the
award honors the memory of SAA Fellow C.F.W. Coker.
The Coker Award recognizes finding aids, finding aid systems, projects
that involve innovative development in archival description, or descriptive
tools that enable archivists to produce more effective finding aids. To
merit serious consideration, the nominees must, in some significant way,
set national standards, represent a model for archival description, or
otherwise have substantial impact on descriptive practices.
Ms. Shepherd and Ms. Lowell's guide, published by the University of California
Regents (2000), provides a much needed model for thinking about, organizing,
and consistently describing a format of material that has received little
attention--the project-based profession. It creates a useful, practical
standard. As one nominator noted, "Many descriptive standards and projects
focus on data and data elements, but the standard series concept as elaborated
in this volume addresses a more fundamental level of archival description,
the organization and arrangement of a unit of archival material, the process
from which the description emerges.... The authors do a wonderful job
of showing how, in the specific area of records of architects and landscape
designers, the career patterns and records production of individuals and
firms lend themselves quite well to a standardized series organization."
Fellows' Posner Award
SAA's 2001 Fellows' Posner Award was presented to PHILIP C. BANTIN,
university archivist of Indiana University, for his article, "The Indiana
University Electronic Records Project Revisited," published in volume
62 of the American Archivist, SAA's semi-annual journal. Established
in 1982 by the Fellows of the Society of American Archivists, the award
recognizes outstanding work dealing with some facet of archival administration,
history, theory and/or methodology published in the latest volume of the
journal.
Many grant-funded projects provide models of theory or practice for other
repositories. Few, however, report on the problems and shortcomings that
follow their initial success. By revisiting a project that has already
had a significant impact on the management of electronic records, Mr.
Bantin has demonstrated the value of continued critical thinking and has
set an example for others to follow. His article offers a realistic view
of the real world of archives and records management. He also provides
archivists with a useful analysis of the recent literature of related
disciplines and suggests new allies for archivists in identifying information
of continuing usefulness. Others in the profession will benefit from the
integrity and insight he demonstrated in evaluating his own model, a practice
that will be encouraged, it is hoped, by this recognition of his achievement.
Click here to subscribe to American
Archivist.
Waldo Gifford Leland Award
SAA's 2001 Waldo Gifford Leland Award for writing of superior excellence
and usefulness in the field of archival history, theory, or practice was
presented to ANNE R. KENNEY (pictured at left) and OYA Y. RIEGER
of Cornell University for Moving Theory into Practice: Digital Imaging
for Libraries and Archives (Research Libraries Group, 2000). Established
in 1959, the award is named for one of North America's archival pioneers
and SAA's second president.
Digital projects have become the expectation at most of institutions
where archivists are confronted with the challenge of taking on these
new access tools and integrating them with other operations. Ms. Kenney
and Ms. Rieger's publication provides the answers and, like its predecessor,
Digital Imaging for Libraries and Archives (Cornell University,
1996) (which also received SAA's Leland Award) will be on the active reference
shelf of every institution contemplating or constructing digital projects.
Moving Theory into Practice covers the broad range of issues from
a conceptual point of view and also provides a wealth of practical information
in the form of benchmarks, case studies and other contributions from leading
practitioners of digital imaging for archival and library collections.
The book is well written, clearly designed and easy to follow. Ms. Kenney
and Ms. Rieger have earned the gratitude of the archival profession for
their authoritative, informative and timely work.
Sister M. Claude Lane, O.P., Memorial Award
KINGA PERZYNSKA, director of the Catholic Archives of Texas, is
the recipient of SAA's 2001 Sister M. Claude Lane, O.P., Memorial Award
for her significant contribution to the field of religious archives. Established
in 1974 and conferred annually, the award is sponsored in conjunction
with and funded by the Society of Southwest Archivists.
Since making archival enterprise her profession ten years ago, Ms. Perzynska
has been actively involved in regional, national, and international professional
and religious archival organizations. Ms. Perzynska has served on the
Executive Board of the Society of Southwest Archivists as well as other
positions within her regional organization.
Ms. Perzynska has served on SAA's Religious Archives Section as a Steering
Committee member and as chair of the Nominating Committee. In 1998, Ms.
Perzynska received the Certificate of Recognition of Dedication to the
Archival Profession from SAA. Also in 1998, as co-chair of the Association
of Catholic Diocesan Archivists' Thesaurus Committee, Ms. Perzynska successfully
prepared a grant to create and publish a book of controlled diocesan terms.
The Thesaurus of Catholic Diocesan Terms was completed and made
available in 2000.
At the international level, Ms. Perzynska contributes to the International Council on Archives, Section of Archives of Churches and Religious Denominations,
currently serving as secretary. She has worked on the section's Steering
Committee and the Program Committee, through which she helped organize
the Church Archives Conference in Seville, Spain, in September 2000. A
highlight of Ms. Perzynska's career came in 1997 when Pope John Paul II,
appointed her to a five-year term as a Consultor of the Pontifical Commission
for the Cultural Heritage of the Church in the Vatican.
Ms. Perzynska teaches in the History Department of Southwest Texas State
University in San Marcos, as well as serving as a consultant for the staff
of Texas Catholic Dioceses, where she emphasizes the basics of recordkeeping
and preservation of archives.
Preservation Publication Award
SAA's 2001 Preservation Publication Award was presented to GREGORY
S. HUNTER for Preserving Digital Information: A How-To-Do-It Manual
(Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2000). Established in 1993, the award recognizes
the author or editor of an outstanding work, published in North America,
that advances the theory or practice of preservation in archival institutions.
Mr. Hunter's book provides a thorough and systematic review of the issues,
best practices, and challenges associated with the preservation of digital
objects. As one nominator noted, Mr. Hunter does "a great job of summarizing
and articulating very complicated issues in terms that can be understood
and appreciated, and he does this without distorting the facts." Further,
he successfully identifies the most important current research on digital
preservation and electronic records management and effectively summarizes
the results of these projects. Lastly, the book presents a multi-step
approach to implementing a digital preservation program that is well reasoned,
sound, and based on the best knowledge available.
Theodore Calvin Pease Award
SAA's 2001 Theodore Calvin Pease Award was presented to JAMES M. ROTH
of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for his student paper,
"Serving Up EAD: An Exploratory Study on the Deployment and Utilization
of Encoded Archival Description Finding Aids." Established in 1987, the
award is named for the first editor of SAA's semi-annual journal, the
American Archivist, and recognizes superior writing achievement
by a student enrolled in archival administrative classes or engaged in
formal archival internship programs. This paper will be published in a
forthcoming issue of American Archivist
Mr. Roth master's paper, written for Professor Helen Tibbo of the School
of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, reports on a survey of repositories that have implemented
Encoded Archival Description in an effort to determine the methods used
for deploying EAD finding aids, to assess what kinds of evaluations of
the use of EAD finding aids have been undertaken, and to explore the perceptions
of archivists regarding the end use of EAD finding aids. This is clearly
an area of major concern to the archival community, and the paper lays
out some of the real benefits and obstacles to the use of EAD. Its recommendation
that we must double our efforts to understand and evaluate how end-users
are actually using EAD finding aids sends a strong message to repositories
planning to develop or expand their use of Encoded Archival Description.
The study evidences careful scholarship, clear presentation, and thoughtful
analysis. Mr. Roth is currently an archivist at the John F. Kennedy Presidential
Library in Boston.
Click here to subscribe to American
Archivist.
For more information on SAA student chapters, please click
here.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Award
SAA's 2001 Oliver Wendell Holmes Award was presented to EUN G. PARK
from Korea. Established in 1979, the award is named for an SAA Fellow
and former president. The award assists overseas archivists already in
the United States or Canada for training, to travel to and attend SAA's
conference.
Ms. Park is enrolled in the doctoral program in the Department of Information
Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. She has been working
on exploring constructs of authenticity as they are understood by different
recordkeeping communities. Her work compares similar electronic recordkeeping
functions in universities and archival institutions in different national,
cultural, juridical, and organizational contexts to understand the extent
to which these variables impact requirements for permanently preserving
authentic records in electronic student records systems. Her research
thus examines communities of practice in electronic recordkeeping across
a broad range of organizational and national contexts. This allows her
to bring her academic expertise in business administration, information
systems, and archival science to bear on examining an area of the nonprofit
sector-administration and academic institutions-which will benefit from
such research from the standpoints of policy, organizational theory, and
technology.
Harold T. Pinkett Minority Student Award
ROSE ROBERTO of the University of California, Los Angeles is the
recipient of SAA's 2001 Harold T. Pinkett Minority Student Award. The
award recognizes minority undergraduate and graduate students of African,
Asian, Latino or Native American descent who through scholastic achievement
manifest an interest in becoming professional archivists and active members
of SAA. Established in 1993, the award honors the late Dr. Harold T. Pinkett,
an SAA Fellow who served with distinction during his long tenure at the
National Archives and Records Administration.
Ms. Roberto earned her master's degree in Library and Information Science
in June from UCLA, specializing in the areas of archives and electronic
records management. During her years at UCLA, she was very active with
the SAA student chapter. As vice president of the chapter she organized
field trips, onsite and offsite SAA meetings, and coordinated a panel
discussion contrasting information seeking activities and priorities of
public libraries, special libraries, and archives. Ms. Roberto is now
employed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the NASA Center in Pasadena,
California.
For more information on SAA student chapters, please click
here.
Colonial Dames Scholarship Award
LAURA POLO of the Crawford County (Penn.) Historical Society and
JOHN MARTINEZ of the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives
received the Society of American Archivists' 2001 Colonial Dames Scholarship
Award. Established in 1974, the award enables two archivists each year
to attend the Modern Archives Institute of the National Archives and Records
Administration. Each scholarship covers up to $1,200 of the total tuition,
travel, and housing expenses associated with attending the institute.
To be eligible for this scholarship an individual must have been employed
less than two years as an archivist and work in an archives or manuscripts
collection where a fair percentage of the repository's holdings predate
1825. The award is funded by the Colonial Dames of America, Chapter III,
Washington, D.C. Ms. Polo attended the winter institute and Mr. Martinez
attended the summer institute.
Council Exemplary Service Award
CARROLL DENDLER received SAA's 2001 Council Exemplary Service
Award. Ms. Dendler, SAA's finance and human resource director, was cited
for her "extraordinary grasp of the Society's financial minutia and human
resources," as well as for the "firm hand she has kept on SAA's financial
tiller for a number of years." The four treasurers of the association
who have worked with Ms. Dendler since she joined the staff of SAA nine
years ago noted how fortunate they have been to work closely with a "remarkable
person." In his presentation, SAA President Leon Stout, himself a former
treasurer, said that Ms. Dendler "can coax a report out of a cranky accounting
system at the drop of a hat [and] she can explain a Federal Accounting
Standard so that even I could understand it."
|
|
