Reference Access and Outreach Section
Administrative History
| 1969-1973 | Reference Access and Photo-Duplication Policies Committee |
| 1973-1978 | Reference and Access Policies Committee |
| 1979-1983 | Reference Access and Outreach Professional Affinity Group |
| 1983-C | Reference Access and Outreach Section |
SAA Committee System, 1936-1969
Upon its founding in 1936, the Society of American Archivists (SAA) mandated twelve
committees to address the following areas: international archival affairs, maps and charts,
membership, public relations, reduction of archival material, and terminology. Over the
years, the amount "of committees was more than the active membership could sustain,"
and many were "inactive for a number of years or eventually allowed to lapse." As
SAA’s membership grew in the 1950s and 1960s, committees played an increasingly
important role in the organization but were plagued by inefficiency and other problems.1
President Gerald Ham's report on the committee system in 1968-69 indicated that many
of these groups had vaguely defined areas of responsibility, communication problems, or
did not meet the needs of the membership.2
In an attempt to remedy the situation, SAA Council approved a revised structure of
standing and ad hoc committees at its December 1969 meeting.3 This "reorganization did
not solve the problem of how to get committees to work, but it did make the structure
more responsible to the new interests of the members."4
Reference, Access and Photo-duplication Committee, 1969-73
Reference and Access Policies Committee, 1973-78
The Reference Access and Outreach (RAO) Section traces its beginnings to this 1969
reorganization process. As part of the reorganization, several new committees were
created to address new membership interests and needs, including the Committee on
Reference, Access and Photo-duplication Policies (RAPP).5 RAPP focused on
producing studies and reports, establishing standards, and advising Council on access and
copyright issues.6 In its November 2, 1972 report, RAPP listed following as its statement
of objectives:
It is the purpose of this committee to develop standards concerning access to research materials, the
performance of reference service on them, and the furnishing of reproductions therefrom, and to present
these standards for consideration and adoption by the Society to serve as guidelines for institutions and
individual members. In addition the committee will examine various techniques of reference service and
reproduction and consider publishing information about them for the guidance of Society members.7
The committee's 1972 activities included consideration of access standards published in
The American Archivist; preparation of a tape and transcript of a copyright and common
law literary rights discussion; consideration of a draft statement of standards for photo-
duplication; preparation of a resolution regarding declassification for adoption by the
Society; preparation of a status report for early publication in The American Archivist
concerning copyright developments; and development of a program session for next
year.8
In spring 1972, SAA's Committee on the Seventies reported on the organizational and
program needs of SAA for the coming decade.9 As a result of this investigation, RAPP
took on the new name, Reference and Access Policies Committee. Its basic function
was:
to offer advice and assistance to archival institutions and individuals in methods
of providing access to research materials and of providing reference service and
reproduction service on these materials. The means by which this can be best
accomplished is by the development of standards to be presented for
consideration and adoption by the Society to serve as guidelines for institutions
and individual members. The committee should also serve as a clearinghouse for
the dissemination of information on techniques of reference service and
reproduction, and consider publishing information about them for the guidance of
Society members.10
Reference Access and Outreach Professional Affinity Group, 1979-83
In October 1978, Council "made another effort to remedy the problem of inefficient and
inactive committees. Acting on the recommendation of the Committee on Committees, it
adopted a three-part organization of committees, task forces, and professional affinity
groups (PAGs)" established on the basis of institutional affiliation and or functional
responsibility, [to provide] members with an opportunity to meet and work with others of
similar backgrounds and professional interests.11
Convening for the first time at SAA’s 1979 meeting, the Reference Access and Outreach
PAG was an outgrowth of two committees: the Reference and Access Committee and the
Adhoc Committee on the Wider Use of Archives.12 In addition to the chair and vice
chair, the RAO "steering committee" included three members, each of whom directed
projects in RAO’s three focus areas: reference, access, and outreach.
RAO structured its activities heavily around research projects and studies during this
period. In 1981, for example, reference steering committee member Aurora Davis
created a bibliography entitled "Archivists and Copyright Law" and access steering
committee member Alexia Helsley reported on a survey on state legislation concerning
access to restricted records. Helsley also suggested other issues of possible PAG concern
such as "employee burnout and the necessity of calculating the cost of reference services
especially in terms of budgetary retrenchment." The RAO PAG proposed the creation of
a task force on clinet files. In response to Council’s interest, RAO established a study
committee on the subject.13
The following year, RAO's discussion focused on identifying archives users. PAG
members were concerned whether "finding aids and reference services should be altered
to better serve the needs of genealogical and business patrons. Bibliographies on staff
burn-out and problem patrons were distributed." The members discussed the results of an
outreach questionnaire which assessed the impact of budgetary constraints on outreach
programs. Distributed by the RAO leadership to a randomly drawn sample of the
membership (with a response rate of 63 per cent), the survey indicated that 37 per cent of
respondents' archives had no formal outreach program. The institutions having outreach
programs reported the following activities, ranked in order from most used to least:
exhibits, publications, lectures, classes, slide presentations, tours, and consultation
services. 14
Another RAO PAG activity involved program session development. In 1983, RAO,
under the direction of steering committee member Edward Oetting, developed a
questionnaire on archival users and archival perceptions which it asked members to
complete. The results were featured at SAA's 1983 meeting in Minneapolis on a
program session on archival myths and perceptions.15
Reference Access and Outreach Section, 1983-Present
At the conclusion of SAA's annual business meeting in 1983, all PAGs became
Sections.16 The early years of the RAO Section's existence centered on research projects
and on establishing a section focus and by-laws.
RAO initiated a few annual events as well. George Bain, chair of the Section's outreach
group, organized an "outreach fair" which showcased examples of different types of
outreach activities for the 1984 SAA meeting in Washington. Examples included video
tape programs, exhibit techniques, and computer assisted activities. In addition, the
Section sponsored an open house at the 1984 meeting to initiate a "clearing house
service" for questions and answers on reference, access, and outreach issues.17 The
outreach fair continued through the 1990s. RAO continues to hold "office hours" at the
annual meeting, an outgrowth of the open house event.
The mid 1980's were pivotal years in the RAO Section's development. Over the course
of 1985-86, RAO established a newsletter to foster communication throughout the year.
In 1986, it also authored a goals statement and by-laws, at a time when SAA's
Committee on Goals and Priorities (CGAP) was doing the same type of work for the
larger organization.18 RAO revised these by-laws in 1988 to: increase the size of the
steering committee from 3 to 6; provide for staggering committee terms; establish the
vice chair position as "chair elect"; and create a formal bylaws amendment process.
Revisions also established that the nominating committee would include the outgoing
steering committee members and formalized the voting process, including adding an
absentee ballot option.19
Other major RAO activities in the 1980s included: a project to develop citation
guidelines for archival and manuscript material in conjunction with the Midwest
Archives Conference Task Force on Archives and Society and the SAA Description
Section (1985-1986); a cooperative venture with the International Archival Affairs
Committee to initiate a buddy system for international visitors to the 1986 and 1987
annual meetings; and collaboration with the Adhoc Committee of the American Library
Association's Rare Books and Manuscripts Section to amend and update the Joint
ALA/SAA 1977 Guidelines on Manuscripts and Archives (1987-88).
In 1987, SAA's Task Force on Archives and Society, an initiative launched by SAA
President David B. Gracy II in 1983, reported on a number of coordinated efforts to study
archival image, perception and public relations needs -- issues at the core of RAO
interests. A major report entitled "The Image of Archivists: Resource Allocators'
Perceptions" was completed in 1984 as well as the production of a 1986 outreach
brochure entitled "Who is the 'I' in Archives."20
Working with the Task Force, CGAP produced a report entitled, "Planning for the
Archival Profession." Its follow-up report, "An Action Agenda for the Archival
Profession" had implications for the RAO Section. In 1988-89, CGAP challenged RAO
to be involved in several projects to address priorities outlined in this report. Of
particular note for RAO were recommended activities addressing the assumptions and
attitudes of archivists concerning outreach. CGAP suggested that the Section "should
compile a report on major past and current archival outreach projects and programs; RAO
might monitor research projects on users and use and suggest projects to its own
members"; Section members should work with SAA Awards Committee and the
Committee on Regional Archival Activity to compile and publish information on existing
awards for outreach and public service; and RAO should acquire and publicize position
descriptions with outreach components and meet with the Management Roundtable to
discuss the development of sample position descriptions."21
RAO in the 1990’s
At CGAP’s suggestion, RAO and other sections, committees and roundtables also
developed 3 year plans rather than annual reports.22 Over the course of 1989-1990, RAO
created working groups to address priorities for the 3 year plan discussed at 1989 Section
meeting. A working group was established to review the role of RAO within SAA and
another to compile, publish, and promote user studies and their results related to
objectives of the CGAP report. A working group also developed a RAO reference
workshop proposal for the SAA Program Committee.23
The following year, RAO cooperated with the College and University Archives Section
to produce an Academic Outreach booklet which would include examples of ideas that
have been used on campuses to promote the wider use of archives. (Unfortunately, this
project didn’t come to fruition.) It also hoped to complete another long standing project
to publish a "Citations for Archives and Manuscript Materials" for students, academics,
and general users.24 In 1991-92, ALA sent the Rare Book and Manuscript guidelines to
SAA for review and possible endorsement. RAO, the College and University Archives
Section, and the Preservation Section "will look at them."25
In fall 1995, RAO Chair Jim Cross stressed the need for RAO to become more involved
in SAA and develop projects in the Section's areas of concern in order to advance the
interests of the Section and profession, especially in light of some of the preliminary
recommendations of the study of SAA's organizational structure that was currently under
way.26 The Section revised its by-laws in 1996, in part to address the need for transferring
Section records to the SAA Archives.
At the 1998 meeting, RAO members proposed the development of a symbol or set of
symbols for the archival community in accordance with the style of the International
Standards Organization (ISO). Through a resolution to Council, RAO asked that SAA
adopt this symbol (or symbols) for the organization and the archival community in North
America, and that it submit the symbol(s) to the International Council on Archives for its
adoption as an international standard in a broader global setting.27 Although the
resolution received Section approval, Council either did not receive it or did not act upon
it as no discussion appears in Council minutes.
RAO enters the New Millennium
Concerned about the purpose and focus of the RAO Section, incoming chair Shari
Christy distributed a membership survey to attendees at the 1999 meeting. The survey
was intended to gain feedback from members to assist the chair and steering committee in
developing the RAO section meeting for next year. It also would assist in directing the
future of the Section.28
At the 2000 meeting in Denver, Colorado, the Section discussed the survey results, which
had been reported in the May 2000 issue of the RAO newsletter.29 Survey responses
indicated that members wanted to be more focused in their activities. The majority felt
RAO should definitely continue as a section. Members at the 2000 meeting suggested:
having break-out sessions; inviting speakers on topics evolving from the meeting
discussions; producing resources on available reference tools and how to search them;
thinking about research projects for the Section; and using email to communicate more
between members. Additional suggestions included creating an annotated bibliography
of web sites and updating it periodically; including a column in the newsletter that
featured sources; and being more pro-active with SAA by developing a basic user
survey.30 Unfortunately,for the most part, these projects and ideas did not materialize as
members struggled with competing responsibilities and commitments.
In 2003-2004, RAO collaborated with the Manuscript Repositories Section and the
Privacy and Confidentiality Roundtable to draft a resolution on the USA Patriot Act.
Council reviewed the document, and in summer 2004 authored a statement expressing
concern about provisions of the Act. RAO leadership also established endorsement
guidelines to assist groups seeking RAO endorsement of session proposals for the SAA
program.
In the first years of the new century, technological advances have enhanced RAO’s
communication capabilities. In 2000, the Section instituted a web page, hosted by the
SAA website, which included leader lists, newsletter issues, and other information. In
2004, SAA also provided sections with their own "announcement listserv" which allowed
RAO leaders to post information to the entire Section. That same year, SAA began
electronic publication of section and roundtable newsletters. These communication
outlets have and will continue to bolster the Section’s ability to connect with and foster
collaboration among RAO members.
Written by Ellen Swain, 2005
Footnotes
1SAA Archives online administrative history: www.uwm.edu/Library/ [return to text]
2Gerald Ham, Report on SAA committee system, 1968-69 [return to text]
3SAA Archives online administrative history [return to text]
4J. Frank Cook. "The Blessings of Providence on an Association of Archivists" American Archivist 46
(Fall 1983): 396. [return to text]
5SAA Council Minutes, December 30, 1969 in American Archivist 33 (April 1970): 229. [return to text]
6Committee on RAPP Report, March 1970 in SAA Archives, Golda Meir Library, University of Wisconsin
Milwaukee. [return to text]
7RAPP Report, 1972 in SAA Archives [return to text]
8Ibid. [return to text]
9See Philip P. Mason, "The Society of American Archivists in the Seventies, Report of the Committee for
the 1970s," American Archivist 35 (April 1972): 193-203 [return to text]
10Committee report, 1973-74 in the SAA Archives [return to text]
11SAA Archives online administrative history [return to text]
12RAO PAG report, 1979 [return to text]
13Ibid, 1981 [return to text]
14Ibid, 1982 [return to text]
15SAA Newsletter, July 1983 [return to text]
16SAA Archives online administrative history [return to text]
17SAA Newsletter, July 1984 [return to text]
18RAO Newsletter, July 1986 [return to text]
19Ibid, March 1989 [return to text]
20SAA Newsletter, May 1987 [return to text]
21RAO Newsletter, March 1989 [return to text]
22Ibid [return to text]
23RAO Report, February 1990; RAO Report, Summer 1990 [return to text]
24RAO Newsletter, Fall 1990 [return to text]
25Ibid, 1991-1992 [return to text]
26Ibid, Fall 1995 [return to text]
27Ibid, April 1999 [return to text]
28RAO Section Report, 1999 [return to text]
29For entire report, see RAO Newsletter, May 2000, online at: www.archivists.org/saagroups/rao/index.asp [return to text]
30RAO Newsletter, Fall 2000 [return to text]
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