Overview

Archivists and archival institutions are reappraising and deaccessioning now more than ever before. Archival reappraisal and deaccessioning have become vital tools for managing archival collections. Reappraisal and Deaccessioning in Archives and Special Collections is the first book dedicated entirely to the topic of reappraising and deaccessioning in special collections and archives. This edited volume features 13 chapters offering informed opinions, practical recommendations, and valuable examples for reappraising and deaccessioning. Readers will gain important insight into the most important element of reappraisal and deaccessioning: decision-making. Through mostly case studies, the chapters address important issues inherent in these practices including: ethical concerns, donor relations, appraisal questions, and disposition options. The case studies cover collaborative and solo projects, various material types such as manuscripts, records, and artifacts, and a range of scenarios from major projects involving thousands of linear feet of material to ad hoc projects removing single items. Chapter topics include: weeding vs. deaccessioning, getting rid of contaminated materials, donor-driven deaccessioning, and using reappraisal and deaccessioning to improve access to existing collections. Readers will find beneficial information on streamlining workflows, carrying out procedures, creating policies, and implementing these practices locally. Additionally, the chapters cover the intricacies of disposition options, such as transferring to other institutions, returning material to donors, and destruction. This volume can serve as a valuable resource for large and small repositories, experienced and novice archivists, and those working with manuscript and archive collections.

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9781538116012

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This book should reassure doubters that reappraisal and deaccessioning can be successful and even delightful when it results in better support for collections and access for patrons. The chapters provide an instructive, sometimes entertaining, picture of what happens when an institution commits to separating from some of its holdings. -- D. Claudia Thompson Thompson, Arrangement & Description Manager, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming Reappraisal and deaccessioning are essential functions of archival practice as we stride to develop sustainable and relevant collections in service to society. By bringing together professionally diverse perspectives that reflect on the value and challenges associated with reappraisal and deaccessioning, this book is a valuable resource for anyone looking to learn more about these foundational practices. -- Matthew R. Francis, Archivist, Ohio Northern University Deaccessioning has become an essential management tool with the power to move institutions towards achieving sustainability. These case studies demonstrate that SAA deaccessioning guidelines work in the hands of archivists who are not only willing to question backlogs and legacy practices but also brave enough to create a path forward. -- Linda Whitaker, Former Director of Library and Archives, Arizona Historical Society

This book should reassure doubters that reappraisal and deaccessioning can be successful and even delightful when it results in better support for collections and access for patrons. The chapters provide an instructive, sometimes entertaining, picture of what happens when an institution commits to separating from some of its holdings. -- D. Claudia Thompson, Arrangement & Description Manager, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming Reappraisal and deaccessioning are essential functions of archival practice as we stride to develop sustainable and relevant collections in service to society. By bringing together professionally diverse perspectives that reflect on the value and challenges associated with reappraisal and deaccessioning, this book is a valuable resource for anyone looking to learn more about these foundational practices. -- Matthew R. Francis, Archivist, Ohio Northern University Deaccessioning has become an essential management tool with the power to move institutions towards achieving sustainability. These case studies demonstrate that SAA deaccessioning guidelines work in the hands of archivists who are not only willing to question backlogs and legacy practices but also brave enough to create a path forward. -- Linda Whitaker, Former Director of Library and Archives, Arizona Historical Society

Author Information

Laura Uglean Jackson began her career in archives at the University of Wyoming’s American Heritage Center (AHC) on a grant-funded reappraisal and deaccessioning project. Since then, she has been an avid proponent of reappraisal and deaccessioning, chairing the Society of American Archivists team that created the Guidelines for Reappraisal and Deaccessioning and publishing and presenting on the topic. Following a seven-year long career at the AHC, she became Assistant University Archivist at the University of California Irvine. She has been Archives and Special Collections Librarian at the University of Northern Colorado since September 2017. She holds a BA in Art History from Colorado State University and an MS in Library and Information Science from Simmons College.

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