The A*CENSUS II: Archives Administrators Survey launched this week! 

In 2004, the original A*CENSUS broke ground by surveying archivists from across the country. It had a tremendous impact on the archives profession. The findings empowered archival institutions to advocate for resources and benchmark against peers, allowed researchers to study trends in the workforce, and informed curricula and educational offerings by academic institutions and professional organizations. A*CENSUS II builds upon the foundation of the original A*CENSUS and encompasses two surveys. In fall 2021, we fielded the All Archivists Survey, and now, the Archives Administrators Survey—the second and final survey of A*CENSUS II—is live. Findings from this survey will be shared widely with the profession, and the more archives administrators who participate, the stronger the data and resulting action will be.

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The Archives Administrators Survey is the first major nationwide survey of senior administrators within the archives profession. It will gather data from administrators about their departments or organizational structure, the resources that are available to them, and the strategic directions they are pursuing. It will also collect information on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility practices. The survey also includes questions on budgets, staffing, organizational priorities, and the impact of COVID-19. 

We sent an email inviting archives administrators to take this survey on Monday, February 28. This survey is for individuals who are the most senior leader and decision maker for their archives, regardless of the size of the archives. An archives administrator may oversee a large archives organization, an archives unit situated within a broader institution, or a small community archives collection. An archives administrator may manage employees, volunteers or, in some cases, may be the sole steward of an archival collection. If you are a part of this population and have not received an invitation to the survey, but would like to participate, click on the link below. It will take about 30 minutes to complete the survey.

The Archives Administrators Survey is funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services and was jointly developed by the Society of American Archivists A*CENSUS II working group, whose members represent diverse sectors and roles within the archives profession, and the not-for-profit research organization Ithaka S+R. There has been tremendous collaboration across the profession, with the organizations listed below generously helping to promote the A*CENSUS II: Archives Administrators Survey through their membership and social media channels.  If your organization would like to participate as well, please contact me at makala.skinner@ithaka.org.

  • Academy of Certified Archivists
  • American Association for State and Local History
  • Arizona Archives Alliance
  • Association for the Study of African American Life and History
  • Association of Catholic Diocesan Archivists
  • Association of Hawai’i Archivists
  • Association of Moving Image Archivists
  • Association of St Louis Area Archivists
  • Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums
  • Chicago Area Archivists
  • Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists
  • Council of State Archivists
  • Delaware Valley Archivists Group
  • Kentucky Council on Archives
  • Los Angeles Archivists Collective
  • Louisiana Archives and Manuscripts Association
  • Miami Valley Archives Roundtable
  • Michigan Archival Association
  • Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference
  • Midwest Archives Conference
  • National Archives and Records Administration
  • National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators
  • New England Archivists
  • Northwest Archivists
  • Rare Books and Manuscripts Section, Association of College and Research Libraries, ALA
  • Seattle Area Archivists
  • Society of California Archivists
  • Society of Florida Archivists
  • Society of Georgia Archivists
  • Society of Indiana Archivists
  • Society of Mississippi Archivists
  • Society of North Carolina Archivists
  • Society of Ohio Archivists
  • Society of Rocky Mountain Archivists
  • Society of Southwest Archivists
  • Society of Tennessee Archivists
  • South Carolina Archival Association
  • Special Libraries Association
  • Twin Cities Archives Roundtable

 

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [LG-246367-OLS-20].

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.