The work of archivists is often performed in parallel to librarians. Although the approach to managing an archival collection is different from managing a library collection, many of the same issues are raised in both fields. Attendees to this session will hear about current issues and topics within archives.
Establishing the NYC Trans Archives: Archival resistance in action Speaker: Elvis Bakaitis (they/them)
NYC Trans archives is a newly founded, community-based archives located in New York City. We collect personal papers, art, digital media, zines, comics, and other forms of self-expressive works by and about transgender individuals and communities. This talk will provide a focused introduction to the start of an entirely new organization, based on a model of collective agreement/discussion, and operating on a limited, non-institutional budget. As a non-profit organization, NYC Trans Archives has been the recipient of two grants and will host an intern from the Mellon-funded FOCAS project in Fall 2026. The presenter will outline the NYC Trans Archives' origin story, a form of "resistance" in a time of systemic hostility to gender diverse lives in the United States. The purpose of this talk is to inspire connection at ARLIS between professionals in the field and the shared project of preserving histories of gender diverse people across the world.
滋賀重列: A case study of mutual influences and the archival traces they leave behind Speaker: Emilee Mathews
In this paper I discuss archival traces across Japan and the United States regarding 滋賀重列|SHIGA Shigetsura, a Japanese architect who studied at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the 19th century and went on to develop the leading theory on late Meiji period Japanese housing typology. Perhaps most poignantly, only one building remains of SHIGA-san’s work: his own family home, which is still occupied by his descendents. That he was known for his expertise on housing and his own home still stands today is a testament to his understanding of the building typology. His own theory, one more defined by relativism than absolutist dictates, builds in flexibility and empathy to the individual circumstances of home ownership. SHIGA-san’s considerable body of writing and association with multiple institutions and publications left traces across both the University of Illinois archives and historic collections, and several repositories in Japan. It is a case study that illuminates links between Japan and the U.S. that are often acknowledged, yet our understanding of those influences still has much to improve. By telling this story through the lens of archival research, we can illuminate mutual dependencies between libraries across nations to tell expansive stories and celebrate cross-cultural accomplishments.
There’s Tea on the Table: end of life and legacy work in archival donor relations (or what I wish I had known before talking about death at work) Speaker: Lucy Pauker
This paper addresses the challenges and offers potential aids to navigating trauma and grief in donor relations, from the perspective of an early career archivist. It explores these themes through the author’s role as Processing Archivist at a community archive (Jewish Public Library Archives) and leans specifically on the author’s relationship with a Montreal artist whose fonds is housed at the JPL-A. The presentation aims to dive into the trust building and difficult conversations that occur when pursuing legacy collections in which the donor is also the creator. By exploring examples of conversations with donors who are approaching end of life, or the families/colleagues of the recently departed, the author hopes to outline both the messiness of grief in the workplace and supports needed to aid in this process.
The NeverEnding Story: Current and Ongoing Issues in Architecture Archives Speaker: Tellina Liu
This paper addresses three issues in architectural archives: increasing access and use, backlog and accruals, and donor relations.
