ARLIS/NA + SAA program on Crisis, Disaster, and Tragedy Response

In a world of climate change, social and civil strife, tragedy, and ever-changing technologies, cultural heritage professionals increasingly find themselves in the position of having to respond to stewardship and collection needs while contending with adverse conditions that affect their lives and work. Developing plans for long-term collecting, preservation and access relating to these crises can be taxing when contending with issues relating to health, politics, privacy, and other concerns. It can also be difficult to know what resources are available when advocating for support in the workplace. 

The Society of American Archivist’s Crisis, Disaster, and Tragedy Response Working Group (CDTRWG) works to provide support and connections for empathetic, ethical, and sustainable collecting or documenting practices during times of crisis. We provide virtual assistance via our Crisis Collecting Assistance Team and our Documenting in Times of Crisis Toolkit.  Come hear co-chairs Vanessa St.Oegger-Menn and Kara McClurken discuss the activities of the Working Group and how you might benefit from our resources and support.