Yale University Library News

Fierce Urgencies: The Social Responsibility of Collecting and Protecting Data

April 26, 2017

Join us for an event on 5/4 from 9:30-11:00 am in Luce Hall (34 Hillhouse Avenue) that explores the increasing necessity of capturing and preserving the documentation of cultural heritage, scientific data, and activist movements.

In this time of heightened social activism and mounting environmental uncertainty, many librarians and archivists have extended their practices beyond standard institutional procedures, taking on more forward-thinking approaches in order to capture and preserve documentation of cultural heritage, scientific data, and activist movements. Threats include loss of ephemeral materials, “silences” in historical documentation created by gaps in collecting, and the erasure of information through either lack of foresight, purposeful deletion, or accidental destruction. As more librarians and archivists take measures to protect information that is at risk--including the histories and data of underrepresented groups from across the ideological spectrum--this event will give voice to information professionals who are working to navigate the complexities inherent in their collecting and descriptive decisions. Panelists will be given time to share their personal experiences, visions for the future, and concerns about preserving data in a time where threats of climate change, encroaching governmental policies, and professional accountability affect the memory work being done both by individuals and institutions.

Panelists: Jarrett Drake, Digital Archivist, Princeton University; Eira Tansey, Digital Archivist/Records Manager, University of Cincinnati; Bethany Wiggin, Director, Penn Program in the Environmental Humanities

Breakout sessions with panelists:
2:00-3:00 p.m. Room C122, 344 Winchester, Beinecke Library, co-sponsored by the Yale Archival Reading Group
2:00-3:00 p.m. Rooms 38/39, 121 Wall Street, Beinecke Library, co-sponsored by the Standing Committee on Professional Awareness

Coffee to follow breakout sessions.