The Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies (JCAS) announces the publication of two new articles.
"A Methodology for Implementing the Standardized Statistical Measures and Metrics for Public Services in Archival Repositories and Special Collections Libraries," written by Melanie Griffin.
Download the article: https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/jcas/vol7/iss1/14.
Abstract: The Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) and the Society for American Archivists (SAA) joint standard, Standardized Statistical Measures and Metrics for Public Services in Archival Repositories and Special Collections Libraries, provides a shared vocabulary and set of statistical measures that help archival and special collections repositories articulate their value as they share concrete evidence demonstrating the impact of their services. The standard is specifically designed to be system agnostic so that all repositories can use it. Many of the standard's recommended measures, particularly those related to users and circulation, however, are challenging to implement without the use of a reading room management software system. This case study explores the adaptation of an existing quantitative assessment program to incorporate the measures and metrics suggested by the new RBMS/SAA standard without the use of specialized reading room management software.
"The Concept of Natureculture Document: A Conceptual Exploration of Seeds, Embodied Information, and Unconventional Records," written by Marc Kosciejew.
Download the article: https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/jcas/vol7/iss1/15.
Abstract: Seedbanks, or so-called archival arks of the apocalypse, are addressing accelerating anthropocentric alterations to the environment by collecting, storing, and preserving seeds. These are specialized archival repositories that approach, frame, and use seeds as documents for agricultural and scientific research, classification and preservation work, and various other archival and administrative purposes. Seedbanks indeed are archives of unconventional records. This article introduces the concept of natureculture document as a framing device in which to help analyze the documentary status of objects that are not necessarily or usually considered as documents or having documentary characteristics. This concept, coupled with its interdisciplinary theoretical tools, offers fresh conceptual approaches to help analyze the documentary status of objects that are not typically considered documents. Drawing upon scholarship in documentation studies, environmental science, information philosophy, and feminist studies, this article begins a conceptual intervention within and for archival science through this concept and its application to seeds within seedbanks.
JCAS is a peer-reviewed, open access journal sponsored by the New England Archivists, Yale University Library, and Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
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Katy Sternberger
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Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies
email.jcas@gmail.com
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