PDA Event: Emotional Labor in the Archives: Supporting Archivists Mental Health in Donor Relations

Archivists often encounter tremendous emotional labor in archival repositories. Experiences can include processing sometimes traumatic collections, assisting researchers who are exploring community trauma, and working with donors experiencing a ‘trigger event’ such as suffering a loss, a health crisis, or other life-changing circumstances. This presentation will explore emotional labor, how it manifests in archival work, and suggest ways to implement mental health wellness practices into daily life.

This program will be recorded.

Presenter:

April K. Anderson-Zorn is an associate professor and University Archivist at Illinois State University. Anderson-Zorn holds an MA in History from the University of Central Florida and an MLIS from Florida State University, maintains a Digital Archives Specialist certificate from the Society of American Archivists, and is a certified archivist. Anderson-Zorn is active in SAA, Midwest Archives Conference, and the Academy of Certified Archivists, advocating mental health awareness and representation for archives professionals. Additionally, her research focuses on unique outreach initiatives for hard-to-access repositories.

Registration will be available soon!

This event is sponsored by the CARLI Archives Committee and is open to Illinois libraries and members of the Professional Development Alliance.