Chair/Lead: Kristell Benson

Members: Jillian Sparks, Ezra Plemons, Shelbie Pleskonko, Joanna Hunt, Jane Becker Nelson

Status: Complete

Goals

One of the primary goals across all areas of the Archives is to encourage those whose voices have been underrepresented in our own community to contribute, and to make that contribution feel safe and welcome. That goal was integrated into two major projects, the COVID-19 Archives and the 2020 Stories Project.

Actions Taken

1. Initiated the COVID-19 Archive and the 2020 Stories Project to collect materials from diverse groups within the St. Olaf community in order to further our goal of having a representative archive.

2. Used different methods of outreach in order to communicate with the community, including calls for donations and contacting faculty to collaborate on using these as part of their curriculum. 

3. Collaborated with community members, such as those in the Taylor Center, the Wellness Center, and the office of the Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, in order to gain insight into ways in which we might make these spaces more welcoming to St. Olaf BIPOC and other underrepresented groups. 

4. Staff also participated in professional development opportunities to further their education regarding DEI in archives and libraries.

Accomplishments so Far 

College Archives has already received over 170 donations to these two collections, including two different classes that made the option of donating part of the curriculum.