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Society of American Archivists

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North America's oldest and largest national archival professional association.
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Start your weekend off with Word of the Week! Every week, the SAA Dictionary Working Group shares terms from the Dictionary of Archives Terminology.

This week’s entry is: archival administration

n. ~ 1. the activities performed in archives, especially relative to their management
2. the field and discipline committed to maintaining archives
3. the organizational entity or designated people within it having responsibility for direct oversight and management of an archives
4. the educational curricula or formal training covering the theories and practices of archivy

Terms commonly used interchangeably for one or more of these senses include archival management, archive administration, archive management, archives administration, and archives management.

Read the word in context:

1. "Restrictions on access were a necessary part of archival administration, but no document, no part of a document, should be closed unnecessarily.” (Geselbracht 1986, 154)

2. "As early as 1909 Waldo G. Leland, whose name will always be linked to the beginning and progress of archival administration in the United States, very clearly identified and defined the kind of archival training that seemed to be needed when he read his fundamental papers on ‘American Archival Problems’ before the Conference of American Archivists." (Posner 2006, 59)

3. "The recognition of the importance of records to society was one of the important gains of the French revolution. This recognition resulted in three important accomplishments in the archival field: (1) an independent, national, archival administration was established, (2) the principle of public access to archives was proclaimed, and (3) the responsibility of the state for the care of the valuable documents of the past was recognized." (Schellenberg 1996, 5)

4. "The course is intended to instruct the student in the techniques of modern archival administration, in the theory of administrative organization, and in the fields of documentation and economics." (Smith 1951, 360)

Word of the Week comes out in a newsletter every Tuesday. If you’d like more words in your inbox, head to the link in our bio to sign up!

#SAAWords by @saarchivists

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What a great #AskAnArchivist Day! Thanks to everyone who asked questions, shared experiences, and celebrated archives with us this week. Archivists are passionate about connecting people with records, stories, and history, and we're grateful for such an engaged community. by @saarchivists

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The SAA Foundation Board of Directors will soon invite applications from individuals interested in serving as committee members or as an Emerging Professional on the SAA Foundation’s Development and Grant Review Committees, as well as the National Disaster Recovery Fund for Archives. .

Join us Thursday, October 22, 2026, 11:30 am Eastern/8:30 am Pacific*, for an information session to learn more about what service with the SAA Foundation looks like and about the upcoming application and nominations process. You can register for the session here. https://bit.ly/4yXit4M The SAA Foundation Board of Directors will soon invite applications from individuals interested in serving as committee members or as an Emerging Professional on the SAA Foundation’s Development and Grant Review Committees, as well as the National Disaster Recovery Fund for Archives.
Join us Thursday, October 22, 2026, 11:30am Eastern/8:30am Pacific*, for an information session to learn more about what service with the SAA Foundation looks like. You can register here. https://bit.ly/4yXit4M by @saarchivists

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The SAA Foundation Board of Directors will soon invite applications from individuals interested in serving as an Elected Director or as an Emerging Professional on the SAA Foundation Board of Directors.
Join us Thursday, November 5, 2026, 6:30 pm Eastern/3:30 pm Pacific*, for an information session to learn more about what service with the SAA Foundation looks like and about the upcoming application and nominations process.

*Session will be recorded and made available following its conclusion.

Register today! https://bit.ly/4dIKSCR by @saarchivists

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For #AskAnArchivist Day, @helen_keller_archive shared the front cover of W.E.B. Du Bois' "Darkwater," inscribed to Helen Keller. They write:

This book comes from the AFB Helen Keller Archive, currently housed at The Dot Experience in Louisville, Kentucky. While it has been stated that the entire Archive is digitized at helenkellerarchive.afb.org, Helen's library of print books was never publicly cataloged or digitized. Many books were gifts from their authors, as this copy of W.E.B. Du Bois' Darkwater shows. Though brief, the inscription is arguably the most heartfelt and eloquent in the collection. And it must be said that Du Bois' concern for accessibility, demonstrated by the braille transcription just below his handwriting, was quite innovative in 1925.

With the first few words being illegible cursive, the inscription possibly reads "Very Sincerely yours, W.E.B. Du Bois, 16 April, 1925. I have known you, unknown, since 1890."

The first meeting of Keller and Du Bois was documented in an address that is also held in the Archive. Further, the friendship that was created then resulted in Keller making a significant, early donation to the NAACP. by @saarchivists

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For #AskAnArchivist Day, @Voorheesvillepl shared this graphic that highlights an appraisal report from 1944. The Voorheesville Public Library has both an institutional and local history archives. by @saarchivists

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For #AskAnArchivist Day, @WrightTaliesin shared this photo of apprentice James Thomson from 1935. They write:

In 1935, the Taliesin Fellowship constructed the Broadacre City model at La Hacienda—a converted polo stable in Chandler, Arizona. During a break from this work, apprentice James Thomson playfully hurdled a pole set between two chairs while apprentice Cornelia Brierly took this snapshot.

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright envisioned Broadacre City as a new democratic community that would use modern technology and communications to decentralize the traditional city and create an environment where individuals could flourish.

Cornelia Brierly papers. The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Collections. by @saarchivists

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For #AskAnArchivist Day, @ublibraries shared a package recovered from TWA Flight 800 in 1996. The wrote:

On July 16, 1996, UB philosophy professor Peter Hare mailed an urgent package overseas. The next day, it was aboard TWA Flight 800 when the plane crashed off Long Island, killing all 230 people on board.

Months later, the damaged package was returned to Hare and eventually became part of the Peter Hare Papers in the University Archives. Its stained wrapper, handwritten label and Postal Service letter preserve an unexpected connection between one professor’s life and a national tragedy. by @saarchivists

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For #AskAnArchivist Day, independent archivist @veteran_lore shared digital copies of leaflets distributed and air-dropped throughout Iraq during the opening stages of the US military compaign in March 2003. He writes, "I believe [the leaflets] are an under-recognized part of the historical record, particularly because of the events surrounding the Iraq War and their long-term consequences that continue to be examined and debated." by @saarchivists

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History is on the line! For #AskAnArchivist Day, @UCSFLibrary is shining a light on an underrated treasure: Chaff, the yearbook of UC's College of Dentistry (1897–1909). Dental students wrote and illustrated the yearbook themselves, filling it with cartoons that show how they viewed their profession: wry, irreverent, and surprisingly funny. This 1898 drawing by M. Wade shows History herself taking calls from the class.

Chaff is one of 460 UCSF university publications you can read free on HathiTrust, digitized with Google Books and the California Digital Library. Pen-and-ink drawing from the 1898 UCSF Chaff yearbook: A woman in a gown sits on a stone block engraved “HISTORY,” holding a telephone receiver to her ear. Books, scrolls, and papers surround her. Tangled telephone cords connect her to students and townspeople, each speaking into a mouthpiece. by @saarchivists

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For #AskAnArchivist Day this year, the Carnegie Mellon University Archives chose to highlight their collection of prompt books produced by the university’s School of Drama. Senior students produced these intricately detailed volumes as part of their senior thesis project. Prompt books contain the stage directions, lighting cues, costume designs, script notes, and much more—everything you might need to stage the show in its entirety. Sometimes they feature beautiful artwork, like this sketch of a costume for Juliet in a production of Romeo & Juliet produced in March 1960, with costumes designed by Judy Harris and Peter Stuhldreher. Samples of the fabric are also included here, giving today’s researchers something tangible to experience. This prompt book also features a costume design for the Lord Capulet character, in this instance played by CMU alum René Auberjonois who would go on to star as Odo in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, among other roles.

The prompt books are an incredible resource for anyone interested in theatre history and are still used by CMU drama students today for their production research. by @saarchivists

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For #AskAnArchivist Day, @delawarehistoricalsociety shared an image from a 1777 journal. They write:

Tucked away for years in the Delaware Historical Society’s archives, archivists recently rediscovered a military journal kept by a Delaware captain in the Continental Army. Its contents offer an underrated look into the lives, values, and contradictions of everyday Delawareans during the American Revolution. Born into a large Irish family of nine children, Robert Kirkwood lacked wealth and political connection. Yet, he was among the first wave of Delaware men to enlist in Colonel Haslett’s Delaware Regiment. He went on to fight in almost every major battle of the War and rose steadily through the ranks.

The 1777 journal details daily marches, camp life, orders, and his speeches to his troops, offering an intimate and insightful look into the life of a Revolutionary soldier and the deep-seated desire for American freedom. Kirkwood’s speech to his troops on July 12, 1777, prior to their march to Staten Island, is particularly poignant. Rallying his troops, Kirkwood condemns British rule as “tyrannical” and urges his men triumph over “the infamous yoke of British slavery,” revealing his own fierce sense of patriotism.

His powerful convictions and use of words such as slavery and “state of bondage” further underline the profound double standard of 18th century America. Many patriots fighting for liberty were also enslavers and active participants in the Atlantic slave trade. For those in bondage, freedom wouldn’t become a reality for a century. This underutilized piece remains a nuanced primary source for researchers and enthusiasts of American history alike. The journal is currently on display at the Delaware History Museum.

Photo courtesy of Delaware Historical Society. by @saarchivists

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