Latin American and Cultural Heritage Archives Roundtable Webinar Series Receives Diversity Award from the Society of American Archivists

In March 2015, the Caribbean IRN Collection on the Digital Library of the Caribbean  was discussed in the webinar series .   This contribution has been acknowledged by the team which organised the series.

CHICAGO—The Latin American and Cultural Heritage Archives Roundtable webinar series, “Desmantelando Fronteras/Breaking Down Borders,” is the 2016 recipient of the Diversity Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award will be presented at a ceremony during the Joint Annual Meeting of SAA and the Council of State Archivists in Atlanta, July 31–August 6. The award recognizes an individual, group, or institution for outstanding contributions in advancing diversity within the archives profession, SAA, or the archival record.

“Desmantelando Fronteras/Breaking Down Borders” was co-founded by George Apodaca, affiliate assistant librarian and Pauline A. Young resident at the University of Delaware Library; Natalie Baur, most recently the archivist for the Cuban Heritage Collection at the University of Miami; and Margarita Vargas-Betancourt, curator of Latin American and Caribbean Special Collections at the George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida. The webinar series provides a collaborative space for archivists of the Latin American and Caribbean diaspora to share their projects and experiences, facilitating an open exchange of ideas among professionals throughout the Americas. The series, in collaboration with the Digital Library of the Caribbean and the Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries, has provided an exemplary model of cooperative outreach. Topics include digital and documentation projects in Colombia, Curaçao, Ecuador, Florida, Guyana, Honduras, and Puerto Rico, and webinars feature both English and Spanish speakers.

According to one colleague, “This one-of-a-kind project has expanded beyond geographical, language, and theoretical barriers and provides an example of how SAA and American archivists can connect with international professionals.”

The Diversity Award was established in 2011. Previous recipients include the Shorefront Legacy Center (Evanston, IL), the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program at the University of Florida, Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage Program at the University of Houston, and Jennifer O'Neal of the University of Oregon Libraries.

Founded in 1936, the Society of American Archivists is North America’s oldest and largest national archival professional association. SAA’s mission is to serve the educational and informational needs of more than 6,200 individual and institutional members and to provide leadership to ensure the identification, preservation, and use of records of historical value. For more information, visit www.archivists.org.