Head of Special Collections Technical Services Kit Messick Receives Society of American Archivists Award

Head of Special Collections Technical Services Kit Messick, along with other members of the National Best Practices for Archival Accessioning Working Group, received the Exemplary Service Award from the Society of American Archivists (SAA).

The working group received the award at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Society of American Archivists Conference, which was held August 15-17, 2024 in Chicago, IL. According to the SAA, the award recognizes “a special contribution to the archives profession, and especially to SAA, that is not eligible for one of the other awards given by the Society. It is given on an occasional basis at the discretion of the Council or upon recommendation to the Council by the Awards Committee.”

The working group, which includes archivists from across the United States, was formed in 2021 to create a set of best practices to encourage the development of archival accessioning programs at institutions of all sizes. Accessioning is a range of activities through which archivists appraise, physically stabilize, and document archival acquisitions, and robust accessioning practices — like those used in Smith College Special Collections — help expedite the accessibility of archival collections to our researchers.

According to Messick, “good accessioning provides a strong foundation for responsible and sustainable archival practices, and demonstrates an institution's commitment to the ongoing stewardship of their unique materials.”

The working group also received a National Leadership Grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Contact

Kit Messick, Head of Special Collections Technical Services: kmessick@smith.edu