The following press release was announced by the Society of American Archivists:
Dr. Foy Scalf Receives Archival Innovator Award from Society of American Archivists
CHICAGO — Dr. Foy Scalf, head of the Research Archives and Integrated Database Project Team at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, is the 2016 recipient of the Archival Innovator Award from 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 Archival Innovator Award recognizes archivists, repositories, or organizations that show creativity in approaching professional challenges or the ability to think outside the professional norm or that have an extraordinary impact on a community through archives programs and outreach.
Prior to the work of the Integrated Database Project, the Oriental Institute faced challenges with the matter of information sharing about its collections, both internally and externally. The development of the Integrated Database, led by Dr. Scalf, brings together scholars, researchers, and internal and external staff and allows them unprecedented access to collections. Under Dr. Scalf’s leadership, approximately 15 student workers and volunteers have assisted in putting more than 850,000 records online pertaining to museum collections, research archives, museum archives, and photo archives. From troubleshooting technical issues to managing the content of the database and the interdepartmental staff to extending a vision for the project’s long-term goals, Dr. Scalf has developed an organizational culture around the project that makes it a core element of the Oriental Institute’s mission.
One supporter wrote that “Dr. Scalf and his team work tirelessly to maintain [the database] as a dynamic tool that is not only valuable for researchers and staff . . . but also for the ethos of stewardship, information sharing, and community building that the Oriental Institute upholds through its mission.”
SAA’s Archival Innovator Award was established in 2012. Previous recipients include the Florida State Archives Memory Team, Trevor Owens of the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program at the Library of Congress, and the Augmented Processing Table Research Team at the University of Texas at Austin School of Information.
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.
If you have any questions, contact:
ABIGAIL CHRISTIAN
Editorial & Production Coordinator
Society of American Archivists
17 N. State Street Suite 1425
Chicago, Illinois 60602
achristian@archivists.org
