Shelf-Advocacy in the Archives: Exploring Historical Narratives and Archival Possibilities through a Case Study on the Sexual Assault Resource Agency Archive, 1975 - 2022 10 views

In this paper, I utilize the Sexual Assault Resource Agency (SARA) Archive as a case study for how access and care frameworks originating in the academic sphere can be practically implemented in a non-traditional archival space. I consider how the narratives we create about historical processes can create gaps in the historical record, in which marginalized groups are often forgotten or misrepresented. I also explore the importance of provenance, access and care, and the legacies of community and activist archives, arguing for more archival practices informed by social justice frameworks, including a postcolonial and feminist ethics of care model. Through my experience as an amateur archivist, I show how archival practices can influence the way history is presented to the public; my documentation of the decisions I made and the challenges I faced throughout this process convey the valuable role of those working in archives, as well as the lasting effects of these individuals and their practices on collections and historical narratives. With regard to the SARA archive, this project has improved access to the archive’s materials and the conditions in which they are preserved. My organization of these materials and creation of a finding aid that is understandable to any layperson accessing the collection further contributes to the accessibility of its contents, specifically the history of the agency. Additionally, I arranged the collection to not only highlight as many tellings of the agency’s story as possible, but also to present these materials as part of a larger conversation on sexual violence in American culture. Furthermore, these historical perspectives speak to the valuable role that community archives play in an archive ecosystem with formal institutional spaces positioned as authorities on archival practices and historical processes.

MA (Master of Arts)

media studies; archival studies; feminist media studies; community archives

English

All rights reserved by the author (no additional license for public reuse)

2026-04-20