Assessing the State of Archives and Archives Workers in the California State University

Authors

Stef Baldivia, sbaldivia@csuchico.eduFollow
Tanya M. Hollis, San Francisco State UniversityFollow
Ellen E. Jarosz, California State University, NorthridgeFollow
Laura Sorvetti, Cal Poly San Luis ObispoFollow
Heather M. Steele Gajewski, California State University, Long BeachFollow
Diana Wakimoto, California State University, East BayFollow

Abstract

This article presents findings from an environmental scan of archival work at California State University (CSU), the largest public university system in the United States. Using an online survey to collect qualitative and quantitative data, the researchers were able to create a snapshot of the current state of the archives across the CSU system's campuses. This included information about staffing, compensation, collections, duties and responsibilities, and budgets, as well as challenges. While all of the archival workers are part of the same university system, there were many differences in staffing levels, staff and faculty ranks, budgets, and duties assigned to the workers across the different campuses. These differences and challenges suggest that more research is needed to create better equity and opportunities for collaboration across the university system. This research will be of interest to other archival workers in large, geographically dispersed university systems, and archives workers across the western US in academic and other institutions.

Author Biography

Stefani Baldivia is Equity and Outreach Librarian at California State University, Chico. Tanya Hollis is Interim Director of the Labor Archives & Research Center at San Francisco State University. Ellen Jarosz is Head of Special Collections & Archives at California State University, Northridge. Laura Sorvetti is Archivist at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Heather Steele Gajewski is Archivist and Coordinator of Special Collections and University Archives at California State University, Long Beach. Diana K. Wakimoto is Archivist and Librarian at California State University, East Bay.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Baldivia, Stef; Hollis, Tanya M.; Jarosz, Ellen E.; Sorvetti, Laura; Steele Gajewski, Heather M.; and Wakimoto, Diana (2025) "Assessing the State of Archives and Archives Workers in the California State University," Journal of Western Archives: Vol. 16: Iss. 1, Article 2.
DOI: 10.59620/2154-7149.1187
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/westernarchives/vol16/iss1/2