Bruce W. Dearstyne
We asked editor Bruce W. Dearstyne to answer a few questions about Leading and Managing Archives and Records Programs: Strategies for Success.
Why was Neal-Schuman interested in this book?
The book is an excellent fit for the Archivist’s and Records Manager’s Bookshelf series. It complements the first two books in the series, which discussed the role of archivists in the information age and the role of data and information systems in recordkeeping. It complements several other Neal-Schuman books on leadership and management in libraries (which are settings for many archival programs). Neal-Schuman is recognized as a leading publisher on topics related to leadership and management. The book also helps fill a gap in both the archives and records management literature: there are excellent books on principles and techniques but few on leadership and program development.
What range of experience is reflected by the authors of the book?
This is an outstanding set of authors. Some have been directors of programs that are recognized as exemplary models. Others have brought about significant program development, often in difficult budgetary settings. In still other cases, these leaders brought new direction and priorities to traditional programs or solidified the program’s status in its parent organization. A number are recognized for their consulting work. The range is very broad. For instance, one of the authors, Edie Hedlin, draws on her long leadership experience at the Ohio Historical Society, Wells Fargo Bank, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the Smithsonian Institution. Another, Mark Greene, reflects on his work at Carleton College, the Henry Ford Museum, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming. Eugenia Brumm has developed a number of records programs and is now affiliated with a leading consulting firm. Carol Choksy draws on a broad range of records management consulting and other experience in diverse settings. Just to take another example, Phil Mooney, Director of the Archives Department at Coca-Cola, is also a prominent expert in business archives generally. James Fogerty writes of his experience with an archives program in a historical society setting. Lee Stout draws on lessons from many years as a university archivist. Greg Sanford and Tanya Marshall describe substantial program development at the Vermont State Archives; Chris Ward describes strategies for making progress in the New York State Archives’ complex institutional and political setting. Two of the authors are prominent British program directors – Peter Emmerson shares his experiences as records manager at Barclays Bank and Kelvin Smith relates and reflects on a key project at the National Archives of the United Kingdom.
Is this a book of “case studies”?
No. The book conveys a good deal of information about the programs that the respective authors directed. You will find considerable description of their mission, strategies, budget campaigns, and how they serve their customers. But it is much more than that. They describe not only what they did but go deeper and tell how they did it. And they go beyond that by reflecting on what worked, what did not work, how strategies got implemented, and what insights and lessons they drew from their experiences and from their participation in the professional field over many years. They book is full of practical suggestions, recommendations, and insights about how to build and sustain strong programs. It is meant to have insights that readers can take away, apply, and use.
You say in one of your chapters that professional leadership and program excellence often go hand-in-hand. Can you give us some examples?
Every one of these authors is recognized for his or her participation and leadership in professional archival or records management associations. Several have garnered professional awards. Five have authored or co-authored previous books. By coincidence, two of the authors are the current presidents of the Society of American Archivists (Mark Greene) and the Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA International) (Carole Choksy). Two are former SAA Presidents. Seven are Fellows of the SAA and one is a Fellow of ARMA International, the highest distinctions in the fields.
Could you summarize some of the leadership lessons that come through in the book?
Certainly. In fact, I contributed a chapter that is devoted to summarizing the multiple insights from the book and placing them in the context of current model leadership literature and practices. Summarizing so many excellent ideas was a challenging task! Some of the notions that come through repeatedly are:
- Leadership is essential for archives and records program success
- A major challenge is aligning the records or archives program with institutional priorities and demonstrating the contribution it makes
- Dealing with change is a constant challenge; may be an opportunity, problem, or some of each
- Successful leaders build networks of champions, allies, and supporters
- There are a number of effective strategies for securing adequate budgetary resources
- Measuring “customer satisfaction” and tailoring your services to customer are major challenges
- Adaptiveness and improvisation are essential skills
- Effective leaders seize opportunities and are not deterred by problems and setbacks (which they use as learning experiences)
- Leaders develop team approaches, delegate effectively, motivate, coach, and work to bring out the best in people
How does the book tie these authors, with all their diverse experience and independent ideas, together?
The authors wrote independently of each other, reflecting on their experiences as they thought best. In fact, that variety of viewpoint and perspective is probably the book’s greatest strength! As editor, I contributed three chapters: one on issues and challenges facing records and archives programs; one that summarizes the authors’ major points and compares them to the best leadership literature; and one final chapter that identifies future challenges and also provides a long bibliographical essay.
Who would find this book useful?
This book should be of interest to a broad range of readers, including: leaders and managers of archives and records programs, people who have leadership or management responsibilities within those programs, and anyone who aspires to, or expects to have, such responsibilities; executives who have records or archives programs under their departments and are interested in insights into best practices; professors and students in records and archives programs; professional associations and groups that are looking for a good source for management and leadership development initiatives; professionals in allied fields such as librarianship, IT, chief information officers, and knowledge management; and anyone interested in what it means to develop and lead a strong program in a time of challenge and change.
Anything else that you would care to add?
In the records and archives fields, it is often the case that the busiest and most successful program leaders have the least time available to write about their experiences and convey their insights. This fact makes us all the more grateful for their essays. My final observation might be that this book, because so much of it is about coping with and capitalizing on change, should be invaluable to readers for several years to come.
