A building renovation in many ways is comparable to that of sowing and harvesting a garden. It requires a favorable environment, great planning, patience, and fortitude. Both the process and outcome can be wildly unpredictable, so archivists and any other parties involved must be prepared to respond with flexibility, adaptability and, at times, compromise.
When we think about renovations, how do we as practitioners and leaders advocate for the specialized requirements to suit the needs of our evolving collections? How do we balance asking for what we want vs. what is minimally required? What sacrifices may be needed in order to satisfy external administrators whose priorities differ from those of us practicing in the profession? Decisions made - and perhaps not made - have lasting effects on our ability to care for and steward our collections.
Four archivists from various institutions will discuss, compare and contrast their renovation experiences from initial designs and proposals to completion. They will detail steps that were required to prepare for their projects, how they adapted to challenging circumstances along the way, and the desired vs. actual outcomes. The objective of this presentation will be to share their lessons learned - what went well and what didn’t - and allow for a robust question-and-answer session following their presentations. This session seeks to provide real life and actionable information that attendees can use to help with any possible future renovation plans at their own institutions.
