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Table of Contents

Statement of Purpose

“When a record is first created, language and terms are used to title, describe, and categorize its contents, which are culturally and temporally situated. Once that record is accessioned into an archives, archivists inevitably must make decisions around further description, what language to use and how detailed to be, all of which stem from the archivist’s positionality–their experiences, language, and knowledge of the subject, not to mention the positionality of the archives as reflected in its mission, anticipated audiences, and systems parameters.”

As archivists, it is our obligation to be mindful of how our work can either perpetuate or combat marginalization and erasure. We are committed to adhering to descriptive practices informed by empathy, respect, and transparency. These style guidelines, as a product of this commitment, are intended to promote equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice. These are dynamic principles which naturally evolve over time. Policies informed by these principles must be responsive to such evolution, as well as to critical feedback from stakeholders. Therefore, these style guidelines are a living document intended to be modified and updated in an iterative process.

Language Guidelines

Describing Individuals and Identities

When the race, gender, sexual orientation, or other identity of a person is publicly recognized, identify them in the collection description accordingly. Use their preferred language and terminology. 

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• Example of denigrating language: Describing a person who uses a wheelchair as “wheelchair-bound.”

• Alternative examples using empowering language: “wheelchair user” or “[someone who] uses a mobility aid.”

• Example of aggrandizing language from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tech Show Records, AC-0299: “The show was entirely composed, written, created, and produced by students at MIT, so the materials are a rich record and evidence of student humor, creativity, and accomplishment.”

• Alternative example using neutral language: “The show was entirely created and produced by students at MIT.”

Describing Contexts

Unambiguous, concise description helps clarify contexts and relationships. Clear description provides greater factual accuracy and accountability, particularly when describing actions and beliefs. Clarity can be developed through:

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• Utilizing a collection- and (when applicable) series-level note recognizing that some language is outdated/offensive, explaining that creator-based language was or was not maintained and why you chose to maintain or not maintain it.

• Research how the community being described feels about certain terms, and weigh the use of terms that are harmful. Finding other institutions that have grappled with similar collections may help. Where possible, speak directly with creators/subjects who may be harmed by legacy description to determine whether the language should be maintained or changed. In some cases, this research may not be possible, and even when making informed decisions about terminology, it is still possible to do harm.

• Adding a content warning statement at the applicable description levels (see Section IV) so users are aware of the offensive language’s nature and location.

Suggested Readings

Brilmyer, Gracen. “Archival Assemblages: Applying Disability Studies’ Political/Relational Model to Archival Description.” Archival Science 18, no. 2 (June 2018): 95–118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10502-018-9287-6.

White, Sara. “Crippling the Archives: Negotiating Notions of Disability in Appraisal and Arrangement and Description.” The American Archivist 75, no. 1 (April 2012): 109–24. https://doi.org/10.17723/aarc.75.1.c53h4712017n4728.

Reading Level Guidelines

Inclusive archival description does not only focus on collection creators and subjects, but also on collection users themselves. Collection description that is written in a clear, straightforward style is more cognitively accessible for a diverse, global audience. Accessible description should aim for concise structure and grammar while remaining “complete and fully informative — not over-simplified, heavily edited, or censored.”

For guidelines on writing accessible description, see the Reading Level Guidelines page.

Content Warning Guidelines

Another means for supporting inclusive collections access is through the use of content warnings. Content warnings are used to indicate the presence of potentially offensive or disturbing imagery, language, and topics within a collection. Researchers informed by the warning can then choose if and how they will approach the material in question.

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Bibliography

Archives for Black Lives in Philadelphia, Anti-Racist Description Working Group. “Anti-Racist Description Resources,” October 2019. https://archivesforblacklives.files.wordpress.com/ 2019/10/ardr_final.pdf. 

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