Lawrimore Appointed to Society of American Archivists Committee on Public Awareness

Erin Lawrimore, photo by Franklin Graves

University Archivist Erin Lawrimore has been appointed to serve a three-year term on the Society of American Archivists' newly formed Committee on Public Awareness.  According to its charge, "The Committee provides strategic information and advice to the SAA Council to enhance SAA’s capacity to promote the value of archives and archivists to institutions, communities, and society.  The Committee recommends to the SAA Council the public awareness priorities on which SAA should focus its attention and resources, within the context of the Society’s mission and strategic plan.  In addition, the Committee works with staff and outside counsel to develop programs that promote the value and role(s) of archivists and archives nationwide....COPA generally is concerned with influencing opinions about the value of archivists and archives among the general public and stakeholder groups other than legislators and regulators (e.g., archives users, institutional resource allocators, etc.)." 

Says Lawrimore, "I'm thrilled to be appointed to the Committee on Public Awareness. Through presentations, social media, and exhibits, we've worked to promote UNCG's stellar archives. I am happy to use these experiences along with my past work in public and media relations to collaborate with COPA and promote the archival profession."

Lawrimore is also serving as Editor in Chief of the new publication, Archival Practice, a new peer-reviewed, open-access journal hosted by the University Libraries at UNCG.  In an introduction welcoming readers to the new journal, Lawrimore explains that it provides a scholarly forum for discussions of real-world applications of archival theories and practices in the modern archival repository.