Advocacy and Awareness for Archivists. Archival Fundamentals Series III, Vol. 3. By Kathleen D. Roe. [Review]

Abstract

Writing a formal review for this work seems oddly unnecessary; given the background and experience of the author, one would not even have to read this book to know its worth. Kathleen Roe has long been a powerful voice for promoting the vital importance of advocacy in the archival profession, not only in her own career (notably as director of archives and records management at the New York State Archives) but in her record of prominent professional service. Roe served as president of the Society of American Archivists in 2014-2015, where she made advocacy one of the centerpiece policies of her administration. As past president of the Council of State Archivists (as well as during her SAA service), she provided leadership not only in lower-level advocacy efforts but also as an active voice for archival advocacy at the federal legislative level. Few people in our profession are better poised than Roe to "write the book," as it were, on archival advocacy in all its aspects. Here she has provided us with an invaluable reference tool to help us pursue advocacy initiatives and programs regardless of our institutional limits.