To our CA community:

These are the times that try [our] souls…
The advancement and diffusion of knowledge…is the only guardian of true liberty.

- James Madison to George Thomson, 30 June 1825, Letters and other Writings of James Madison (1865) vol. 3 (with some help from Thomas Paine 1776)

In the last four weeks most of us have seen and felt the impacts of disruption culture at the heart of modern technological power. As archivists, historians, records managers, cultural heritage professionals, and digital pioneers charged with collecting, assessing, preserving, and making our history available to the now and for the future, grappling with the rate of change may seem nearly impossible. Those of us working now are the generations that went from radio to TV to video to video games to social media and sound bytes. We had a central core identity that we felt proud to be able to add to with new archival collections, new voices, new collecting areas, and efforts to add into the historical record those who had been ignored, erased, denied or shouted down. We are history, we are our record, and we are the lessons we’ve learned from the past and from our present. The core philosophy of ACA stands strong; we adapt and we are resilient. Being a voice for those who can no longer tell their stories is a sacred mission for all archivists and those voices and stories must be protected. The Academy of Certified Archivists members are experts in our fields, trained to support the American and international community through standards, through our ethics, and through our support of one another. I am proud to be an archivist in this time of change – and believe in the strength of our profession to pull us through.

The Academy will continue to support all our CAs, archivists and those in allied professions. We are planning the next exam cycle, updating recertification points, and continuing to organize salons to support CAs and the profession in 2025 and beyond. We are working on a list of resources that will be coming soon to our website. Thank you to the great work from our partner archival and cultural heritage organizations who have begun this work already for individuals and for the data being lost every day. 

For those who need an ear, a voice, or an eye on a resume, a collection, or a data preservation effort we encourage you to reach out to us. We will also be putting out a call for volunteers to help with resume review clinics and ways to connect with one another during this time of crisis and change. 

Sincerely,

The 2025 ACA Board of Regents

We Need You! 

Get involved and help ensure continued success of the Academy of Certified Archivists. 

If you have been wondering how to get more involved with the Academy, now is your chance. Elections will be held in the spring of 2025. More information to come! 

We are currently seeking nominees for the following offices and Regent positions: 

• Vice President/President Elect – The Vice-President will support the President in their duties and prepare for the role of President in their second year on the board. They will also serve a third year as the Regent for Nominations. Estimated time commitment is 10-15 hours per month. 

• Secretary – The Secretary will keep the minutes of the meetings of the Board and will see that all notices are given in a timely manner according to bylaws or as required by law. Additionally, the Secretary will be responsible for the corporate records and archives. Estimated time commitment is 6-10 hours per month.  

• Regent for Examination Administration – The Regent for Examination Administration is responsible for all aspects of examination administration. They will also serve as a liaison to outside testing organizations, consultants and others regarding examination administration. Estimated time commitment is 15-20 hours per month. 

• Regent for Certification Maintenance – The Regent for Certification Maintenance is responsible for administering the certification maintenance program and creating a committee of volunteers from members as needed. Estimated time commitment is 15-20 hours per month. 

• Regent for Member Services – The Regent for Member Services is responsible for communication with members, especially through social media, and shall serve as a liaison to the Board concerning membership-based issues. Estimated time commitment is 5-15 hours per month. 

• Nominating Committee member – The Nominating Committee member serves for two years on the Nominating Committee that helps prepare a slate for each election. Due to a vacancy there will also be a one-year position open. Work is concentrated between November and April and is estimated at 4-6 hours per month during that time. 

Please forward all nominees and questions to our team at ACA Headquarters (office@CertifiedArchivists.org)

The Academy of Certified Archivists announces the publication of the revised Role Delineation Statement and the 2025 Reading List to study for the 2025 Certification Examination.  

From 2023-2024, a group of subject matter experts and certified archivists reviewed the Role Delineation Statement (RDS) and used this to conduct a nationwide job analysis survey to assess the skills and responsibilities that comprise archival work. The results of the job analysis now comprise the revised RDS. Overall, the survey reinforced areas of practice and theory that continue to be of primary importance to the profession and identified areas that reflect new and emerging practices, such as metadata remediation. The ACA will share fuller insights about the survey results in 2025. 

The revised RDS outlines the framework for the certification examination. The Reading List is comprised of articles, books, standards, and other publications that directly relate to the tasks and knowledge statements of the eight domains. Examination questions come directly from the literature. The Reading List is organized by type of publication with notations of all the domains a source covers. Many sources cover more than one domain, and the Exam Development Committee hopes this format helps guide your studying. When available, there is a link to an open access version. 

Questions about the Role Delineation Statement, Reading List, or other about the examination can be directed to examdevelopment@certifiedarchivists.org. Questions about registering to take the examination can be directed to examadmin@certifiedarchivists.org.  

Click here to view the revised Role Delineation Statement

Click here to view the 2025 Reading List

The Academy of Certified Archivists (ACA) is proud to announce that we have signed an agreement with VoLT Management Services LLC (VoLT) to become ACA’s new association management company, effective January 1, 2025. VoLT’s goal is “to become the preeminent management firm specializing in the expert administration of records management, information management, and archival organizations.” The transition will lead to a stronger customer service experience for CAs.

ACA thanks CapHill Management Services for their many yers of support. ACA welcomes Johnny Hadlock, CEO, of VoLT to the team. ACA joins the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators (NAGARA), and the National Network of Nonprofit Search Consultants (NNSC) as clients of VoLT. ACA will be setting up a few “get to know VoLT” events in early 2025.

The ACA Board has ensured a sufficient transition timeline and our Certified Archivists should experience little disruption during this transition process.

What will change: 

• The ACA mailing address will change to a Washington, DC address; 

What will NOT change:

• ACA email addresses, @certifiedarchivists.org will remain the same, please continue to use the emails to contact the Board. Johnny will be reachable at the office@certifiedarchivists.org
• ACA website, www.certifiedarchivists.org will remain the same
• Recertification will remain through Prolydian, managed through our contract with Prolydian will remain in place for the transition and beyond. 
• ACA exam, exam application, and exam design remain with the Regent for Exam Development, Exam Development Committee, and be administered through Prolydian and by proctors online.
• Dues will continue to be paid through Prolydian. If you’ve received this email and haven’t paid your 2024 dues, now is a great time to reach out.

Huge thanks to the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 ACA Boards for their work to support this move.

If you have questions or comments, please reach out to me directly: dara@certifiedarchivists.org.

Dara A. Baker

President, Academy of Certified Archivists

2024-2025

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Nancy Melley for her participation in the November ACA Archives Salon. Nancy generously provided insights into the history and application process for National Historical Publications & Records Commission (NHPRC) grants, as well as offering valuable tips on developing successful grant applications. She is currently looking for reviewers for the current grant cycle. If you are interested in reviewing NHPRC grant applications from late December through early February, please contact Nancy at nancy.melley@nara.gov. This important work will contribute to your CA recertification points.