The Diversity and Inclusion Recognition Award acknowledges an individual, institution, or archival program fostering greater awareness, appreciation, and advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion in the archives profession in the Delaware Valley. This year, the award will be divided into two sub-awards. The first is dedicated to research and publications in the archival field. Nominations may include publications, user testing, reports, or other scholarship that contributes to diversity within archival collections and/or the archival profession. The second sub-award is dedicated to archival projects. Nominations may include newly processed collections, published finding aids, curated exhibits, organized lecture series, or other work that contributes to diversifying archives and the archival profession.
Guidelines and Nominations
Each summer, DVAG will invite the community to submit nominations for DIRA. Each nominee’s materials are reviewed by an Award Committee, comprised of members of DVAG’s Committee on Diversity and Inclusion and the previous year’s awardee. The Awards Committee reserves the right not to make an award if, in the judgment of the Committee, no worthy candidates are nominated.
Eligibility Criteria
- Any individual, repository, or institution involved with archives is eligible. A person or institution does not need to be a DVAG member. However, in an effort to provide fair recognition of all deserving nominees, previous award recipients are ineligible for the two years immediately following their last award.
Awards
- Two sub-awards of $200 each. Nominees will be notified of their selection status by December 13th.
- Research and Publications: this sub-award will be given to a student or researcher for a published work or in-progress research that advances DEI awareness, access, and initiatives within the GLAM fields.
- Projects, Programming and Exhibits: this sub-award will be given to an individual or organization for a program, exhibit, or project that advances DEI awareness, access, and initiatives within the GLAM fields.
Submission of entries
- Entries should be emailed to dvarchivists@gmail.com with the subject line “DIRA Submission.”
- Submissions must include:
- The name of the sub-award being sought (Research and Publications or Programming and Exhibits)
- The name of the nominee, their contact information, and that of the project or program being entered.
- A description that includes a summary of the project or program, as well as a statement of how the project/program contributes to the advancement of diversity, inclusion, or multiculturalism of the archival profession (maximum of 500 words).
- Supporting documentation or links to projects (if applicable).
- Submissions must be received by November 8th
- Individuals may self nominate or be nominated by any DVAG community member.
- Reminder: previous award recipients are ineligible until 2 years following their last award.
DIRA Recipients:
2018 – William Way Community Center Archives
2019 – South Asian American Digital Archives
2020 – n/a due to Covid-19
2021 –
Delaware Valley Archivists Group 