Alexandria, VA, December 2024—The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) is pleased to announce the release of Creating Ethical Temporary Positions in Archives: Best Practices and Case Studies. Authored by Courtney Dean, Monika Lehman, Kit Messick, Sarah Quigley, Sheridan Leigh Sayles, Laura Starratt, and Camila Zorilla Tessler, this report is the latest addition to CLIR’s widely regarded Pocket Burgundy series.
As cultural heritage organizations face chronic underfunding and rising workloads, temporary labor has become a cornerstone of archival operations–but at what cost?
Creating Ethical Temporary Positions in Archives critically examines the consequences of relying on contingent labor and provides actionable guidelines for creating fairer, more sustainable positions. Drawing from literature review, survey findings, and case studies, the report equips administrators with the tools they need to advocate for systemic change and prioritize equity in hiring practices.
Why This Report Matters
Temporary positions, often funded through grants, have long been essential for addressing backlogs and hidden collections. However, the authors reveal the broader impact: unstable employment for archivists, suboptimal outcomes for collections, and burnout for permanent staff. In their words:
“As we advanced in our careers, we found it frustrating that there were no agreed-upon professional expectations for treating project archivists fairly…. We observed an increasing resistance to [this type of temporary position], but were struggling to articulate why it seemed so impossible to stop relying on them. We wanted to understand the context of our professional dependence on temporary positions so that we could be better advocates against them.”
While temporary labor is not ideal, the report acknowledges the reality of chronic underfunding in the profession. Recognizing that systemic change will take time, the authors offer best practices to ensure better outcomes for workers and institutions in the interim. These practices include ethical hiring guidelines, thoughtful project design, and transparent communication.
Key Findings
- Temporary labor prevalence: Nearly half of survey respondents reported spending significant portions of their careers in term-limited roles.
- Ethical challenges: A lack of standard practices often results in inequitable workloads, limited professional development opportunities, and instability for workers.
- Case study insights: Institutions that follow ethical hiring practices–such as providing equitable pay and clearly defined terms of employment–report greater satisfaction among both term-limited and permanent staff.
“We couldn’t get away from the reality that our profession is direly underfunded and soft funding will continue to be a significant need for the foreseeable future.Our goal is to create best practices that would produce the best possible outcomes for workers in our current reality.”
About the Authors
The authors bring deep expertise to this report, informed by their own early careers as temporary workers and current leadership roles in the field:
Courtney Dean is Associate Director for Acquisitions and Collections Control at Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscript Library.
Monika Lehman and Camila Zorrilla Tessler are archivists at Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscript Library.
Kit Messick is Head of Technical Services for Special Collections at Smith College.
Sarah Quigley is Director of Special Collections and Archives at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Sheridan Leigh Sayles is the Archivist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
Laura Starratt is Head of Processing at the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library at Emory University.
Quick Facts About the Report
- Title: Creating Ethical Temporary Positions in Archives: Best Practices and Case Studies
- Length: 50 pages
- Key Features: Literature review, survey findings, and case studies
- Audience: Archive managers, grant administrators, and cultural heritage professionals
- Availability: Free to download at clir.org/pubs/reports
About the Council on Library and Information Resources:
The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) is an independent, nonprofit organization that forges strategies to enhance research, teaching, and learning environments in collaboration with libraries, cultural institutions, and communities of higher learning.
Join the Conversation
Follow CLIR on Twitter (@CLIRNews) and use #EthicalArchives to share your thoughts and experiences.For media inquiries, please contact:
Lizzi Albert
Deputy Operations Officer
lalbert@clir.org
