2026 Reports

Curatorial Duties, Ethics, and Best Practices: Pilot Survey of BIPOC Curators in Archives and Special Collections

Diaz, M. Angel; Keeton, kYmberly; Sewell-Williams, Lela; Rowe, Lolita; Springer, Kimberly

This document presents findings from a pilot survey conducted in August 2025 examining the experiences, challenges, and aspirations of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) curators working in archives and special collections. Developed by a working group from the "Curatorial Duties, Ethics, and Best Practices" forum (May 2025), the survey gathered responses from 12 participants across the United States, utilizing the privacy-focused Lumo AI platform to address data retention and GDPR compliance concerns.

Respondents overwhelmingly called for systemic institutional changes, including greater inclusivity, improved funding, and enhanced responsiveness to collection and community needs. A recurring theme emphasized the need for increased representation of people of color—particularly Indigenous staff—in museum and archival settings, alongside authentic platforms for these voices to shape programming and stewardship practices. Participants linked these desires to broader expectations that major institutions leverage their resources to support underserved communities rather than offering superficial diversity commitments.

Structural obstacles emerged as significant barriers, including limited budget oversight, opaque fund allocation, and excessive middle-management layers. Unionization was identified as a potential pathway to secure fair labor conditions. In library contexts, respondents expressed concern about shifts away from physical collections toward study spaces and electronic resources, which they argued threatens the "intellectual magic" of libraries and marginalizes print-heavy Area Studies collections from the Global South.