Knowledge Bank

In order to remain a viable part of their institutions, college and university archivists must promote their collections and services to their constituencies on and off campus. How should this be done? How do archivists reach faculty, students, administrators, and staff? This article focuses on eight college and university archivists and describes the outreach programs they have used, what successes and failures they have experienced, and why they believe outreach is essential. The author concludes that outreach must be central to what all archivists do, even at the expense of other archival functions, because it can solidify the archives' position within the college and university community.