University of Pittsburgh, Department of Library and Information Science

In this Early Career Research project, Dr. Frances Corry at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Computing & Information will investigate the growing archival practice of rapid response collecting (RRC). This practice of gathering materials during crises, transitions, and major events as they unfold or in the immediate aftermath, raises fundamental questions at the intersection of archival theory and professional practice. The research will focus on the history of contemporaneous collecting within the archival professions, how these professions envision the long-term use of RRCs, and how institutions will build capacity for long-term stewardship of RRCs through archival education. It will increase understanding of how RRCs can sustainably document events that are vital to stories about the people of the U.S.