2024 Reading List
The Academy of Certified Archivists Examination Development Committee has compiled this reading list to assist in preparing for the 2024 Certification Examination. Studying the resources on this list increases the chance of success on the examination, but it does not guarantee a passing score.
These resources represent the breadth of archival literature with the goal for you to gain knowledge in all domains. You do not read all the resources; many examination candidates found it helpful to focus on areas they had less experience in. For more tips on studying, see the Study Guide.
We recognize that the availability of resources varies by individual. Some resources are open access, and links are included when available. For other resources, we encourage you to use interlibrary loan through your local library or find databases or books at a nearby academic library. Some public libraries have options for distance database access and shipping books to your home. You may also consider joining or forming a study group to share resources. If you have suggestions or find open-access resources, please email examdevelopment@certifiedarchivists.org so that we can consider inclusion in future versions of the reading list. ACA thanks the Society of American Archivists and contributing institutions to the HathiTrust who continue to make resources available.
About the Sources
The EDC reviews the reading list annually to update it with recent publications and remove outdated sources. Questions (for all domains) come directly from the literature, though it is not a 1:1 correlation—meaning there may be one or more questions from a specific article or book, and there may be readings for which there are no questions on the examination for any given year. This is purposeful, as part of the goal of the reading list is to encourage examination candidates to broaden their knowledge about all areas of the profession.
How the EDC gathers sources:
- reading/assessing books and articles
- surveying textbooks used in master’s degree programs
- reviewing citations from the Dictionary of Archival Terminology
- looking at publishers’ websites for new titles
How the EDC selects sources for inclusion:
- provide theoretical and practical standards that apply across the profession
- cover topics that archivists the Role Delineation Statement
- are readily available via libraries, purchase, or open access
The examination covers archival practice in the United States; publications have primarily been written and published in the United States and are in the English language.
The EDC has reformatted the list differently from prior years. Instead of listing by domain, it is organized to show where a source overlaps multiple domains.
| Citation | General | Domain 1 | Domain 2 | Domain 3 | Domain 4 | Domain 5 | Domain 6 | Domain 7 | Domain 8 |
| Arroyo-Ramírez, Elvia, Jasmine Jones, Shannon O’Neill, and Holly A. Smith, eds. (2021). "An Introduction to Radical Empathy in Archival Practice." Special issue of Journal of Critical Library and Information Studies 3, no. 2 (2021). | X | ||||||||
| Baucom, Erin. Planning and Implementing a Sustainable Digital Preservation Program. Chicago: ALA TechSource, 2019. | X | X | |||||||
| Behrnd-Klodt, Menzi and Peter J. Wosh. Privacy and Confidentiality Perspectives: Archivists and Archival Records. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2005. | X | ||||||||
| Behrnd-Klodt, Menzi. Navigating Legal Issues in Archives. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2008. | X | X | X | ||||||
| Boles, Frank. Selecting and Appraising Archives and Manuscripts. Archival Fundamentals Series II. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2005. | X | ||||||||
| Caldera, Mary A., and Kathryn M. Neal, eds. Through the Archival Looking Glass: A Reader on Diversity and Inclusion. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2014. | X | X | |||||||
| Caswell, Michelle, Marika Cifor, and Mario H. Ramirez. "‘To Suddenly Discover Yourself Existing’: Uncovering the Affective Impact of Community Archives." American Archivist 79, no. 1 (2016): 56–81. | X | X | |||||||
| Caswell, Michelle. "Teaching to Dismantle White Supremacy in Archives." The Library Quarterly 87, no. 3 (2017): 222–235. | X | ||||||||
| Caswell, Michelle. "Dusting for Fingerprints: Introducing Feminist Standpoint Appraisal." Journal of Critical Library and Information Studies 3, no. 2 (2022). | X | X | |||||||
| Chatalbash, Rachel, Susan Hernandez, and Megan Schwenke, eds. Museum Archives: Practice, Issues, Advocacy. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2022. | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Christen, Kimberly. "Tribal Archives, Traditional Knowledge, and Local Contexts: Why the “s” Matters." Journal of Western Archives 6, no. 1, article 3 (2015). | X | X | X | ||||||
| Cline, Scott. Archival Virtue: Relationship, Obligation, and the Just Archives. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2021. | X | ||||||||
| Cocciolo, Anthony. Moving Image and Sound Collections for Archivists. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2018. | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| Danielson, Elena S. The Ethical Archivist. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2010. | X | ||||||||
| DeRidder, Jody L. Digital Curation Fundamentals. Rowman & Littlefield, 2018. | X | ||||||||
| Digital Preservation Coalition. Digital Preservation Handbook, 2nd edition, 2015. | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| Drmacich, Jessika, Kate Dundon, Jessica Farrell, Christina Velazquez Fidler, Hannah Wang, Camille Tyndall Watson, and Gayle Schechter. Legal and Ethical Considerations for Born-Digital Access. Digital Library Foundation, 2022. | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Dunbar, Anthony W. "Introducing Critical Race Theory to Archival Discourse: Getting the Conversation Started." Archival Science 6, no. 1 (2006): 109–129. | X | ||||||||
| Engseth, Ellen. "Cultural Competency: A Framework for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Archival Profession in the United States." American Archivist 81, no. 2 (2018): 460–482. | X | ||||||||
| Ferullo, Donna L., and Dwayne K. Buttler. Copyright: Best Practices for Academic Libraries. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2023. | X | ||||||||
| First Archivist Circle. Protocols for Native American Archival Materials. April 9, 2007. | X | X | |||||||
| Gilliland, Anne J. Conceptualizing 21st Century Archives. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2014. | X | ||||||||
| Gilliland, Anne J., and Sue McKemmish. "The Role of Participatory Archives in Furthering Human Rights, Reconciliation and Recovery." Atlanti: Review for Modern Archival Theory and Practice 24 (2014): 78–88. | X | X | |||||||
| Gottlieb, Peter, and David Carmicheal, eds. Leadership and Management of Archival Programs. Archival Fundamentals Series III. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2019. | X | ||||||||
| Greene, Mark A., and Dennis Meissner. "More Product, Less Process: Revamping Traditional Archival Processing." American Archivist 68, no. 2 (2005): 208-263. | X | ||||||||
| Greene, Mark A., and Dennis Meissner. "MPLP: It’s Not Just for Processing Anymore." American Archivist 73, no. 1 (2010): 175–203. | X | X | |||||||
| Hackbart-Dean, Pam, and Elizabeth Slomba. How to Manage Processing in Archives and Special Collections. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2012. | X | X | X | ||||||
| Harvey, Ross, and Martha R. Mahard. Revised by Donia Conn. The Preservation Management Handbook: A 21st Century Guide for Libraries, Archives, and Museums, 2nd edition. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2020. | X | ||||||||
| Hirtle, Peter, Emily Hudson, and Andrew T. Kenyon. Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for Digitization for U.S. Libraries, Archives and Museums. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Library, 2009. | X | X | |||||||
| Hunter, Gregory S. Developing and Maintaining Practical Archives: A How-To-Do-It Manual, 3rd edition. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2020. | X | X | |||||||
| Jackson, Laura Uglean, ed. Reappraisal and Deaccessioning in Archives and Special Collections. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2019. | X | ||||||||
| Jimerson, Randall C. Archives Power: Memory, Accountability and Social Justice. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2009. | X | X | |||||||
| Joffrion, Elizabeth, and Michèle Valerie Cloonan. Advancing Preservation for Archives and Manuscripts. Archival Fundamentals Series III. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2020. | X | ||||||||
| Joffrion, Elizabeth, and Natalia Fernández. "Collaborations between Tribal and Nontribal Organizations: Suggested Best Practices for Sharing Expertise, Cultural Resources, and Knowledge." American Archivist 78, no. 1 (2015): 192–237. | X | X | X | ||||||
| Lacher-Feldman, Jessica. Exhibits in Archives and Special Collections Libraries. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2013. | X | ||||||||
| Lowell, Waverly B., and Tawny Ryan Nelb. Architectural Records: Managing Design and Construction Records. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2006. | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Meissner, Dennis. Arranging and Describing Archives and Manuscripts. Archival Fundamentals Series III. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2019. | X | ||||||||
| Milano, Nicole, and Christopher J. Prom, eds. Engagement in the Digital Era. Trends in Archives Practice Series. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2020. | X | ||||||||
| Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC). Preservation Leaflets. 1. Planning and Prioritizing; 3. Emergency Management |
X | ||||||||
| O’Toole, James M., and Richard J. Cox. Understanding Archives and Manuscripts. Archival Fundamentals Series II. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2006. | X | ||||||||
| Oestreicher, Cheryl. Reference and Access for Archives and Manuscripts. Archival Fundamentals Series III. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2020. | X | X | X | ||||||
| Oestreicher, Cheryl. SAA Sampler: Archival Advocacy. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2014. | X | ||||||||
| Pacifico, Michele F., and Thomas P. Wilsted. Archival and Special Collections Facilities: Guidelines for Archivists, Librarians, Architects, and Engineers. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2009. | X | X | |||||||
| Prom, Christopher J., and Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, eds. Teaching with Primary Sources. Trends in Archives Practice Series. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2016. | X | ||||||||
| Prom, Christopher J., and Thomas J. Frusciano, eds. Archival Arrangement and Description. Trends in Archives Practice Series. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2013. | X | ||||||||
| Prom, Christopher J., ed. Digital Preservation Essentials. Trends in Archives Practice Series. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2016. | X | X | |||||||
| Purcell, Aaron, ed. The Digital Archives Handbook: A Guide to Creation, Management, and Preservation. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2019. | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Purcell, Aaron. Donors and Archives: A Guidebook for Successful Programs. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2015. | X | X | |||||||
| Ritzenthaler, Mary. Preserving Archives and Manuscripts. Archival Fundamentals Series II. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2010. | X | ||||||||
| Roe, Kathleen. Advocacy and Awareness for Archivists. Archival Fundamentals Series III. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2019. | X | ||||||||
| SAA-ACRL/RBMS Joint Task Force on Primary Source Literacy. “Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy.” June 2018. | X | X | X | ||||||
| Santamaria, Daniel A. Extensible Processing for Archives and Special Collections: Reducing Processing Backlogs. Chicago: American Library Association, 2015. | X | ||||||||
| Shallcross, Michael J., and Christopher J. Prom, eds. Appraisal and Acquisition Strategies. Trends in Archives Practice Series. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2016. | X | ||||||||
| Slate, John H., and Kaye Lanning Minchew. Managing Local Government Archives. Lanham, MD: Rowan & Littlefield, 2016. | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Society of American Archivists. “Guidelines for Accessible Archives for People with Disabilities.” February 2019. | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Society of American Archivists. “SAA Core Values Statement and Code of Ethics.” August 2020. | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Society of American Archivists. Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) | X | ||||||||
| Society of American Archivists. Encoded Archival Context for Corporate Bodies, Persons, and Families (EAC-CPF). | X | ||||||||
| Society of American Archivists. Encoded Archival Description (EAD) | X | ||||||||
| Trinkaus-Randall, Gregor. Protecting Your Collections: A Manual of Archival Security. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 1995. | X | X | |||||||
| Underhill, Karen J. "Protocols for Native American Archival Materials." RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage 7, no. 2 (2006): 134–145. | X | X | |||||||
| Weideman, Christine, and Mary A. Caldera. Archival Values: Essays in Honor of Mark A. Greene. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2019. | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| Yun, Audra Eagle, ed. Archival Accessioning. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2021. | X | X | |||||||
| Zamon, Christina. The Lone Arranger: Succeeding in a Small Repository. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2012. | X | X | X | X | X | X |