https://hdl.handle.net/10388/16203

Morrison, M. (2023). Panel on the Role of Archiving in Knowledge Mobilization: Questions to Monica Morrison, KM Specialist, Global Water Futures, University of Saskatchewan. Community of Practice Session facilitated by Nancy Goucher, University of Waterloo Online, December 1st, 2023 https://hdl.handle.net/10388/16203 Panel Discussion

Discussion on the importance of archiving all forms of new and legacy information resources from experts on knowledge mobilization (KM)

Questions to Monica Morrison, KM Specialist, Global Water Futures, University of Saskatchewan

• Introduction
I am probably what is referred to as a boundary crosser in that I have made my way from studying anthropology and folk narrative to library science and finally science and technology studies, stints in government information management, and pinch hitting as a writer, trainer, and communicator in consulting roles. My journey took me to Africa where I spent 30 years trying to deliver information in fascinating but challenging, resource-poor environments. Along the way I teamed up with an archivist who taught me how important the preservation of legacy knowledge through records management was to the reduction of fear and information overload in managing organisations. So, without formal archival training, I became an advocate for all forms of legacy information resources, and for encouraging managers to avoid re-inventing the wheel by understanding what had gone before.

• What is your role?
As Knowledge Mobilization Specialist for GWF, my overall goal is to find ways that the research produced find its way into use or re-use, both within and outside of academia. Information becomes a legacy resource very quickly, especially in the context of funded project work. Because of this, my work dovetails with that of project managers and data managers at project, programme, and university levels, since GWF has its home at the University of Saskatchewan and includes partnerships with other universities. That is many independent organizations, each with its own set of practices and priorities when it comes to legacy information resources. I seek out support and partnerships with the data managers, librarians, records managers, and archivists in these institutions to try to ensure that these knowledge assets do not disappear and are made available to future researchers. One of the ways we have done this for GWF is to encourage the deposit of what might be considered ephemeral content – conference posters, workshop presentations, and project videos for example – in institutional repositories. This sometime requires awareness raising as people think that because they have posted a resource on their web site, it will be available as long as is needed. According to a study by Brewster Kahle, the founder of the Internet Archive, the average lifespan of a web page is about 100 days. The challenge, of course is to get people willing to carry out what they consider as an administrative task, including the application of rule-based metadata, to put materials into these repositories so they get a persistent identifier.

• Why is it important for knowledge mobilizers to pay attention to issues around archiving?
Studies have shown that the path to research impact on society is long and convoluted – anywhere from three to 30 years. As KM managers, we need to take the long view. Yes we should communicate in popular sources as soon as possible after research findings are released (better still along the way as a project progresses), and encourage the kind of interactions between producers of information and potential users that build understanding and relationships, but communications and KM specialists are often recruited as temporary staff attached to a time-limited project. They probably won’t be around to continue to facilitate project information use once funding has ceased, and awareness of and access to these resources can decline quickly. Using archives and archival approaches can be one solution to this problem. It is true that the information that is codified in the form of documents and other records is only one kind of knowledge asset, but providing access to this builds the knowledge and capacity of the human beings involved.

• How do you approach archiving (eg what gets archived, where/ how, what is the process)?
This is a tough question and the only good answer is to get organized. Put standard procedures in place at the beginning of work programmes and give them priority. That means getting senior managers on-board to make sure enough resources – both human and financial – are available to get the job done. Make sure it is somebody’s job to shepherd and preserve the resources: as useful as computer systems are, we still need human beings to make sure they are doing the job that is needed. Records managers have something called retention schedules, which, informed by programme managers, describe the type of information being handled, its purpose and value, and an evaluation of the length of time needed to retain it for the purposes of the organization. This helps a lot. But sometimes information resources have value beyond the needs of the creator or originating organization. That is when you call in professional archivists who can judge whether these should be preserved for broader future research. An example from our Global Water Futures programme would be the original concept note for the formation of a Canada Water Agency presented by GWF researchers to the Canadian Prime Minister in August 2014. You may be aware that the Agency has now, nine years later, been legislated into existence.

• What would you suggest for knowledge mobilizers who want their work to be accessible in the future?
For your own work, write it up. Document your thought processes, and all the successes and failures (failures most important). Even if you don’t do this in the form of a peer- reviewed article, share this learning with other human beings who are wrestling with similar problems because your experience will live on in their invisible minds and visible practice. And because you have written it up and placed it in a long-term repository, people will be able to produce evidence for the way they are thinking and practicing.

• What are challenges or barriers to archiving, from your perspective? Mainly, mindsets. If people have not been trained or habituated in thinking about the value of legacy information, they tend to think that stewardship practices are boring or an administrative pain. They just want to feel creative, and that may well mean re-inventing wheels. And these days, they tend to think that computer systems are looking after all the boring processes that are necessary to ensure longevity and access to legacy materials. Researchers are fortunate because building on previous research (Ref Google’s Stand on the shoulders of giants motto) has been built into the standard operating procedures of academia, and the information infrastructure is there to support this. But outside of academia, and when it comes to the records and grey literature that sit on shelves and in drawers of professors’ offices, there is still a lot to be done by knowledge mobilizers.

https://hdl.handle.net/10388/16203