The State Library of Ohio is pleased to announce ODNFest will be returning on September 30, 2025. ODNFest will be held in person at the State Library of Ohio in Columbus, Ohio. Registration is now open.
Date: September 30, 2025
Location: State Library of Ohio, 274 E. 1st Ave, Columbus, OH 43214
Time: 9:30-4
Event Cost: $35
Announcing the ODNFest 2025 Featured Speakers
Looking at Vicarious Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care in Archives | Rachel Weiher and Erin McBrien
Looking at Vicarious Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care in Archives by Rachel Weiher (she/her) Macalester College Collections archivist, and Erin McBrien (she/her) curator of Upper Midwest Literary Archives at the University of Minnesota, looks at how to acknowledge vicarious trauma in university archives and special collections, as well as how to introduce discussions of this topic among archival staff. It will also touch on how to begin addressing vicarious trauma’s impacts through a framework of trauma-informed care, specifically geared towards student workers. Rachel Weiher previously worked as a psychiatric counselor and has been working to bring the principles of trauma informed care into archival work.
Vicarious trauma, also known as secondary trauma, is becoming increasingly recognized within the archival field as an occupational hazard. Archival materials can profoundly affect us as we process, uplift, and contextualize our work. Many of these materials document histories of violence, oppression, displacement, and personal tragedy. They are vital to preserve and provide access to, but can be emotionally damaging to work with. As archivists, we are typically not trained in trauma-informed care or self care, leading us to become more affected by trauma with fewer resources on how to cope with the negative effects. Acknowledging and discussing vicarious trauma can be challenging in an archival workplace, but is key to moving towards trauma-informed practices.
A trauma-informed framework in archives prioritizes creating a supportive environment for both researchers and archivists by integrating principles of safety, transparency, peer support, empowerment, and cultural awareness. It creates strategies that promote well-being while ensuring responsible and ethical stewardship of sensitive materials. The session will conclude with the steps taken so far towards a model of trauma-informed archival practice, as well as what is still needed for ideal implementation.