Diane Dias De Fazio

Editor’s Note

When composing this Editor’s Note in July, I found myself too aware that this issue of RBM arrives soon after November’s general elections in the United States, and near the end of a year marked by challenges on academic campuses and to higher education, continued extremes in global weather conditions, and prolific expansion of artificial intelligence technologies in research, writing, and art. What will be top of mind for library, archives, and cultural heritage professionals by the time someone reads these words?

RBM does not exist in a vacuum, and yet, it does—kind of. The journal represents our field and work, but also serves as a platform for our concerns and causes. It is difficult to be timely, but RBM is not a blog, and cannot—for now—financially or practically support production for more than two issues per year. I can only imagine what the RBMS community will do between now and the next issue’s deadline. I hope that we uphold a currency that RBM’s readers demand.

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Though developed over the last several years, contributors to this issue of RBM present fresh perspectives from different aspects of the profession. Volume 25 number 2 brings new work on conservation and preservation, a survey of amate, and this issue’s cover story, an intensive assessment of job ads shared on the RBMS News Blog. Additionally, this issue contains what may be its first-ever content warning.

For this issue, the fourteen-person Editorial Board and twenty-six peer reviewers assessed eight submissions in our double-anonymous process (phrasing this publication prefers to otherwise ableist verbiage seen in peer-reviewed journals). The Board, by simple majority in a secret ballot, recommended four articles for publication without substantial revision. And, as if that weren’t impressive enough, in the service year that started July 1, the Board has ambitious plans! Between now and this time in 2025, we endeavor to initiate and run a reader survey, document and share processes, form a subcommittee for outreach and marketing, nominate prospective reviewers, and continue to work with authors to develop submissions. What new writing and insights will result from this Mother of All Years? You tell us.

In the meantime, I shall strive to keep RBM (mostly) as AI-free as possible. Enjoy the read.