Following a competitive application process, Elvia Arroyo-Ramírez has been selected as a participant in the 2026 Archives Leadership Institute (ALI) at the University of Virginia.

Arroyo-Ramírez is the digital archivist in the UC Irvine Libraries Special Collections and Archives department. Her work focuses on developing ethical archival practices that address systemic bias and expand access to records documenting historically marginalized communities. Arroyo-Ramírez's archival work has been supported by the American Council of Learned Societies, the Council on Library and Information Resources, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Her scholarship has been published in the Journal of Critical Library and Information Science, the Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies, the Journal of Western Archives, and the Council on Library and Information Resources Pocket Burgundy, “Archivist Actions, Abolitionist Futures: Reimagining Archival Practice Against Incarceration.”

The Archives Leadership Institute is a grant-funded program supported by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), part of the National Archives and Records Administration. Hosted by the University of Virginia Library from 2024 to 2026, ALI@Virginia provides advanced leadership development for a cohort of 25 archivists and memory workers.

Participants were selected based on demonstrated professional achievement, leadership potential, sustained commitment to the archival field, and the capacity to influence positive change across organizations and communities.

The weeklong institute offers an immersive, focused environment for leadership development through a combination of classroom and experiential learning. Participants engage with topics including individual and organizational leadership, responsible stewardship, and collaborative practice. Grounded in the historical and cultural context of the University of Virginia, the program invites participants to reflect on leadership within a complex and meaningful setting.

The University of Virginia Library was awarded $300,000 by NHPRC to support the 2024–2026 implementation of the Archives Leadership Institute.

About UC Irvine Libraries

At the heart of the UC Irvine's academic community, the Libraries play a vital role in enabling our students, faculty, and researchers to create new knowledge, develop lifelong learning skills, and make meaningful contributions to society. We value innovation and collaboration and are committed to fostering an environment that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

About Special Collections and Archives

UC Irvine Libraries Special Collections and Archives (SCA) serves the UC Irvine campus, local, and international communities by fostering curiosity and discovery through preservation, access, and education. Housing the university’s collections of rare books, manuscripts, photographs, ephemera, born-digital files, and other unique materials, its holdings include university archives, critical theory, performing arts, political literature, and a growing collection of artists’ books. The opening of the Orange County and Southeast Asian Archive (OC&SEAA) Center in 2015 solidified SCA’s commitment to fostering community-centered archives.