Richard Cox, a member of the SIS faculty, was recently presented the Society of American Archivists’ 2005 Waldo Gifford Leland Award for writing of superior excellence and usefulness in the field of archival history, theory, or practice. Dr. Cox was recognized for his book, No Innocent Deposits: Forming Archives by Rethinking Appraisal, published by Scarecrow Press, Inc. in 2004. This prestigious award, established in 1959, is named for one of North America’s archival pioneers and SAA’s second president . The award was presented to Dr. Cox on August 19, 2005, during SAA’s 69th Annual Meeting in New Orleans at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.

The SAA notes that Dr. Cox’s book “makes an important and valuable contribution to the topics of appraisal and acquisitions. Rather than offering a basic primer or ‘how-to’ guide, it presents a much needed, and more thoughtful, analysis of the issues surrounding these two critically important archival enterprises.” In No Innocent Deposits, Cox suggests that archives do not just happen, but are consciously shaped (and sometimes distorted) by archivists, the creators of records, and other individuals and institutions. A collection of essays, this publication offers insight into the fundamentals and consequences of appraisal.

This is third time Cox has received the Waldo Gifford Leland Award. He was similarly recognized for his monograph, Managing Records for Evidence and Information (Greenwood Press, 2001) and American Archival Analysis: The Recent Development of the Archival Profession in the United States (Scarecrow Press, 1990). Prior to joining Pitt, Dr. Cox worked with the New York State Archives and Records Administration, the Alabama Department of Archives and History, the City of Baltimore, and the Maryland Historical Society. He currently serves as Editor of the Records & Information Management Journal and the Publications Editor for the Society of American Archivists.