Already Enough Ghosts:The Invisibility of Emotional Labour in Archives

Presented as part of a roundtable intended to provide a glimpse into the emotional and affective labour required to do archival work. Though many traditional archival theorists have suggested that professional archivists should remain objective and at an emotional "arms length" from the records and people with and for whom they work, failing to acknowledge the at times intensely emotional impact of archival work can negatively impact the mental and psychic wellness of the archivist - thereby affecting the archivist's professional output and professional relationships.