I am a Professor and hold the appointment of University Archivist and Head of Archives at The Ohio State University. I was hired by Ohio State in 1998 as the Assistant University Archivist, promoted to Associate University Archivist in 2000, and became University Archivist and Head of Archives in 2011. I was promoted to professor in 2017.
As Head of Archives, I manage The Ohio State University Archives, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program, and the Ohio Public Policy Archives. Since coming to the university in 1998 as the Assistant University Archivist, I have concentrated on outreach and engagement in the broadest sense––strongly believing in the university’s land-grant mission of serving the public. As University Archivist, I oversee and implement outreach and engagement for the University Archives both on and off campus and administers the university’s records management program. In my capacity as keeper of the university’s memory, she is committed to providing open access of public records to all researchers in compliance with Ohio’s public records law.
I have given presentations on all aspects of university history, including the University’s founding, student traditions and activities, buildings on campus, and OSU then-and-now. I am author of the book Time & Change: 150 Years of The Ohio State University and co-author of The Ohio State University Trivia Book. During spring semester I teach the course “The Ohio State University: Its History and Its World.” My professional research has focused primarily on teaching with primary sources, college and university outreach, and how federal privacy laws affect archival users.
My service profile on campus includes leadership positions in the Libraries and on campus-wide committees. I have held elected positions in state, regional, and national archival organizations. For the Society of American Archivists, Professor Chute chaired the largest section in the association, the College and University Archives Section. She served as President of the Midwest Archives Conference, the largest regional archives organization in the United States, from 2021-2023. Additionally, I integrate librarianship and service activities into scholarship, using publications and presentations to promote discussion in the field on topics such as access, outreach, and teaching. I am often asked to present at conferences on leadership and management, records and appraisal, and teaching with primary sources. I engage with other archivists through literature and presentations, and the knowledge gained informs and enhances my own librarianship.