Category Archives: Conferences / Meetings

Annual Meeting 2024 Registration Now Open

Registration is now open for the 2024 Annual Meeting: Archives For All: Enhancing Accessibility and Inclusivity, May 16-17!  Register online or mail-in in this form (PDF).

This May, the Society of Ohio Archivists Annual Meeting is going hybrid! Join us on Thursday, May 16 for virtual sessions, and on Friday, May 17 at Capital University in the Harry C. Moores Student Union, 745 Pleasant Ridge Ave., Columbus, Ohio, for a full day of in-person presentations, networking, and an exciting keynote speaker (select sessions streamed to virtual attendees).

A headshot photograph of a woman with long dark hair. She is smiling and wearing a purple shirt.

Dr. Lydia Tang, Keynote Speaker, SOA Annual Meeting 2024

Keynote: Dr. Lydia Tang is our keynote speaker for this year’s conference. Dr. Tang is an Outreach and Engagement Coordinator for Lyrasis. Previously, she held archivist positions at Michigan State University, the Library of Congress, and numerous graduate positions at the University of Illinois, where she received her MLIS and Doctor of Musical Arts degree. She is the 2020 recipient of SAA’s Mark A. Greene Emerging Leader Award and a co-founder of the SAA Accessibility & Disability Section. She has very involved in advancing accessibility in archives through standards development with the Guidelines for Accessible Archives for People with Disabilities and open source technologies including ArchivesSpace, CollectionSpace, and DSpace. She has written about accessible physical archival spaces, hiring and advancement practices, taught accessibility workshops for Lyrasis Learning and the Midwest Archives Conference, and delivered keynotes on accessibility in archives for Best Practice Exchange (2022) and Code4Lib (2023). She is currently co-editing a forthcoming book for Litwin Press with Dr. Gracen Brilmeyer, Preserving Disability: Disability and the Archival Profession.

In sessions, we feature a mix of presentations centered around the “Archives for All” theme and those of general interest. Virtual-only sessions on Thursday include Sidney Gao and James Van Mil presenting on “Principles and Practice for Accessible Digitization;” Dyani Feige, who will discuss her work with the Appalachian Regional Heritage Stewardship Program; Wendy Guerra and Amy Schindler discussing “Flickr and Football: Creating Approachable Archives for Alumni;” and more. The Friday slate includes Michelle Ganz’s talk on “Intersectional DEI: We are Nobody without Everybody. A Common-sense Approach to Accessibility;” panelists Alia Wegner, Janet Rhodes, Brenda Foster, Nick Pavlik, and Amber Bales, presenting ‘“The One Thing You Cannot Do is Take.” The full Program of sessions and presenters is on the Annual Meeting webpage.

Register by Monday, April 15 to receive the early bird rate! Pre-registration ends on Wednesday, May 8 for the full conference experience (Day 1 virtual/Day 2 in person). Those choosing the all-virtual option have until May 15 to register online. On-site day of registration will be available, but without lunch. Full details are on the Annual Meeting webpage.

Questions? Please feel free to contact the 2023-2024 Educational Programming Committee Sara Mouch and Michelle Sweetser. We look forward to seeing you!

Call for Proposals 2024. Archives for All: Enhancing Accessibility and Inclusivity

Society of Ohio Archivists Annual Meeting, May 2024

The Society of Ohio Archivists is planning a hybrid Annual Meeting on Thursday (virtual only) and Friday (hybrid), May 16-17, 2024. The in-person portion of the conference (Friday, May 17) will be held at Capital University in Bexley, Ohio. Continue reading

SOA Council Minutes for August 2023 Available

The Society of Ohio Archivists most recent leadership meeting minutes from August 29th 2023, can now be found on the Council Meeting Minutes page.

Interested in SOA over time? Also on that page are minutes dating back to 1997. In addition to documenting actions from the leadership meeting, minutes include reports from the treasurer as well as from committees and task forces.

Questions about minutes? Contact SOA Secretary Shelby Beatty.

OLHA/SOA Fall Meeting 2023

OLHA/SOA Fall Meeting, October 6-7, 2023

The Society of Ohio Archivists is partnering with the Ohio Local History Alliance for the fall meeting, History as Necessity.  Join us on October 6-7, 2023, at Quest Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio.Ohio Local History Alliance and Society of Ohio Archivists brochure first page.

Registration is now open through September 22 September 30 (extended)! Sessions will discuss a wide array of ways in which collecting, sharing, and commemorating Ohio’s local history can, and perhaps should, become more central in the operations of our organizations.

The SOA track will take place on Friday, October 6. The Fall Meetings page includes more details on these tracks. View full details on the conference brochure.

Questions? Contact the Educational Programming Committee Cochairs Sara Mouch and Michelle Sweetser.

SOA Council Minutes for June 2023 Available

The Society of Ohio Archivists most recent leadership meeting minutes from  June 27th 2023, can now be found on the Council Meeting Minutes page.

Interested in SOA over time? Also on that page are minutes dating back to 1997. In addition to documenting actions from the leadership meeting, minutes include reports from the treasurer as well as from committees and task forces.

Questions about minutes? Contact SOA Secretary Shelby Beatty.

SOA Election Results 2023

SOA Election Results 2023

During the recent Annual Meeting at the Dayton Metro Library new council members were elected.

SOA would like to welcome the following new leaders:

  • Melissa Dalton, Preserve It, LLC, President (2023-2024)
  • Matt Francis, Ohio Northern University, Vice President/President-Elect (2023-2024)
  • Shelby Beatty, Sinclair Community College, Secretary (2023-2025)
  • Kristen Newby, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Council Member (2023-2025)

A big thanks to the Nominating Committee. Also, thank you to everyone who participated!

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Meeting Scholarships Awarded for 2023

The Society of Ohio Archivists Membership & Awards Committee is pleased to announce four scholarships awarded at the Annual Meeting on May 12, 2023.

Scholarship awardees are:

  • Student Scholarship Award: Kirsten Dilger, Wright State University
  • Student Scholarship Award: Jacob Stickel, Wright State University
  • Ohio Preservation Council Scholarship Award: Colleen Badenhop, Kent State University
  • New Professional Scholarship Award: Paige Kinzer, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky
Four people posing for a photograph. They are the scholarship winners.

2023 Scholarship Awardees pose at the Society of Ohio Archivists Annual Meeting on May 12, 2023 (L to R): Jacob Stickel, Kirsten Dilger, Paige Kinzer, and Colleen Badenhop

The scholarship consists of registration to the SOA annual meeting (including lunch), a one-year SOA membership, and a $100 travel stipend. Look for articles sharing their meeting experiences in the fall issue of the Ohio Archivist newsletter.

Merit Award Recipients 2023

The Society of Ohio Archivists Membership & Awards Committee is pleased to announce two Merit Award recipients. The awards were presented at the Annual Meeting on May 12, 2023.

Photograph of three people holding plaques. These are the SOA Merit Award winners.

2023 Merit Award recipients: Warren County Records Center & Archives, accepted by Jennifer Haney Conover and Jenifer Baker, and Adam Wanter

Adam Wanter is honored for his outstanding service and dedication to ensuring that the Society of Ohio Archivists thrives. For the past several years, Adam has gone above and beyond to lead SOA through challenging times. Elected as Vice-President/President Elect in 2019, Adam stepped up to serve as president for an additional year when the current president
resigned. In his first year, Adam shepherded SOA through a transition in its leadership structure. In 2020, he directed SOA’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to the murder of George Floyd. Under his watch, SOA pivoted to an online conference, increased its free offerings to members, began its hardship program, and oversaw the creation of the Social Justice Black Lives Matter Task Force. After finishing his extended term as president and time as past-president, Adam co-chaired the Educational Programming Committee which planned the 2023 Annual Meeting. For his efforts to lead and improve SOA, it is fitting that the Society of Ohio Archivists presents Adam Wanter with the 2023 SOA Merit Award.

The Warren County Records Center & Archives is honored for its work to make vital records such as birth, death, Commissioners’ Journals, and Common Pleas Court indexes available to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. Working from home, staff cropped, transcribed, and added metadata to these records, ultimately making well over 30,000 records accessible. Once back in the office, staff added metadata and images to the first twenty-four Commissioners’ Journals, which are key records to understanding the history of Warren County. They also finished a multi-year project to place all the Old Common Pleas Estate Packets online, a collection which included over 90,000 searchable images and is frequently requested by researchers.  For its efforts to make important county records more accessible to researchers, it is fitting that the Society of Ohio Archivists presents the Warren County Records Center & Archives with the 2023 SOA Merit Award.

Congratulations to the 2023 Merit Award recipients!  Visit the Merit Award page for more information and past award winners.

Annual Meeting 2023 Virtual Registration Closes 5/10

Register now for the 2023 Annual Meeting: Forward Together: Community Partnerships and Public Service, May 11-12!

Pre-registration ends on Monday, May 1 for the full conference experience (Day 1 virtual/Day 2 in person). Those choosing the all-virtual option have until May 10 to register online. On-site day of registration will be available, but without lunch. See the Annual Meeting page for all the details.

This May, the Society of Ohio Archivists Annual Meeting will be traveling to Dayton, Ohio! You are invited to join us on Thursday, May 11 for virtual sessions, and on Friday, May 12 at the Dayton Metro Library Main in downtown Dayton, Ohio, for a full day of in-person presentations, networking, and exciting featured speakers.

Mackensie Wittmer headshot

Mackensie Wittmer, Morning Keynote speaker.

Yes, this year we are going hybrid! The virtual registration option will provide access to two standalone virtual sessions on Thursday May 11 (also available to attendees with the in-person option) and live streams of select sessions from the Friday May 12 slate. As our first attempt at a hybrid conference this will be a learning opportunity for all of us, so please bear with us if we encounter any unexpected kinks/challenges.

Keynotes: Hear from two featured speakers on Day 2! In our Morning Keynote, Mackensie Wittmer will be welcoming attendees to the Dayton-Miami Valley area and presenting on the impact and importance of collaboration within the cultural heritage community. For the Afternoon Keynote, Rosemary Pleva Flynn will be discussing what it means to be an archivist, focusing on the intersection of archival work among memory workers, storytellers, community archivists, and “traditional” archivists, and the role we all play in preserving culture and knowledge.

Rosemary Pleva Flynn headshot

Rosemary Pleva Flynn, Afternoon Keynote speaker.

In sessions, learn from panelists in the SOA Justice, Equity, Diversity, Access, and Inclusion Task Force sponsored session focusing on the diverse history of Ohio. Dig into description remediation for Civil War letters. Get inspired to advocate for “your own slice of the pie.” Hear updates on the Warren Harding presidential papers and Toledo’s Attic projects. Participate in a mini-workshop on how you can help Ohio’s America 250 commission highlight the importance of archives and records. And from poster sessions, find out about the School of Information at Kent State University’s new Archival Studies concentration.

Questions? Please feel free to contact the 2022-2023 Educational Programming Committee Cochairs Matt Francis and Adam Wanter. We can’t wait to see you in Dayton!

SOA Annual Meeting May 11-12, 2023 is Hybrid! Register Now!

Registration is now open for the 2023 Annual Meeting: Forward Together: Community Partnerships and Public Service!

Color photo of exterior of the Dayton Public Library, Main Library

Dayton Public Library, Main Library. Courtesy Dayton Public Library.

This May, the Society of Ohio Archivists Annual Meeting will be traveling to Dayton, Ohio! You are invited to join us on Thursday, May 11 for virtual sessions, and on Friday, May 12 at the Dayton Metro Library Main in downtown Dayton, Ohio, for a full day of in-person presentations, networking, and exciting featured speakers.

Continue reading