SOA Membership Renewal 2024

Renew Your Society of Ohio Archivists Membership!

Dear SOA members,

Thank you for supporting the Society of Ohio Archivists during the past year. Your dedication enables SOA to provide community, networking opportunities, professional development, funding, and advocacy efforts for archivists and aspiring archivists. Highlights from the past year include: Continue reading

Last Updated on February 22, 2024 by Emily Gainer

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

Last Updated on February 22, 2024 by Emily Gainer

SOA Welcomes Jim DaMico to Council

SOA would like to welcome Jim DaMico, Archivist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, to Council.

A portrait photograph of Jim DaMico

Jim DaMico

DaMico was elected during a special election for a vacant SOA Council seat during October 2023.  The Council seat has a term ending at the SOA Annual Meeting in May 2024.

Thank you to the Nominating Committee for handling this special election. More details about Council and Officers can be found on the SOA website.

Last Updated on November 27, 2023 by Emily Gainer

SOA Council Minutes for September 2023 Available

The Society of Ohio Archivists most recent leadership meeting minutes from September 26th 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.

Last Updated on November 27, 2023 by Emily Gainer

Call for Nominations for SOA Council 2023

The SOA Nominating Committee would like to announce a call for nominations for

  • Vice President/President Elect,
  • Treasurer, and
  • Member of Council.

Self-nominations are welcomed and encouraged, as are peer nominations. We welcome and encourage nominations of new professionals and/or those seeking to be involved in a professional organization for the first time. All positions are for two year terms of office, with the exception of the VP/President/Past President cycle which is one year in each position (3 year commitment total).

Continue reading

Last Updated on January 24, 2024 by Emily Gainer

Ohio Archives Month Spotlight 5: Cleveland Police

Ohio Archives Month Spotlights: Cleveland Police Historical Society and Museum

The Society of Ohio Archivists Advocacy and Outreach Committee is happy to announce that we will be spotlighting archives around the state again this year to celebrate archives month throughout October 2023. Each of our archives spotlights will feature places that house materials related to the theme of the posterLand, Water, & Air: Transportation in Ohio.

by Christine Liebson, MLIS, CA

Introduction

A black and white historical photograph of a Harly Davidson police motorcycle. It is parked in front of a brick building.

1939 Harley Davidson police motorcycle

The Cleveland Police Historical Society and Museum exists to collect and preserve Cleveland police history and to use its collection and programs to educate the public and to foster a mutual understanding and respect between law enforcement and the public. The Cleveland Police Historical Society (CPHS) works in cooperation with, but is independent of, the Cleveland Division of Police. Financial support comes from membership dues, donations, and small grants from various government agencies and private organizations. The CPHS receives no tax funds from the City of Cleveland, State of Ohio, or the Federal Government. The Cleveland Police Museum opened in June 1983 with Florence E. Schwein as its director. The current director, Mazie Adams, graciously accepted our invitation for an interview to share with us about her work and collections at the museum. Continue reading

Last Updated on November 3, 2023 by Emily Gainer

Ohio Archives Month Spotlight 4: The University of Akron

Ohio Archives Month Spotlights: The University of Akron Archives and Special Collections

The Society of Ohio Archivists Advocacy and Outreach Committee is happy to announce that we will be spotlighting archives around the state again this year to celebrate archives month throughout October 2023. Each of our archives spotlights will feature places that house materials related to the theme of the posterLand, Water, & Air: Transportation in Ohio.

By Natalie Fritz, Archivist and Outreach Director, Clark County Historical Society

A photograph of a large, multi-story cement building in a city setting. This is a view of the corner of the building. Large letters UA are attached to the corner of the building.

The Polsky Building, University of Akron

This week we are shining a spotlight on the University of Akron Archives and Special Collections. The University was founded in 1870 as Buchtel College. The Archives and Special Collections are housed in the Polsky Building and they provide access to a wide variety of historical resources including collections on the University’s history, the city of Akron and Summit, the surrounding county, the rubber industry, which was integral to the community’s development, and more.

A black and white historic photograph of a large blimp with Goodyear printed on the side. A large hanger is in the background.

The ground crew hauls out the Goodyear blimp, The Puritan, from the Wingfoot Lake Hangar, for its first flight, July 3, 1938.

Important transportation related collections in the archives include the Lighter-than-Air Collections. The images from the  Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Records are great for those interested in blimps and airships. (Especially for someone like me who grew up in Akron and was amazed by the sheer size of the Wingfoot Lake Hangar and who got excited whenever we’d spot the Goodyear Blimp around town)!

Continue reading

Last Updated on October 26, 2023 by Emily Gainer

Ohio Archives Month Spotlight 3: University of Dayton

Ohio Archives Month Spotlights: University of Dayton’s Hidden Aviation Gems

The Society of Ohio Archivists Advocacy and Outreach Committee is happy to announce that we will be spotlighting archives around the state again this year to celebrate archives month throughout October 2023. Each of our archives spotlights will feature places that house materials related to the theme of the poster, Land, Water, & Air: Transportation in Ohio.

By Jim McKinnon, CA, Associate University Archivist

A photograph of the exterior of Albert Emanuel Hall at the University of Dayton. The building is a large, brick structure with white columns.

Albert Emanual Hall, University of Dayton

This week we will be spotlighting the University of Dayton Archives and Special Collections. The University of Dayton’s history is one of perseverance, tenacity, ingenuity and transformation. The school began with an act of faith more than 170 years ago. On July 1, 1850, St. Mary’s School for Boys opened its doors to 14 primary students from Dayton. Known at various times as St. Mary’s School, St. Mary’s Institute and St. Mary’s College, the school assumed its present identity in 1920. Today, the University of Dayton is recognized as a top-tier national research university rooted in the Catholic tradition.

A historic black and white photograph of four people standing in front of a small airplane.

Photograph of Charles F. Kettering’s secretary, Mrs. Olive Kettering, Bernard L. Whelan, and Mrs. Kettering’s friend.

The University Archives and Special Collections documents the history of the University as well as being the home to many special collections of prominent alumni such as Congressman Charles Whalen and the humorist Erma Bombeck. In addition, University Archives is home to approximately 12,000 rare books, some dating to the mid-15th century. The archives are located on the second floor of Albert Emanuel Hall, which was built in 1927 as the new library.

Continue reading

Last Updated on October 24, 2023 by Emily Gainer

Ohio Archivist Fall 2023 Issue Available

The fall 2023 issue of Ohio Archivist, SOA’s biennial publication, is now available to download as a PDF!A photograph of the first page of the Ohio Archivist newsletter.

In this issue you will find a recap of the May 11-12 Annual Conference, award recipients, feature articles, a Newcomers article, a Digital Discussions article on copyright, and much more!

Contents:
– Forward Together: Community Partnerships and Public Service: Annual Meeting 2023 Recap
– President’s Message
– JEDAI Committee Announcement
– Ohio History Day, Scholarship, & Merit Awards
– Feature: In Defense of the Vertical File by Emily Ahlin
– DEIA: I’m Sorry, Can you Repeat That? Navigating Archives while Hard-of-Hearing by Michelle Ganz
– Climate Control: Documenting our Watersheds by Eira Tansey
– Newcomers: My Path to the Archives by Paige Kinzer
– Digital Discussions: Shining a New Light on your Copyright Free Digital Collections by Penelope Shumaker
– News & Notes
– Editor’s Note

See all past Ohio Archivist issues on that publication’s page.

Questions? Contact Ohio Archivist Editor-in-Chief Jessica Heys.

Last Updated on October 11, 2023 by Emily Gainer

Special Election – Council Candidate Statements 2023

Candidate Statements Available for Vacant Council Seat

Voting for the special election for the vacant SOA Council seat is now open! Voting is open from Monday, October 16 through Tuesday, October 31. Please click here to access the ballot for the special election.

The Council seat will have a term ending at the SOA Annual Meeting in May 2024. The person who completes this term can run for a term in their own right in the regular 2024 election if they wish. More details about responsibilities and terms can be located in the SOA bylaws.

Running for the vacant Council seat are:

A portrait photograph of Sophia McGuire.

Sophia McGuire

A portrait photograph of Jim DaMico

Jim DaMico

  • Sophia McGuire, Records Management Analyst, Council Office, City of Gahanna. Read Sophia McGuire’s Candidate Statement.
  • Jim DaMico, Archivist, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Read Jim DaMico’s Candidate Statement.

 

Questions? Contact the SOA Nominating Committee.

Last Updated on October 16, 2023 by Emily Gainer