Author Archives: Emily Gainer

Join us for Coffee Chat on January 13, 2026

Grab a hot beverage and join us for the third Society of Ohio Archivists (SOA) Coffee Chat on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, from 10-11am on Zoom! These casual gatherings are an opportunity for SOA members to network, share challenges and successes in their work, and bounce ideas off colleagues outside of the Annual Conference.

This, our third Coffee Chat will be chance to check in with members. Possible discussion topics include teaching with primary resources and navigating archives and institutional structure, especially for solo archivists. This is your chance to shape a benefit of SOA membership! We hope to see you there. Please register to join the conversation. If you are unable to attend but would like to help shape what these meetings look like, please complete the survey.

Questions? Contact Darrell Blevins Jr. and Jim DaMico, SOA Council Members.

Renew Your SOA Membership for 2026

Dear SOA Member:

The Membership & Awards Committee invites you to renew your SOA membership or join as a new member in 2026. Membership may be renewed online through the secure site provided by the Ohio History Connection’s Ohio History Store or by mailing the PDF invoice with check or money order. SOA continues its hardship membership program for those experiencing uncertainty. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with questions or interest in the program.

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 2025 include:

Coordinating SOA’s hybrid Spring Annual Meeting in May
Collaborating with the Ohio Local History Alliance, Ohio Preservation Council, Ohio History
Connection, Ohio History Day, and others to provide professional development, scholarships, and awards
Publishing the Ohio Archivist newsletter and coordinating Archives Months events and activities
Creating community and fostering communication about cultural heritage activities, internships, funding opportunities, and advocacy efforts through the SOA blog, listserv, and social media

In 2026, members of SOA can look forward to:

The Society of Ohio Archivists & Midwest Archives Conference Joint Annual Meeting in May. SOA members will get a discount code for member-rate registration!
The SOA Mentorship Task Force exploring the creation of a mentorship program for SOA
members

Thank you again for your support, and we are glad to help with any questions.
Stephanie Shreffler and Julia Teran
Cochairs, SOA Membership & Awards Committee

Council Meeting Minutes from Oct 28, 2025

The Society of Ohio Archivists most recent leadership meeting minutes from October 28, 2025, 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.

Native American Heritage Month 2025

Contributed by Sarah Aisenbrey, Sisters of the Precious Blood Archivist, and member of the SOA Advocacy and Outreach Committee.

I respectfully acknowledge the original stewards of the land on which I sit. I am on the traditional lands of the Adena Culture, Hopewell Culture, Kaskaskia People, Myaamia People, Shawandasse Tula (Shawanwaki/Shawnee) People, and ^^(Osage) People.

Many of us learn of the Indigenous people in the United States as if they came “before.” Their history is just that… history. Native American Heritage Month, celebrated every November, aims to change this view.

The following blog introduces a timeline of Native American Heritage Month, a tribute to an Indigenous Sister of the Precious Blood, and a project that aims to provide archival transparency to survivors of Catholic-operated Native Boarding Schools in the United States, pre-1978. Continue reading →

Council Meeting Minutes from Sept 23, 2025

The Society of Ohio Archivists most recent leadership meeting minutes from September 23, 2025, can now be found on the Council Meeting Minutes page.

Questions about minutes? Contact SOA Secretary Shelby Beatty.

Born in Ohio: Preserving the Stories of Local Businesses

by Natalie Fritz, Archivist & Outreach Director, Clark County Historical Society at the Heritage Center.

Each October, the Society of Ohio Archivists celebrates American Archives Month by highlighting the important work of preserving and sharing Ohio’s history. Every year, the SOA Advocacy and Outreach Committee selects a theme and invites archives across the state to submit up to three images per institution that best represent the theme. After SOA members vote on their favorites, the top ten images are used to create the year’s Archives Month poster, which was recently revealed during a virtual unveiling event in September.

This year’s theme, “Ohio Born Companies,” celebrates the countless businesses that got their start here in the Buckeye State. From family-owned shops to manufacturing giants, Ohio has long been a place where innovation and hard work converge. Archives across the state, both large and small, play a vital role in documenting those businesses and the communities that shaped them.

Collecting the Story of Local Industry

A photograph of book shelves with three rows of books. Most books have brown spines.

Springfield City Directories, 1852–2020. An invaluable resource to trace the evolution of local businesses & their locations.

In our archives at the Clark County Historical Society at the Heritage Center in Springfield, Ohio, one of the most used resources is our collection of Springfield City Directories, dating from 1852 through 2020. These volumes are indispensable for tracing the history of a business, helping researchers determine when a company first appeared, where it was located, and how it evolved over time.

We use them regularly to identify local companies pictured in historic photographs and to connect visual materials to their broader stories.

Continue reading →

Nominating Committee Seeks Two Members

The Society of Ohio Archivists Nominating Committee is seeking two new members to join the committee.

Responsibilities: Committee members work collaboratively to identify and recruit qualified candidates for SOA leadership positions. Nominations are generally sought in December and January, with elections during the Annual Meeting in the spring, and terms beginning at the end of that Annual Meeting. Committee members are expected to serve for at least one election cycle, and work is conducted through email and virtual meetings.

Who Should Apply: Any SOA member who is not currently serving in an elected position is welcome to apply. This is a great professional service opportunity where you can help support SOA’s continued growth and work.

Applications are due on Friday, October 31, 2025.

Please contact the Nominating Committee Chair, Matt Francis, at [email protected] to volunteer or with any questions.

Archives Month Poster 2025 Announcement

Celebrate American Archives Month in Ohio with the 2025 poster

A montage of 5 historical images arranged onto a poster. Includes blue text in the center Ohio Born Companies.

Ohio Archives Month poster 2025: Ohio Born Companies

October is American Archives Month! Each year, SOA creates a poster to recognize and celebrate Archives Month. The theme for 2025 poster is Ohio Born Companies. You can download and share a PDF of the 2025 Archives Month Poster . Thank you again to all those who submitted images for consideration!

Images on the 2025 poster were contributed by Mahoning Valley Historical Society, Columbus Metropolitan Library, J.M. Smucker Co., Wright State University, and The Ohio History Connection.

SOA’s Archives Month activity is managed by the Advocacy and Outreach Committee. Questions? Contact the Committee Cochairs Christine Liebson and Emily Rebmann.

Council Meeting Minutes from Aug 19, 2025

The Society of Ohio Archivists most recent leadership meeting minutes from August 19, 2025, can now be found on the Council Meeting Minutes page.

Questions about minutes? Contact SOA Secretary Shelby Beatty.