Category Archives: Conferences / Meetings

Call to Membership: SOA Constitution and Bylaws Revisions

Council has been working very hard updating the SOA Strategic Plan over the last year. One piece of that work has been amending our Constitution and Bylaws. Linked here is the marked-up draft of proposed amendments to the SOA Constitution and Bylaws, as proposed by six current SOA members. These amendments will be voted on by members during the upcoming business meeting that will be held on Friday, May 17, 2019 at the SOA Annual Conference in Akron. Members are invited to bring their questions and comments up at the time of the business meeting or send them to me directly at [email protected]. All questions and comments that I receive will be brought up at the business meeting in May.

I hope to see many of you in a few weeks in Akron!

Robin Heise

SOA President (2017-2019)

Records Manager/Archivist

Greene County Records Center and Archives

535 Ledbetter Road, Xenia, OH 45385

Tel: (937) 562-6489

Fax: (937) 562-6485

Email: [email protected]

SOA Annual Conference Early Bird Registration Closes April 30th

A friendly reminder that early bird registration ends on April 30^th.

Join us in Akron on May 16-17, 2019, for two days of Invention and Innovation!

Much more information on the conference page! Follow along on Twitter at #soaam19.

Thursday, May 16

Pre-conference workshops led by Drs. Karen Gracy and Heather Soyka, held at the Kent State University Library.

- Morning (9:00 a.m. – noon): Fundamentals of Born-Digital Archiving
- Afternoon (2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.): Beyond the Basics: More Concepts and Strategies for Digital Archiving
- Early bird pricing for SOA members: $30 for 1 workshop or $50 for both! Early bird registration ends April 30^th.

Evening Mixer at the National Museum for the History of Psychology, where you can tour the museum and mingle with colleagues. 6:00-8:00 p.m. / $25 to register. Registration closes April 30^th.

Friday, May 17

Annual Meeting at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn Hotel from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The day starts off with a plenary from Kathleen Roe, past president of the Society of American Archivists. Her talk, “Reimagining the Future of the Archival Past,” will focus on the future of archival work, including ensuring our institutions collect materials that reflect a comprehensive, inclusive past, conveying the value of archives in meaningful ways to a wide range of users and audiences, and stepping forward to strengthen our profession and its role in our communities and society.

Join us for sessions on building a diverse repository, collaborative projects, job hunting, processing collections, and teaching in the archives, as well as mini-workshops on advocacy and records management. Attendees will also have the option to attend poster sessions, mock job interviews, and bid in the annual silent auction.

Annual meeting early bird registration is only $45 for SOA members! Early bird registration ends April 30^th. Register at http://www.ohiohistorystore.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=9197

Tuesday is your last chance! SOA Annual Conference Early Bird Registration Closes April 30th

Be sure to register by next Tuesday! Early bird registration ends on April 30^th!

Join us in Akron on May 16-17, 2019, for two days of Invention and Innovation!

Thursday, May 16

Pre-conference workshops led by Drs. Karen Gracy and Heather Soyka, held at the Kent State University Library.

- Morning (9:00 AM – Noon): Fundamentals of Born-Digital Archiving
- Afternoon (2:00 PM – 5:00 PM): Beyond the Basics: More Concepts and Strategies for Digital Archiving
- Early bird pricing for SOA members: $30 for 1 workshop or $50 for both! Early bird registration ends April 30^th.

Evening Mixer at the National Museum for the History of Psychology, where you can tour the museum and mingle with colleagues. 6:00-8:00 PM / $25 to register. Registration closes April 30^th.

Friday, May 17

Annual Meeting at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn Hotel from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. See annual conference page for sleeping room block information.

Annual meeting early bird registration is only $45 for SOA members! Early bird registration ends April 30^th. Register at http://www.ohiohistorystore.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=9197

Visit the SOA conference website for the latest information and follow along on Twitter at #soaam19.

SOA Annual Meeting Preconference Workshops Announced

Registration coming soon!

Workshop I: Fundamentals of Born-Digital Archiving (Beginner)
THURSDAY MAY 16, 9:00 AM-12:00 PM – Kent State University Libraries, Kent.
Instructors: Dr. Gracy & Dr. Soyka

This workshop is designed for archivists with little or no prior experience with the management of digital records and objects. Instructors will cover basic concepts of digital preservation and electronic recordkeeping, and will provide multiple examples to illustrate concepts and challenges.

Topics to be addressed will include:
• Types of digital records and media formats
• Digital longevity challenges
• Metadata requirements for digital archiving, including technical and administrative data needs
• Practical digital preservation strategies, including refreshing, reformatting, and migration
• Software tools for digital preservation activities, such as checksum generation/validation, file characterization/validation, and metadata harvesting
• Demonstrations of basic workflows for acquisition, appraisal, preservation, and access to digital records/objects, including a walkthrough of Archivematica
• Communicating with administrators about digital archiving requirements

Attendees will also engage in hands-on exercises designed to help them apply what they are learning to particular record types and varied scenarios. Limited to 30 per workshop.

Workshop II: Beyond the Basics: More Concepts and Strategies for Digital Archiving (Intermediate/Advanced)
THURSDAY MAY 16, 2:00 PM-5:00 PM – Kent State University Libraries, Kent.
Instructors: Dr. Gracy & Dr. Soyka

The afternoon session is designed for archivists with some prior experience and comfort with the basics of electronic recordkeeping and digital archiving (as described in the morning session above). In this interactive afternoon session, we’ll dig into the complexities of decision-making for records retention, appraisal, digitization, and access. We’ll explore hot topics like email retention, archiving social media, and digital forensics, using tools like ePADD, Archive-It, and BitCurator, and look at various repository solutions for digital archiving. Finally, we’ll look at the National Digital Stewardship Alliance’s Levels of Digital Preservation and consider how to make progress with digital archiving goals, depending upon your repository’s resources and digital archiving requirements. Limited to 30 per workshop.

Registration

- Early Bird Workshop Registration
  - SOA members: $30 for 1 workshop / $50 for 2 workshops; Nonmembers $35 for 1/$55 for 2; Students $25 for 1/$45 for 2.
  - Through April 30
- Regular Preregistration–through May 10
  - SOA members: $40 for 1 workshop / $60 for 2 workshops; Nonmembers $45 for 1/$65 for 2; Students $35 for 1/$55 for 2.
  - Through May 1-May 10
- Onsite Registration: No onsite workshop registration.

Instructor: Dr. Karen F. Gracy is an associate professor in the School of Information at Kent State University. She teaches courses in the digital preservation and archival studies areas, with a particular interest in preservation of audiovisual resources. Dr. Gracy’s scholarly interests are found within the domain of cultural heritage stewardship, including applications of semantic technologies to improve description and access to archival materials. She is co-editor-in-chief of Preservation, Digital Technology and Culture, and recently edited Emerging Trends in Archival Science, a collection of research presented by scholars at the 2016 AERI conference held at Kent State.

Instructor: Dr. Heather Soyka is an assistant professor at the Kent State University iSchool, teaching in the areas of archives and special collections. She has been an active member of the Society of American Archivists for over a decade, and currently serves on the editorial board for the American Archivist and as the co-chair of the annual SAA Research Forum. She completed her PhD in archival studies/library and information sciences at the University of Pittsburgh.

Due Date Extended: Society of Ohio Archivists Student and New Professional Award Applications

The Society of Ohio Archivists (SOA) is pleased to announce four scholarships available to students (2 awards), and new archival professionals (2 awards) with three years or less experience in the workplace to attend their annual spring meeting on Friday, May 17, 2019 at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn Hotel.

The scholarship consists of conference registration (including lunch), a one-year membership to SOA, and a $100 travel stipend. Awardees are required to submit a photograph and write about their experience for publication in the Ohio Archivist newsletter.

Applications should include the following information:

* Applicant’s name, mailing address, and e-mail address.

* Students should list their school’s name and academic program;

* New professionals should list their employer and number of years working within the field;

* Description about how the meeting will benefit the applicant professionally;

* Brief description of the applicant’s scholarship and contribution to archives. This will be taken into consideration along with the applicant’s number of years in the field or academic study;

* Statement of the applicant’s need for financial support to attend the conference;

* Applications are due by March 16, 2019.

Applications and inquiries can be sent via e-mail or mail to Devhra BennettJones, [email protected] Lloyd Library, 917 Plum Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.

The awards will be presented at the Society of Ohio Archivists Annual meeting on Friday, May 17, 2019 at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn Hotel.

Society of Ohio Archivists Scholarship Award Applications

Applications should include the following information:

* Applicant’s name, mailing address, and e-mail address.

* Students should list their school’s name and academic program;

* New professionals should list their employer and number of years working within the field;

* Description about how the meeting will benefit the applicant professionally;

* Brief description of the applicant’s scholarship and contribution to archives. This will be taken into consideration along with the applicant’s number of years in the field or academic study;

* Statement of the applicant’s need for financial support to attend the conference;

* Applications are due by February 25, 2019.

Applications and inquiries can be sent via e-mail or mail to Devhra BennettJones, [email protected] Lloyd Library, 917 Plum Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.

The awards will be presented at the Society of Ohio Archivists Annual meeting on Friday, May 17, 2019 at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn Hotel.

2019 SOA Preconference Workshop Survey, Part 2

Reminder: Survey is due January 23, 2019! Thank you to those who have already filled it out!

First of all, the Society of Ohio Archivists’ 2019 Educational Programming Committee would like to thank everyone who filled out part 1 of the preconference workshop survey that was sent out in December. The clear winner was a workshop on born-digital records.

Just to refresh your memory: 2017 saw the return of the SOA preconference workshop with a collaboration with the Ohio Preservation Council, hosted by the Ohio History Connection. Simple Supports for Dynamic Exhibits, led by Miriam Nelson & Catarina Figueirinhas, was a 2-hour hands-on workshop, full at 20 attendees. In 2018, Finding Aids for the Future, led by Morag Boyd and Cate Putirskis, presented in partnership with ALAO SCAig and hosted by Ohio History Connection, was full at 40 attendees.

This year, our preconference workshop will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2019, in Akron, Ohio. The survey included in this email, will help the SOA Educational Programming Committee determine logistical details based on the topic of born-digital records.

Part 2 of the survey is due January 23, 2019. Please fill out the survey HERE: https://goo.gl/forms/kJLPVPvPEk6pCgIL2

Thanks in advance for your help!

Society of Ohio Archivists’ Educational Programming Committee

SOA 2019 Annual Meeting CFP due January 21!

Deadline to submit proposals is next week! Submit by Monday, January 21, 2019, at 5:00 p.m.

Invention and Innovation: Society of Ohio Archivists Annual Meeting

Friday, May 17, 2019

To be held at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn Hotel (http://www.akronhilton.com/) in Akron, Ohio.

The Society of Ohio Archivists’ 2019 annual meeting
travels to Akron, Ohio, the “City of Invention,” this May. In the
spirit of Akron, the Program Committee seeks proposal topics on the theme of “Invention and Innovation” in archives, collections, or related work.
Creativity is encouraged!

Continue reading →

Invention and Innovation: Society of Ohio Archivists Annual Meeting Friday, May 17, 2019

To be held at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn Hotel in Akron, Ohio.

Deadline to submit proposals: Monday, January 21, 2019, 5:00 p.m.

The Society of Ohio Archivists’ 2019 annual meeting travels to Akron, Ohio, the “City of Invention,” this May. In the spirit of Akron, the Program Committee seeks proposal topics on the theme of “Invention and Innovation” in archives, collections, or related work. Creativity is encouraged!

Session, poster, and discussion proposal topics can address a broad array of topics, including, but not limited to:

• Longstanding institutional projects or collections in accordance with the ‘Invention and Innovation’ theme

• Current and forward-moving tools for archival discovery, maintenance, and/or marketing

• Outreach and instruction that employs new methods, or addresses innovative or inventive topics

• Inventive and innovative student, intern, and volunteer experiences and projects

• Unique collection development ventures

• Best practices and new methods for handling preservation, description, and access to analog, born-digital, or hybrid collections

• Diversity, access, inclusion, and community archives

The Program Committee encourages proposals of panel sessions, student and professional posters, as well as alternative formats such as a debate, fish bowl, lightning, mini-workshop, pecha kucha, world café, and other session formats that encourage interaction between presenters and attendees. Please see the proposal form for more detailed information about alternative sessions.

Proposals must include:

• Session/Poster title and type

• Abstract of 250 words describing the session/poster and how it will be of interest to SOA attendees

• Description of 150 words for the printed program

• Contact information for the primary presenter and any other participants

• A/V or technology requirements

• Any additional special needs

Proposals will be evaluated on clarity, originality, diversity of content and speaker representation, and completeness of proposal and presenters. The Program Committee also encourages proposals from students*, new professionals*, first-time presenters and attendees, individuals from related professions, as well as those from outside the state of Ohio.

Please complete the proposal form by January 21, 2019, at https://goo.gl/forms/FvVtPGednEWI5rSz1

More meeting details will appear as they develop at: https://ohioarchivists.org/annual_conference/ & follow the conversation online at #soaam19.

Questions? Please contact:

Stephanie Bricking ([email protected]) or Stacey Lavender ([email protected])

Co-chairs, Society of Ohio Archivists Educational Programming Committee*Note that applications for travel scholarships for students and new professionals are due by February 25, 2019.

2019 SOA Preconference Workshop Survey: Part 1

The Society of Ohio Archivists’ 2019 Educational Programming Committee is busy planning the May meeting, but we need your help! We are in the process of developing our pre-conference workshop, but we would like to find out what topics are of interest to those who might attend.

2017 saw the return of the SOA pre-conference workshop with a collaboration with the Ohio Preservation Council, hosted by the Ohio History Connection. Simple Supports for Dynamic Exhibits, led by Miriam Nelson & Catarina Figueirinhas, was a 2-hour hands-on workshop, full at 20 attendees. In 2018, Finding Aids for the Future, led by Morag Boyd and Cate Putirskis, presented in partnership with ALAO SCAig and hosted by Ohio History Connection, was full at 40 attendees.

This year, our pre-conference workshop will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2019. In order to find out what archivists and other allied professionals would like in a pre-conference workshop, we are sending out a two-part survey. The first part, which is included in this email, will help us narrow down the topics. The second part, to be sent out early January, will help us determine logistical details based on the selected topic(s).

Part 1 of the survey is due December 21, 2018. Fill out the survey HERE: https://goo.gl/forms/ZzqEO3GSlsRHFEZh1

Thanks in advance for your help!

Society of Ohio Archivists’ Educational Programming Committee