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 →

Last Updated on December 11, 2025 by Emily Gainer

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.

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 7, 2025 by Emily Gainer

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 →

Last Updated on November 7, 2025 by Emily Gainer

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.

Last Updated on October 16, 2025 by Emily Gainer

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.

Last Updated on October 7, 2025 by Emily Gainer

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.

Last Updated on September 29, 2025 by Emily Gainer

Call for Session Proposals: MAC/SOA Joint Annual Meeting, May 2026

The Midwest Archives Conference and the Society of Ohio Archivists will hold a joint 2026 Annual Meeting on May 14-16, 2026, at the Ohio Union, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. For more information about the host and the conference, see the meeting website: https://www.midwestarchives.org/2026-annual-meeting

From 2015 until 2023, Ohio’s tourism slogan was “Find it Here.” As a slogan, it raised the obvious question, “Find what here?”; but as an archives motto…well, to “Find it Here” is an archivist’s greatest hope for anyone exploring their collections. Join us as we explore the myriad ways in which archivists and memory workers make their collections accessible, discoverable, and usable.

Call for Session Proposals

The Program Committee encourages submissions from newer professionals, first-time presenters, and colleagues from non-academic institutions. A MAC or SOA membership is not required. Presenters may submit more than one proposal, but may present only one session OR poster. We also encourage those from smaller shops to submit presentations for a focused SOA track. We want to hear from the solo archivists or from those with more limited institutional support! Continue reading →

Last Updated on October 16, 2025 by Emily Gainer

Save the Date: SOA & MAC Joint Annual Meeting 2026

Save the Date: May 14-16, 2026

The Society of Ohio Archivists and Midwest Archives Conference will hold a joint meeting on May 14–16, 2026, on the campus of The Ohio State University. Conference workshops, sessions, and meetings will be held in the Ohio Union. Hotel accommodations and the reception will be held at the University’s hotel, the Blackwell Inn.

The MAC 2026 annual meeting website is live and will continue to be updated as more details become available. Already available is the hotel booking information. The Blackwell Inn does not charge a deposit at the time of booking, so please consider booking a room now.

The Program Committee will be issuing a call for proposals soon. Check back for additional details!

Questions? Contact the Educational Programming Committee cochairs Sara Mouch and Adam Wanter.

Last Updated on September 11, 2025 by Emily Gainer

Open Call for Volunteers: SOA Mentorship Task Force

During the Spring 2025 SOA Annual Meeting, members voiced interest in an SOA mentorship program during the final Crucial Conversations session. In response, SOA Leadership requests volunteers to serve on the SOA Mentorship Task Force.

SOA Mentorship Task Force charge:

Survey SOA membership to understand mentorship needs, preferences, and interests
Develop recommendations for SOA member mentorship options
Assist SOA Leadership in implementing mentorship options into SOA member opportunities

Time commitment: approximately 2 years

If you are interested in serving on the SOA Mentorship Task Force, please contact SOA President Jennifer Long Morehart at [email protected] with the following information by Monday, September 22, 2025:

Name
Contact information
Brief description of how you can help the Mentorship Task Force accomplish its charge (e.g. perspective, experience, network, position, etc.)

Questions? Feel free to contact Jennifer Long Morehart at [email protected].

Last Updated on September 8, 2025 by Emily Gainer