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Since 2006, American Archives Month has given the profession an opportunity to tell (or remind) people that items that are important to them are being preserved, cataloged, cared for, and made accessible by archivists. To help you participate in American Archives Month, SAA has provided members with practical information and great ideas to help make your archives program more visible. Or check out our #AskAnArchivist Day page, which details how you can participate in an opportunity to engage with the public via Twitter on October 5.
This October, take steps (big or small), to reach out to your communities, make connections, and show others the significance of archives.
Alabama Newscenter
The Alabama Newscenter makes it easy for the public to consider building their own family archives with explanations of public and private archives, a video tour of the Alabama Power Corporate Archives, and a list of resources for local repositories and online collections. See the online article here.
American Samoa Government
Governor Lolo M. Moliga of American Samoa signed Samoa's first Archives Month Proclamation on October 4, 2016. Since then, the Office of Archives and Records Management has been featured in two televesion newscasts about Archives Month and created several ads for television and newspapers as well as promotional t-shirts and banners. Events have included workshops on records management and genealogy, a Halloween celebration in the archives, and an Earth Oven "Umu" Feast for the local Historical Records Advisory Board.
Austin Archives Bazaar
The Archivists of Central Texas (ACT) will celebrate Archives Month by hosting the 2016 Austin Archives Bazaar, a FREE, fun, and engaging biennial event open to the general public and appropriate for all ages. At the heart of the event are booths in one big room from more than two dozen Central Texas archives showing off their amazing collections and services and promoting the diverse cultural heritage resources available to the public in our region. Our goal is to raise awareness about and deepen engagement with these rich and diverse cultural resources that are freely available to the public. The Austin Archives Bazaar will take place Sunday, October 16, 2016, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Saengerrunde Hall in downtown Austin. ACT is hoping for a large turnout from the public—our 2014 event drew more than 400 attendees.
The Council of State Archivists (CoSA)
On October 10, the Council of State Archivists (CoSA) will host Electronic Records Day, designed to raise awareness among state government agencies, the general public, related professional organizations, and other stakeholders about the crucial role electronic records play in their world. It is an opportunity to share information about what you are doing to manage you state's digital resources and to enlist help in preserving electronic records. To get started, see the complete list of resources, and then join the conversation on Twitter using #ERecsDay.
Indiana University South Bend
Over the past few years, Indiana University South Bend has worked in partnership with the Civil Rights Heritage Center and the St. Joseph County Public Library to digitize local African American, Latino, and LGBTQ history. This year they are lauching the LGBTQ content, via Michiana Memory, on October 11, which is National Coming Out Day. They are partnering with the South Bend LGBTQ Center and the IU South Bend Queer Straight Alliance (QSA) to host an informal event at the LGBTQ Center to share coming out stories in a safe space. Explore the new digitized collection here.
The National Archives
The National Archives looks forward to celebrating in a number of ways throughout the month! Follow them on Twitter @usnatarchives on #AskAnArchivist Day as staff from across the nation, including our Presidential Libraries, answer questions and talk about what it's like to be an archivist at the National Archives. Their blog, Pieces of History, will be hosting a special series on electronic records all month. The National Archives will also be hosting a free, live, two-day, virtual Geneology Fair via webcast on Youtube, offering advice on family history research in federal records. Finally, the National Archies Assembly is joining with its partners to present a free Archives Fair at the National Museum of American History, where archivists and experts from a variety of institutions across the region will be on hand to share their collections, answer questions, and discuss challenges and opportunities they face every day. Follow the National Archives on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram to find out more and share your favorite archives story with us.
Northern Illinois University Regional History Center
In celebration of American Archives Month the Regional History Center at Northern Illinois University presents "Sometimes We Must Interfere: Activism in Northern Illinois." The exhibit focuses on how and why people in Northern Illinois have stimulated change. It showcases collection materials that promote discussions and actions of change such as strikes, labor issues, boycotts, demonstrations, and voting behaviors. The exhibit is on display all month in the foyer of Founders Memorial Library, NIU. A small display is also in the Regional History Center (room 400). This year Rare Books and Special Collections has partnered with us and are showcasing radical pamphlets and other media from their collections (room 403). On October 8, the Center is hosting an exhibit open house from 10AM-1PM. The event is free and all are welcome.
Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
To kick off the month, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill will be hosting an open house to educate staff on the resources of our archive and the role of archivists. We will be participating in #AskAnArchivist Day on our Twitter, @shakervillageky. Throughout the month, we will be posting photos and histories of some of our items on Facebook.
University of California, San Francisco Archives and Special Collections
The University of California, San Francisco Archives and Special Collections will have special events planned on Wednesday, October 5. Visit us in the Library 5th Floor Reading Room from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm to view historical collections, tour library exhibits, and meet archives staff. Also, tweet your questions all day @ucsf_archives using #AskAnArchivit. To learn more about the events and RSVP, see their blog.
University of Oregon Libraries
The University of Oregon Libraries is hosting an Archives Fest on October 1. They will host a variety of events throughout the day, including open houses, guided tours, a film screening, and a how-to workshop on preserving your photographs, digital media, and more. All events are free and open to the public, but RSVPs are encouraged here. See the full schedule here and follow the fun on Twitter with #ArchivesFest.