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When CoSA, NAGARA, and SAA met together for the first time in August 2006, it was an unprecedented gathering of nearly 2,000 archivists and records professionals from across the country and around the world. DC 2006 set the stage for increased interaction and cooperation among the three national organizations and provided members with a chance to learn more about their colleagues and the challenges they face.
Four years later, we’ll convene again in Washington, D.C., to renew acquaintances, share information and ideas, and brave the mid-Atlantic summer (which may well be welcome after the blustery winter the region suffered!).
The 2010 Program Committee, comprising representatives from each organization, reviewed 158 proposals and selected 12 professional poster presentations and 65 sessions covering more than 40 topical areas that focus on the commonalities among archivists and records administrators in all specializations and in a variety of settings. This program is sure to broaden your perspective, strengthen your skills, and just possibly motivate you to make some changes that would have a “monumental” impact on your program or institution! Here’s just a sampling of what’s in store.
Where better than in our nation’s capital to highlight the importance of government archives issues by “Taking on the Big Issues in Government That Affect Us All”? In this featured session, leaders from the National Archives and three national associations representing state and local governments examine the economy, open government, transparency, “green” policies, IT infrastructure, security, emergency preparedness, civic engagement, and more. Come consider how archives and records management programs are affected and how our profession can make a difference.
We’ll gain new insight into the challenges and opportunities inherent in the management of public records and hear from nationally recognized experts in “Privacy, Freedom of Information, Transparency, Accountability, and the Public Record,” as they outline policies, procedures, and standards that encourage openness and that are flexible and sustainable in the years ahead.
The economic downturn has had a devastating effect on many archives and records management programs across the nation. You won’t want to miss “Survivor! Archives and Manuscript Repositories: Managing During Economic Crisis,” when panelists from government, religious institutions, and private, endowed universities discuss how they helped their institutions survive despite financial hardships. Take the opportunity to improve your fortunes with the information you gain from “Archival Grant Making Exposed: Federal, State, and Private Program Officers Tell All!”
We’ve learned the value of collaborative efforts. (This joint meeting is just one such example.) Come hear how, with the help of an IMLS grant, three states joined forces to provide “Archival Training on a Shoestring” for staff and volunteers in institutions holding historical materials. Then venture “Beyond the Ivory Tower” to learn how successful collaborative projects helped identify and facilitate access to at-risk collections related to second-wave feminism and African-American, Latina, and Lesbian women.
Technology has proven to be an ongoing challenge for archivists and records managers. Applications we never thought would relate to our field have given us ingenious ways to reach new audiences, but have also provided ever-evolving challenges. From the National Archives to local historical societies, archival institutions are utilizing social networking sites like Facebook and Flickr to promote their collections. But how do we treat social networking content for archival purposes? “A Flickr of Hope: Harvesting Social Networking Sites” considers the questions raised by social networking sites in terms of selection, appraisal, accession, and access.
We’ll also explore the “Implications of Web-Based Technology in Records Management” through the lens of an ARMA/ANSI Standards Project to address policies, procedures, change management, training, technology, and metadata as related to the use of Web-based technologies and social media, including wikis, blogs, mini-blogs, mash-ups, classification sites, and social networking sites.
Is your collection discoverable by researchers using today’s hottest online search engines? Learn techniques for page design, information architecture, and exposure of otherwise hidden Web resources with “Not on Google? It Doesn’t Exist! Findability and Search Engine Optimization for Archives.”
The “documentation strategy” first articulated by Helen Samuels has been revisited recently for its ideal of researching and documenting society and its institutions – actively, systematically, and comprehensively. In “Sex, Sports, and Parking: From Documentation Strategy to Documenting Society,” our speakers examine the concept of “value” from the appraisal value of records to the value added by archivists, discuss the challenges posed by both legacy collections and born-digital records, and reflect on the relevance of documentation strategy in a time of technological change.
We also invite you to attend “On the Case with the ‘History Detectives’: Public Television and Archival Advocacy.” The acclaimed PBS television series takes viewers down a path of intrigue that connects a puzzling object to a defining moment in history. This session highlights the producers’ collaboration with archivists and other specialists to create entertaining and insightful programs.
Records of human rights violations and peacekeeping efforts can play a significant role in bringing justice and accountability to perpetrators and devastated communities. “Archives on Trial: How International Justice Is Served” considers the role of archives and documentation for international justice and the role of archivists in providing access to information.
Most archivists and records managers don’t worry about hurricanes, volcanoes, or tsunamis, but those who work in high-risk zones have seen or anticipated the worst. Even if your next disaster involves a broken pipe or a flash flood rather than a lava flow, you can learn from “High-Risk Disaster Preparedness and Response: Lessons for Us All.” Panelists from repositories in potential danger zones discuss steps that reduce or prevent loss, as well as the role of collaboration and communication in preparing archives and records repositories for the next disaster – big or small.
We’ll also have a block of 10 terrific 60-minute sessions on topics that range from “Realities of Authenticity” to “New Perspectives on Cartoons: Art, Archival Objects, Assets” to “Building a National Network of State Historical Records Advisory Boards.”
Growing the next generation of archivists is a priority for all three organizations. What better way to support emerging professionals than by providing a forum to share their research and ideas during the Graduate Student Paper Session?
We hope you’ll attend this three-paper session – as well as the Graduate Student Poster Presentations – to show your support for our next generation. What else can you expect to experience at ARCHIVES*RECORDS / DC 2010? Take some time to browse through this preliminary program (and be sure to visit the conference website at www.archivists.org/conference for updates) for details on the “full” DC 2010 experience, including pre-conference workshops; repository tours and open houses; the Research Forum; a host of networking opportunities; SAA Section and Roundtable programs; forums on Accessibility, SAA’s Code of Ethics, and the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials; the CoSA, NAGARA, and SAA annual business meetings; and some very special keynote speakers….
★ DC 2010 Program Committee Co-Chairs Jelain Chubb and Ben Primer
The 2010 Program Committee, front row: Ben Primer, Princeton University, and Jelain Chubb (co-chairs). Second row: Diane Kaplan, Yale University; Tony Kurtz, Western Washington University; Tara Laver, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Ann Jenks, State Historical Society of North Dakota; Nancy Fortna, National Archives and Records Administration; and Kaye Lanning Minchew, Troup County Historical Society and Archives. Third row: Wayne Moore, Tennessee State Library and Archives; and Carole Prietto, Daughters of Charity. Not pictured: Jennifer Martinez Wormser, Sherman Library and Gardens.