American Archives Month 2006

2006 American Archives Month Kit

See How Your Colleagues Celebrated the American Record

Archives Month Web Pages

The Nevada State Library and Archives presented an exhibit titled “Homeland Security 1936” to highlight Archives Week (Oct. 22-28). The display is a collection of 70-year-old photographs of the Nevada National Guard Winnemucca Company F, the 115th Engineers. “We chose this set of photos . . . because they are a great example of how important historical documents can be lost if people don't care enough to preserve them,” said Jeff Kintop, State Archives manager. He said the collection on display at the state library was discovered by an individual at a guard facility who recognized their historic value and donated them to the state for preservation.
Kintop said those interested in more of Nevada's historic records and treasurers should visit www.NevadaCulture.org and click on “Archives Week.”
The South Dakota State Historical Society celebrated “Exploring South Dakota Archives” with a series of weekly events, a gubernatorial proclamation, and more.
Kentucky Archives Week (October 8-14) featured the theme “Family Heritage,” and the official website contains a plethora of good resources for archives and archivists, including samples of a fundraising letter, press release, proclamation, and events calendar. According to the website: “Why Archives Week? We want to connect with the general public, the media, and elected and appointed officials. Archives Week events should educate, inform, enlighten, and/or entertain, but it's important to remember that the first purpose of Archives Week is to promote who we are and what we do.”
Indiana University Bloomington partnered with the Bloomington community to mark its inaugural Archives and Special Collections Month with “Revealing Our Past,” a month-long “celebration of our shared history revealed through archives and special collections.”
Since 2002 the Council of State Archivists has maintained an online directory of state Archives Week/Month activities and resources, including a wonderful poster gallery. Visit http://www.statearchivists.org/ to view this information.
The Chicago Area Archivists, along with the National Archives-Great Lakes Region in Chicago, are hosting an October 6 tour of the National Archives-Great Lake Region. From the promotional materials: “Professors and teachers are especially encouraged to bring research seminar students and Chicago Metro History Fair students as a class assignment.”
The California State Archives is hosting a statewide Archives Month website. The site includes a calendar of events for California archival repositories to submit information concerning any programs, exhibits, or other events that they will be having in October.

Official Recognition

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed October 2006 as “Archives Month” in California on September 19. The proclamation recognizes more than 4,000 archival institutions across the state that benefit Californians by enabling them “to discover valuable information about society, learn the state’s history, and appreciate various aspects of past communities.” The proclamation includes examples of the types of historical information available in California archives and “encourages everyone to visit and utilize the state’s rich treasure trove of historical records.”
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed October 2006 as “Archives Month” in California

Special Events

Bells rang out for Archives Week in New York City as members of the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York opened the day’s trading at the New York Stock Exchange on October 10. It was a good day for the markets – and for archives!
The M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University at Albany Libraries, commemorated Archives Week with the program, University in Exile: Refugee Scholars, the New School for Social Research, and the German and Jewish Intellectual Émigré Collection sponsored by the University Libraries, Center for Jewish Studies, and the College of Arts and Sciences on Thursday, October 12.
The University of Kentucky Libraries’ Special Collections and Digital Programs hosted a lecture by Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Joel Pett that highlighted the historical significance of editorial cartoons. A reception and open house celebrating 50 years of archiving Kentucky’s newspapers at UK libraries followed the presentation.

Media Coverage

The Santa Fe New Mexican highlighted Archives Week in New Mexico, with its celebration of women’s roles in New Mexico history.
The Sacramento Bee covered American Archives Month with: “Archives Month celebrates the famous and frivolous: Ever wonder what Harpo, Chico, Zeppo and Groucho were thinking when they formed Marx Brothers Inc. in the 1930s?”