American Archives Month 2023

Share your American Archives Month activities: 
Send a note about how you are participating to saahq@archivists.org.

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 social media on October 11.

This October, take steps (big or small) to reach out to your communities, make connections, and show others the significance of archives.

Here’s how your colleagues are celebrating 
American Archives Month

Atlantic City Free Public Library
The Atlantic City Free Public Library is hosting two events for the month. "Building Your Family Tree" on October 6 invites participants to explore how to start research on their family, from the general to the specific, using material from the library's archives. "Deciphering Old Photos—The Tales They Tell" on October 20 walks participants through old photographs in the library archives to learn how to look for clues to determine when they were taken, the type of photo, and more.

Coronado Historical Association
The Coronoado Historical Association (CHA) is celebrating by turning its galleries into Open Collections Workspaces. Guests will be able to visit CHA and see local collections receiving preventive conservation work. During the Workshop's open hours, specially trained volunteers will be performing tasks such as documentary photography, housing archives and artifacts, and cataloging items into CHA's database.

duPont–Ball Library Archives and Special Collections
On October 20 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET, catch a glimpse of some of the remarkable items from Stetson's Archives and Special Collections. A table will be set up where visitors can see a variety of unique items that help tell the story of Stetson University's 140 year history, from its origins in 1883 to the present day. Stop in, visit the table as well as nearby glass exhibit cases, and chat with archivist Beth Maycumber on the main floor of the du-Pont Ball Library.

George Blood LP
George Blood LP in Fort Washington, PA, is hosting their first Open House on October 23. Attendees will tour the 41,000 square foot facility and learn about transferring audio, video, film, and data to digital files. George Blood LP invites attendees to bring one item—a film reel, audio recording, videotape, etc.—to be examined. Registration for this free event is requried in advance.

JDC Archives
The JDC Archives are hosting a webinar on October 16 on "'Relief Supplies - Films': On the road with JDC's Mobile Film Units in postwar Germany." This webinar examines the multi-year film screening program for Jewish Displaced Persons in post-WWII Germany initiated by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.

Maryland State Archives
The Maryland State Archives is hosting their Fall 2023 Memory Bank event on October 21 in Windsor Mill, Maryland. Members of the local community are invited to come to preserve their documents, photos, and letters through digital imaging. Archivists will work with attendees to describe and scan their items, so they may take home their original materials in free archival storage containers and receive the resulting digital copies as well. Registration is required for this free event.

McGovern Historical Center
The McGovern Historical Center is hosting a table at the Texas Medical Center Library on October 11 to answer questions and show off materials from the collections. Previous years have included architectural drawings, yearbooks, and hand-drawn cartoons. This annual event is free and open to the public.

Monmouth County Archives Division
The Monmouth County (NJ) Archives Division of the Monmouth County Clerk's Office hosts an annual Archives and History Day to coincide with American Archives Month. This year, the event takes place on October 28 at Brookdale Community College's Collins Arena in Lincroft, NJ. Archives and History Day is free and open to the public, and features speakers, a Monmouth County history-related exhibit, and over fity representatives from local historical societies, museums, and archives.

UC Davis Library
Archives and Special Collections at UC Davis are celebrating wtih a series of ABC Instagram posts sharing items from their collections. Additionaly, on October 7, they are participating in the Sacramento Archives Crawl and will be displaying items related to this year's theme, "Myth, Folklore & Legend."

Utah State Archives
The Utah State Archives is partnering with the Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board (USHRAB) and the Utah Historical Society to put on a Scan and Share event on October 14 at 10:00 a.m. MT. Attendees are invited to bring favorite family recipes and food-related photos to scan, preserve, and share their Utah history. Tours of the Utah State Archives building will also take place. Registration is required for this free event.