News & EVENTS

Each year, New England Archivists grant several awards to recognize and amplify the work of innovative and devoted stewards of the historical record. In preparation for awards season, NEA seeks nominations for: 

• The Archival Advocacy Award, given annually to an individual or institution demonstrating extraordinary support of New England archival projects and records.
  
• The Audio/Visual Professional Development Award, a monetary award given annually to one NEA member to support their professional development related to moving image, recorded sound, and time-based media.
  
• The Distinguished Service Award, given annually to an individual, institution, or group of individuals/institutions dedicated to the promotion of NEA’s objectives and who has made significant contributions to the profession, their institution, NEA, or the archival community in New England.
  
• The Richard W. Hale, Jr., Professional Development Award, a monetary award given annually to promote the professional development of archivists in the region.
• The Richard L. Haas Records Management Award, a monetary award to support a project that promotes increased cooperation, understanding, and knowledge between the archival and records management professions.
  

Applications will be open from December 1, 2024 - February 15, 2025. For more information on each award, including details on how to apply, visit our Awards page. 

In addition to granting awards, NEA’s Inclusion and Diversity Committee manages an honoraria fund to compensate people of color involved in a broad range of professional activities. Learn more eligibility, award amounts, and applications on our website.

New England Archivists (NEA) invites submissions of session proposals for our 2025 Spring Meeting, Innovating the Archives, on March 13-15, 2025 in Springfield, MA — the birthplace of Dr. Seuss! 

The deadline for general proposals is now closed. We are still accepting proposals for our student lightning talks!

The 2025 Spring Meeting is near, and this call for proposals is your chance to spread some good cheer! Over three inspiring days of virtual and in-person sessions, special events, and roundtable discussions, we’ll connect and explore the future of our important work, and you’re invited to be a part of it.

The Spring 2025 Program Committee invites proposals on all topics but is especially interested in the following:

• Innovation in your archives 
• Instruction in the archives
• Legal issues in archiving (ethics, copyright, access restrictions, etc.)
• Practical tips and tricks
• Successes and failures when trying something new
• Best Practices
• Use of AI, or non-AI technological innovations
• Managing Change
• Innovation as a way to bring the past forward
• Collaboration, both inside and outside of your institution

First-time presenters, current students, early-career professionals, and members of underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply.

Possible Session Types

Sessions should be one hour total at maximum. 

STANDARD PRESENTATIONS
One or more speakers present on a common theme. Presentations may include a moderator to steer discussion and/or introduce speakers and the theme.

OPEN FORUM
A moderator leads a topical discussion with everyone in attendance. Forums may include additional moderator(s) to direct breakout conversations.

PANEL DISCUSSION
Three or four participants make brief remarks before discussing a topic together. Discussion includes a moderator to steer the conversation.

LIGHTNING TALKS
Speakers prepare a 3-10 minute presentation that may or may not include slides or images. The number of presenters depends on the time allotted for each.

CASE STUDY DISCUSSIONS
A moderator presents a case or the issue to potential experts, who offer solutions.

“ASK ME ANYTHING” (AMA)
An expert in a specific area provides help to audience members without a presentation. Questions can be submitted ahead of time or asked live.

DISCUSSION
Discussion leaders lead the audience in thought-provoking conversation about current issues in the archives. The session can also include an interactive component such as brainstorming solutions to a problem, sharing workflows, or quiet reflection/writing.

OTHER
If you have an idea for a session not outlined here, let us know!

Note: standard AV (a projector and screen) will be provided for each session. Presenters are expected to provide a laptop to connect to the projector, as well as any additional audiovisual equipment needs.

Collaboration
Do you have a brilliant idea for a presentation but prefer to co-present with others? Share your idea in our spreadsheet and invite others to join you! Use this space to connect with colleagues about potential session topics and formats.
This collaborative space will be accessible until the deadline for proposals, November 25, 2024.

Proposal Submission
To submit a proposal, complete this form.

All submissions will be acknowledged by the Program Committee. If your proposal is selected, your acknowledgment will include instructions about next steps. All presenters must register for the conference upon acceptance at the early-bird rate. They are expected to fund their own travel expenses.

Scholarships and Awards
Meeting and travel scholarships are available through NEA for those in need.
For specific details, refer to the resources below:

• Meeting and travel assistance
• Student member meeting and travel assistance
• Inclusion and diversity session scholarship

Accessibility and Code of Conduct:
NEA is committed to making the Spring 2025 Meeting welcoming and accessible to all presenters and attendees. Presenters are encouraged to ensure that their presentations meet current accessibility guidelines. This includes leaving space on the bottom of presentations to enable closed captioning on slides. If you need help assistance, contact the program chair, Lia Sansoucy. Presenters are also required to abide by the NEA Code of Conduct.

If you need specific accommodations like interpretive services to support your participation in this event, contact the program chair, Lia Sansoucy. For more information about the physical features of the hotel, including accessible rooms, common areas, or special services relating to a specific disability please call 413-781-1010.

We look forward to seeing you all in Springfield!

As a volunteer-led organization, New England Archivists (NEA) relies on the leadership of our members to continue our important work. In preparation for our fall election, the NEA Nominating Committee seeks candidates for: 

• Vice President/President-Elect 

• Representative-at-Large (Two positions)

• Treasurer-Elect 

Newly elected officers will begin their terms of service on March 15, 2025.

All members in good standing are eligible to serve as an officer, including candidates at all career stages and points in their NEA journey. To nominate yourself or others, complete this short nomination form before August 23, 2024.

Note: Nominations are not firm commitments. By nominating yourself or others, you are registering interest. Self-nominations are common and encouraged! 

For more information on each open office, visit our Elections page.

If you have any questions, contact Caitlin Birch, Chair of the Nominating Committee. 

Thanks for considering this important opportunity to serve NEA!

NEA Nominating Committee

Caitlin Birch (Chair), Stephanie Call, Michelle Chiles, Liam Sullivan, Sam Valentine 

The NEA Spring 2024 Conference will take place in Providence, RI from March 14-16, 2024, with the theme In Pursuit of the Future. It promises to be an engaging event that will provide a look into NEA and the archival profession in the coming years. 

The NEA Programming Committee is putting out a call for presentation proposals for a session dedicated to highlighting graduate student work. The committee will review proposals from current masters and doctoral students through January 19, 2024.

Presentations will be in lightning-talk format with each presentation lasting no more than 10 minutes. We encourage students to submit proposals related to research, student work, archival internships/jobs, and other archival intersections.

Please see the call for student presenters for more details.

 We look forward to seeing you all in Providence!

Scholarships and Awards:

Meeting and travel scholarships are available through NEA. Details may be found on the NEA website: https://newenglandarchivists.org/Meeting-Travel-and-Session-Scholarships.

Please refer to the following pages for specific details on:

●   Meeting and travel assistance: https://newenglandarchivists.org/meeting_travel

●   Student member meeting and travel assistance: https://newenglandarchivists.org/VonSalis

●   Inclusion and diversity session scholarship: https://newenglandarchivists.org/inclusion-diversity-scholarship/

Accessibility and Code of Conduct:

NEA is committed to making the Spring 2024 Meeting welcoming and accessible to all presenters and attendees. Presenters are encouraged to ensure that their presentations meet current accessibility guidelines. Presenters are also required to abide by the NEA Code of Conduct, which can be found here:

https://www.newenglandarchivists.org/Code-of-Conduct

If you will need specific accommodations, such as interpretive services, to support your participation in this event, please contact the program committee at: programcommittee-1@newenglandarchivists.org.

New England Archivists (NEA) invites submissions of session proposals for our Spring Meeting, to be held March 14-16, 2024, in Providence, Rhode Island.

The deadline for proposals is December 8, 2023.

After celebrating NEA’s fiftieth anniversary, this conference aims to look forward and boldly ask–what will our next fifty years look like? What do we, as members of this organization and professionals in our field, ask of this organization, ask of our field, and ask of each other to move the archival world forward while honoring our deep roots? What changes do we wish to see in our world? This conference, titled In Pursuit of the Future, seeks to offer a space for discussion and community to plan for a brighter future.

We look forward to seeing you all in Providence!

The Spring 2024 Program Committee invites proposals on all topics but is especially interested in the following:

• Anti-racism
• Crisis management
• Climate change
• Social justice
• Labor practices/unionization/professional responsibilities
• Managing remote work
• Rapid response collecting
• Managing change
• Professional ethics
• Self-care

First-time presenters, current graduate students, early-career professionals, and BIPOC are encouraged to apply.

Possible Session Types

STANDARD PRESENTATIONS

Two or three speakers present on a common theme. May include a moderator to steer discussion and/or introduce speakers and the theme.

OPEN FORUM

Topical discussion with moderator leading discussion with everyone in attendance. May include additional moderator(s) to direct breakout conversations.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

Three or four participants make very brief remarks, then discuss a topic together. Includes a moderator to steer discussion.

PECHAKUCHA

Each presentation consists of 20 slides or images displayed for 20 seconds each, with comments, and lasts 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Highest number of presenters possible is 12, fewer if leaving time for questions.

LIGHTNING TALKS

Like PechaKucha, but without a set format. May or may not include slides or images. Presentations may be from 3 to 10 minutes long, with the number of presenters depending on time allotted for each.

DEBATE

Moderator announces the topic, and two other individuals debate.

OTHER

If you have an idea for a virtual session not outlined here, let us know!

Note: standard AV (a projector and screen) will be provided for each session. Presenters are expected to provide a laptop for connecting to the projector, as well as any additional audiovisual equipment needs.

Collaboration

To facilitate collaboration, the Spring 2024 Program Committee has created a space for NEA members to develop session proposals together:

https://bit.ly/3Ry79Jp 

Please use this space to connect with your colleagues about potential session topics and formats. This collaborative space will be accessible until the deadline for proposals, November 1, 2023.

Proposal Submission

To submit a proposal, complete the form below. 

https://forms.gle/VU9vsPkroFksMDAS8

Please note that proposed sessions involving fewer than three presenters and/or covering overlapping topics may be grouped together.

All submissions will be acknowledged by the Program Committee. If your proposal is selected, your acknowledgment will include instructions about next steps. All presenters are required to register for the conference upon acceptance, at the early-bird rate, and to fund their own travel expenses.

Scholarships and Awards

Meeting and travel scholarships are available through NEA for those in need. Details may be found on the NEA website.

Please also refer to the following pages for specific details on:

●      Meeting and travel assistance: https://newenglandarchivists.org/meeting_travel

●      Student member meeting and travel assistance: https://newenglandarchivists.org/VonSalis

●      Inclusion and diversity session scholarship: https://newenglandarchivists.org/inclusion-diversity-scholarship/

Accessibility and Code of Conduct

NEA is committed to making the Spring 2024 Meeting welcoming and accessible to all presenters and attendees. Presenters are encouraged to ensure that their presentations meet current accessibility guidelines. Presenters are also required to abide by the NEA Code of Conduct, which can be found here:

https://www.newenglandarchivists.org/Code-of-Conduct

If you will need specific accommodations, such as interpretive services, to support your participation in this event, please contact the program chair Sarah Shepherd at programcommittee-1@newenglandarchivists.org.

New England Archivists is pleased to read and respond to the report on A*CENSUS II (A*CII), a massive survey of archivists from across the profession conducted by Society of American Archivists and Ithaka S+R. We are grateful for this investment in learning about the state of the archives field and look forward to the forthcoming Archival Administrators Survey report. What follows are the primary concerns NEA has as an organization in response to the A*CII results when viewed in concert with NEA’s Contingent Employment Survey (CES), and some resources for individuals, especially managers, who want to respond to these concerns through changes in their workplace.

Salaries & Education
According to A*CII, 61% of full-time archivists make $40,000-$79,999 in gross salary a year; 69% of part-time employed respondents make $29,999 or less. Broken down further, 42% of full-time archivists earn less than $60,000/year.

New England is lagging behind. Our region has some of the highest costs of living in the country, with all six New England states in the top 25% cost of living indexes. CES respondents cited concerns about jobs paying a living wage for the area of employment. The most common net salary for archival workers in New England reported to CES is $30,000-$39,999, followed by $40,000-$49,999. A*CII’s most common salary range was $50,000-59,999; while AC*II uses gross (total) instead of net (take-home) salary data, the comparison still indicates New England archival worker pay is low. While these ranges are not broken down between full-time and part-time employment, the fact that only 10% of CES survey takers make $70,000 or more speaks volumes about the undervaluing of archival work. 

According to A*CII, 86% of archivists have an advanced degree. How do archivists’ compensations compare to those colleagues in other fields with similar levels of education? Not well. Examining the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data on salary information by degree level is sobering. The median weekly earnings for Master’s-holding employees nationally is $1,574, or $81,848 annually; over 73% of archivists earn less than this. Furthermore, despite the high concentration of Master’s degrees in the profession, over 50% of archivists earn less than the median salary for workers whose highest degree earned is a Bachelor’s.

Further information statistics on professions and salaries are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While there is often institutional pushback against salary increases, salary is one of the areas where only managers and administrators can make a difference.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access
Discussions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion have become a mainstay of discussions in the field. However, A*CII indicates that there is a disagreement about the progress of those discussions. Responses indicate that 44% of respondents of color disagree with the statement “the archives profession has adequately addressed issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access,” compared to 35% of white respondents. Only 14% of people of color and 13% of respondents identifying as a person with a disability stated they felt included in the profession.

We invite very, very careful reading of questions 40-50 of A*CII and reflection on differing perspectives of colleagues across identities. It is clear that the effectiveness of DEIA efforts are experienced and viewed in a number of ways, and that intent of such initiatives does not automatically result in improvements for everyone. Our efforts to create a more just and inclusive profession must be intersectional across each of our complex identities and needs, and we must listen to one another in order to advocate for one another.

Participant Bias
At the A*CII Forum at the SAA Annual Meeting in August, Ithaka Senior Analyst Makala Skinner noted that there is some bias in the results due to self-selection and other factors, but that at this stage, the researchers do not yet know exactly what or how severe this bias is.

For example, over half of the AC*II respondents worked in college/university or government archives; this seems high given the results of the CES, which indicated a substantially smaller proportion of archivists working in those environments. It is possible that the two surveys did not capture significantly similar populations. This possibility is furthered by the limited responses from interns and students, suggesting that neither survey sufficiently captured their data.

Future Analysis
The A*CENSUS II data will eventually be available in the SAA Dataverse, allowing further research and analysis. Additionally, analysis is not yet complete on the Archival Administrators Survey conducted shortly after A*CENSUS II. A few questions are of particular interest:

• How does education impact how memory workers identify professionally, if at all?
• Are departments shrinking? Do retirements or departures from a department lead to replacements of the position?
• One in five archivists are thinking of leaving the field within the next five years – what can we learn about those archivists?
• Are the high salaries (over $100k) in A*CENSUS II correlated to PhD-level/curatorial positions and administrators?
  
  

It is clear that while future analysis will illuminate particular nuances in the careers and perspectives of archivists, we need to work and make solutions to ensure the sustainability of our profession and to look after ourselves. Please use the resources below to have serious discussions with your colleagues about how to help both in the immediate future and in the long term to create a more sustainable, equitable field for all archivists.

Resources
Archival Workers Collective, https://groups.google.com/g/archival-workers-collective?pli=1, Twitter:  @awefund2020
Isabel Espinal, April M. Hathcock, and Maria Rios, “Dewhitening Librarianship: A Policy Proposal for Libraries,” in Knowledge Justice: Disrupting Library and Information Studies through Critical Race Theory, ed. Sofia Y. Leung and Jorge R. López-McKnight, The MIT Press, 2021. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11969.003.0017.
Journal of Critical Library and Information Studies (full issue), Vol. 3 No. 2 (2021): Radical Empathy in Archival Practice. https://journals.litwinbooks.com/index.php/jclis/issue/view/10. 
MIT Collections Directorate Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice Task Force. Creating a Social Justice Mindset: Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice in the Collections Directorate of the MIT Libraries. Cambridge MA: MIT Libraries, February 9, 2017. http://tinyurl.com/MITLibDiv.
Rachael Woody, “How to Create Paid Internships” (free webinar), November 3, 2022, 12:00 noon PST. Registrants will receive a link to the recording after the webinar.
Rachael Woody, “How Much Am I Worth? Summer 2022 edition.”  
We Here collective. https://www.wehere.space/

NEA SPRING 2023 MEETING

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Past. Present. Possibilities.

New England Archivists (NEA) invites submission of session proposals for our Spring Meeting to be held March 31 - April 1, 2023, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The deadline for proposals is October 7, 2022.

As we celebrate NEA’s 50th anniversary, this meeting offers us a chance to come together to reflect on the history of our field and the changes it has weathered. We urge members to think about archives workers in this current moment in time: about how our work affects our social, political, and environmental worlds. And as we look to the future, we are called to consider: what are the most important challenges and opportunities in the archival field taking shape on the horizon?

We look forward to seeing you all in Portsmouth!

Possible Session Types

Standard Presentations

Two or three speakers present on a common theme. May include a moderator to steer discussion and/or introduce speakers and theme.

Open Forum

Topical discussion with moderator leading discussion with attendees. May include additional moderator(s) to direct breakout conversations.

Roundtable Discussion

Three or four participants make very brief remarks, then discuss a topic together. Includes a moderator to steer discussion.

PechaKucha

Each presentation consists of 20 slides or images displayed for 20 seconds each, with comment, and lasts 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Highest number of presenters possible is 12, fewer if leaving time for questions.

Lightning Talks

Like PechaKucha, but without a set format. May or may not include slides or images. Presentations may be from 3 to 10 minutes long, with a number of presenters depending on time allotted for each.

Debate

Moderator announces the topic, and two other individuals debate.

Note: standard AV (a projector and screen) will be provided for each session. Presenters are expected to provide a laptop for connecting to the projector, as well as any additional audiovisual equipment needs.

----

Collaboration

To facilitate collaboration, the Spring 2023 Program Committee has created a space for NEA members to develop session proposals together: https://bit.ly/3AIv2W9

Please use this space to connect with your colleagues about potential session topics and formats. This collaborative space will be accessible until the deadline for proposals, October 7, 2022.

----

Proposal Submission

To submit a proposal, complete the form here:

https://forms.gle/iRzNwf7ufAnfRYuz5

Please note that proposed sessions involving fewer than three presenters and/or covering overlapping topics may be grouped together.

All submissions will be acknowledged by the Program Committee. If your proposal is selected, your acknowledgment will include instructions about next steps. All presenters are required to register for the conference upon acceptance, at the early-bird rate, and to fund their own travel expenses.

----

Scholarships and Awards:

Meeting and travel scholarships are available through NEA for those in need. Details may be found on the NEA website: https://newenglandarchivists.org/Meeting-Travel-and-Session-Scholarships.

Please also refer to the following pages for specific details on:

• Meeting and travel assistance: https://newenglandarchivists.org/meeting_travel
• Student member meeting and travel assistance: https://newenglandarchivists.org/VonSalis
• Inclusion and diversity session scholarship: https://newenglandarchivists.org/inclusion-diversity-scholarship/

Accessibility and Code of Conduct:

NEA is committed to making the Spring 2023 Meeting welcoming and accessible to all presenters and attendees. Presenters are encouraged to ensure that their presentations meet current accessibility guidelines. Presenters are also required to abide by the NEA Code of Conduct, which can be found here: https://www.newenglandarchivists.org/Code-of-Conduct

If you will need specific accommodations, such as interpretive services, to support your participation in this event, please contact the program chairs (psmhopkins@gmail.com and stephaniekrauss415@gmail.com).

The New England Archivists Nominating Committee is pleased to announce the winners of the 2021-22 election:

Brett Freiburger, Vice-President/President Elect
Michelle Farias, Secretary
Sean Park, Treasurer-Elect/Treasurer
Peter Carini, Representative-at-Large
Abigail Malangone, Representative-at-Large

Congratulations to our incoming Board members! Thanks to the voting membership for participation in this important process, and many thanks to all the candidates who put themselves forward to serve our organization.

New England Archivists Nominating Committee 2021-22:
Linda Hocking (Chair)
Jamie Rice
Monika Lehman
Kris Kobialka

The New England Archivists Inclusion and Diversity Committee is pleased to announce the completion of the Contingent Employment Study and the publication of "Nothing About It Was Better Than a Permanent Job": Report of the New England Archivists Contingent Employment Study Task Force. Read the findings and recommendations in the report here.

This report contains the study’s methodology, results, analysis, and recommendations for how NEA, workers, managers, and administrators can support contingent workers and advocate for sustained change in our field. The results, when taken together with data from NEA’s first Contingent Employment Study in 2016, indicate that contingent employment is still a pervasive force in the archival field that negatively affects the stability and growth of workers, institutions, and the profession. 

Some of the study’s findings include:

• 35% of survey respondents had been employed for more than 5 years over the course of their career. For nearly 17%, it was more than 8 years.
• More than half of respondents had landed a noncontingent job at some point in their career, but 40% still ended up contingently employed afterwards.
• More than half had taken a job outside the archival field because they couldn’t find a job in the field and/or needed the money to make ends meet.
• 37% had considered leaving the field due to contingent employment, including 40% of new professionals.
• Half of surveyed job postings were for contingent jobs, and more than 70% of term jobs lasted for a year or less.
• 25% of survey respondents did not receive any job offers during their most recent job search, and many said that contingent employment was a necessity because they had no other choice.

The Contingent Employment Study Task Force is planning an event to share the results and recommendations with NEA membership in the spring.

Stephanie Bredbenner, Chair, Contingent Employment Study Task Force
Jeanne Lowrey, Chair, Inclusion and Diversity Committee.

The New England Archivists Executive Board would like to thank everyone who responded by volunteering and providing feedback on our difficult decision regarding how to proceed with the Spring 2022 Meeting.

During the information-gathering process, events overtook us. On August 20, the manager of the hotel we had contracted with for the Spring 2022 Meeting venue informed us that they would not be able to meet the terms of our contract. With this cancellation, we are no longer subject to a financial penalty, and the decision to move forward with a virtual meeting has been made easier. Although many respondents indicated that they vastly prefer the experience of meeting in person overall, the majority of responses indicated that the best choice would be to move to a virtual format. The ongoing uncertainties we face due to the fallout from the continuing health crisis leave us confident in our decision not to seek an alternative venue but instead to host a second virtual annual meeting.

We are also pleased to report that we now have enough volunteers to fully form a Spring 2022 Program Committee. Once the committee membership has been approved, more information will follow, including new dates for the meeting and a call for proposals. If you have any questions, please reach out to Emily Atkins, NEA Meeting Coordinator, at meetingcoordinator@newenglandarchivists.org

With gratitude to our engaged and engaging community,

The New England Archivists Executive Board