News & EVENTS

Dear members of NEA:

Thank you for responding to the recent membership survey. We received 176 submissions with thoughtful comments and suggestions.  Our survey incentive, a free year of NEA membership, was awarded to Annalisa Moretti. My congratulations to Annalisa!

I wanted to update you on a few details around the survey results.  

The data from the 2015 was collated and presented to the NEA Executive Board by the Membership Committee on at the quarterly Board meeting held on June 26, 2015. All survey data was discussed and will help shape priorities and strategic goals for NEA.

Data collected from questions regarding the Roundtables has been passed to the Chairs of the respective Roundtables. Data around workshop and education opportunities has been digested by the Education Coordinator and the Education Committee.

Your comments on strategic priorities will be reflected in the forthcoming NEA strategic plan. The strategic plan will begin this year and run until 2020. More details on this plan will be available this winter.

Your welcome feedback on our recent trial with a new meeting structure was also helpful. There was overwhelming support for the longer spring meeting and the Board voted in June to keep this format. Since responses to the fall meeting were mixed, the Board has decided to take more time to realize the full potential of a fall event. NEA will need your help in shaping the fall meeting. If you have questions or comments about the meeting structure, let me or any Board member know.

Other interesting results from the annual membership survey:

•  40% of responders have been members for 1-5 years. 16% have been members for 15 years or more.

• 70% of respondents work in MA, 15% in CT, 4% in RI, 3% in NH, 3% in ME, and 2% in VT (97% of respondents reported location in survey)

• 80% of respondents are employed full-time; 20% said they were looking for a job.

• 52% of respondents work in an academic setting, followed by 15% for non-profit, and 15% for government.

• Most respondents (86%) are satisfied with how NEA communicates with membership; most respondents prefer the listserv and newsletter as means of communication.  

A summary of the survey may be found on the NEA website here. We hope you will take the time to voice your ideas and concerns next year in the 2016 Annual Membership Survey.

Colin B. Lukens

NEA President

Dear NEA,

I was excited to see the letter sent to Facebook by Kathleen Roe, President of SAA. The letter asks Facebook and its Board of Directors to provide users the ability to download their content for archival purposes. Kudos to President Roe and the many who collaborated to bring this forward.

It is great to hear a proactive archival voice on important topics like public access to personal content existing in proprietary or public frameworks.

Jennifer Gunter King

NEA Vice President/ President Elect

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(Sent on behalf of SAA President Kathleen Roe)

Mark Zuckerberg and Members of the Facebook Board of Directors:

The Society of American Archivists (SAA) is North America’s oldest and largest national archival professional organization. Our profession is dedicated to documenting the activities of institutions, communities, and individuals in order to provide authentic and reliable primary sources to researchers. This letter concerns the ability to download archives for pages created on Facebook.

Facebook is an incredibly important platform for documenting the lives and activities of more than a billion people around the world.[i]  We commend you for enabling users to download their “archive” periodically from Facebook. This archive includes a user’s messages, chats, likes, searches, photos, videos, and more.[ii]  It is conveniently packaged as a zip file, which contains commonly understood file formats that can be viewed with a web browser. This data is of great use to archivists because it allows donors to easily collect their Facebook activity when they are donating their materials to an archive. The data presents a unique snapshot of the individual’s activities on Facebook. Visitors using the donated materials in an archive can view this content in the context of other materials. Most importantly it is authoritative because it comes directly from Facebook and the donors themselves.

As you know Facebook users often create pages for their businesses, organizations, places, community groups, and more. Per your guidelines,[iii] Facebook pages are administered by an authorized representative of the entity in question. When an entity such as a business or community group is donating materials to an archive, it would be extremely useful if donors were able to download the contents of their pages so that the contents could be included with the donated materials. Unfortunately this function is not currently supported. In addition, Facebook’s terms of service prevent this content from being collected without Facebook’s permission (see section II.C in Facebook’s Pages Terms).

SAA’s members strongly encourage you to add functionality that allows a page owner to download the contents of his/her page(s). This would allow archival institutions to accept donations of this material so that it can be made part of a collection and be made available to researchers who are examining other materials from the donor.

We believe that Facebook is a platform that offers an unprecedented ability for users to make their voices heard, to organize, and to effect change in their lives. As archivists we are dedicated to selecting, preserving, providing access to, and ensuring responsible custody of primary resource materials related to our diverse communities. We believe that the content in Facebook pages that has been managed by particular organizations, communities, and individuals will prove to be an indispensable part of that record.

Sincerely,

Kathleen D. Roe

President, 2014 – 2015

 

cc:           Trevor Alvord, Chair, SAA Web Archiving Roundtable

                Kate Stratton, Vice Chair, SAA Web Archiving Roundtable

                Bethany Cron, Chair, SAA Records Management Roundtable

                Brad Houston, Immediate Past Chair, SAA Records Management Roundtable

                Robert Spindler, Chair, SAA Congressional Papers Roundtable

                Nancy Beaumont, SAA Executive Director

               

 

[i] http://newsroom.fb.com/company-info/

[ii] https://www.facebook.com/help/405183566203254

[iii] https://www.facebook.com/page_guidelines.php

The Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies (JCAS) is seeking guest reviewers with expertise in historical photographs or visual materials for a special issue on 19th-century photography collections and techniques, to be published in partnership with New England Archivists (NEA). We need peer reviewers who can be available between August 31st and September 15th.

DEADLINES:
August 31: Submissions period ends | peer reviews begin
September 15: Peer review ends | revisions begin
October 15: Revisions end
November 7: Publication and NEA Fall 2015 Meeting

The special issue will be published in conjunction with NEA's Fall 2015 Meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, on November 7, 2015.

For more information, please contact the JCAS Managing Editor, Mike Lotstein, at email.jcas@gmail.com. 

Call for Proposals NEA Spring 2016 Meeting
Portland, ME, March 31- April 2, 2016
By the Bay Hotel & Convention Center

New England Archivists invites submissions of session proposals for the Spring Meeting to be held March 31-April 2, 2016, in Portland, Maine.

Deadline for proposals the end of today: August 3, 2015.

This year’s conference theme is Uncharted Waters, where we aim to capture the innovative, unconventional, and adventurous approaches being taken throughout New England’s archives community. Want to discuss the results of a pilot study or program? Have you road-tested an assessment or practice that breaks with tradition in some way? Has your institution collaborated with “non-scholarly” users for a novel or even a disruptive (i.e., innovative) project? We’d love to hear from you. We’re also interested in session proposals from first-time presenters and those new to the archives profession.

The Spring 2016 Program Committee invites proposals on all topics but is especially interested in the following:

     -- projects or processes that break with institutional traditions

     -- trained archivists working in “non-archivist” roles

     -- Maine history and culture (local or state-wide)

     -- cross-disciplinary projects

     -- projects or initiatives with direct, collaborative involvement from archives users

     -- digital humanities

     -- digital curation and digital forensics

Potential Session Types:

PechaKucha

Each presentation consists of 20 slides or images displayed for 20 seconds each, with comment. Each presentation 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 following a set format. May or may not include slides or images. Presentations may be from 3 to 10 minutes long. Number of presenters possible depends on the time allotted for each.

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.

Poster Session

Posters about a project or process tied to the theme of the meeting where the presenter wants to share information or encourage discussion of an idea. Presentation and discussion can span from 10 to 30 minutes. Posters displayed at designated times during the meeting.

Debate

Moderator announces the topic, and two other people debate.

Standard Presentations

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

Mini-Workshops

Two or three facilitators offer a session-length, hands-on workshop that gives archivists an opportunity to learn a specific skill. (Presenters must work with the PC to coordinate any equipment needs beyond standard AV of projectors and screens).

In order to facilitate collaboration, the Spring 2016 Program Committee has created a space for NEA members to develop session proposals together at the NEA Spring 2016 group forum. 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 on July 17, 2015.

To submit a proposal, complete the form here.  

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

If your proposal is selected, you will be contacted by a member of the Program Committee. Upon acceptance, all presenters are required to register for the conference at the early-bird rate and fund their travel expenses. Meeting and travel scholarships are available through NEA for those in need, please see newenglandarchivists.org/awards/scholarship for details on how to apply.

Questions? Please contact program chair, Megan Schwenke at megan_schwenke@harvard.edu.

Early Bird Registration for the Career Development Strategies for Early Career Professionals Workshop closes August 9.

Join instructors Annalisa Moretti and Silvia Mejia on Saturday, September 12th at Simmons College in Boston as they aim to help new archivists and students navigate the job market, improve prospects, and provide support during what can be a stressful and confusing experience. Whether you are just starting out, are trying to climb the ladder, or are transitioning career tracks, this workshop will try to give you tools to make these processes a little easier. Some of the topics covered include post-graduate career planning, tailoring your education, internships, and entry-level or part-time positions to further your goals, networking and finding mentors, and affordable methods of professional development. For more information and to register, visit us online at newenglandarchivists.org/education.

Caring for Historical Records
Instructor: Anne Ostendarp, Consulting and Project Archivist

This workshop is for those responsible for the care of historical records or those interested in developing a historical records collection. It is especially useful for staff and volunteers working in libraries, museums, historicalsocieties,  or municipal governments who have responsibility for archival materials but no formal training in archival practice. Through a combination of lecture, group discussion, and exercises, participants will get an overview of the fundamentals of archival organization, including the basic principles and practices of identification, acquisition, preservation, arrangement and description of historical records. The topics of access, reference and outreach will also be explored. This workshop will help participants develop policies, forms, and procedures to manage archival collections.

When: Monday, August 24th from 9AM-4PM.
Where: Historic Northampton, 46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA
Directions and parking: http://www.historicnorthampton.org/visit.html
Lunch on your own. Historic Northampton is closed to the public on Mondays; information will be sent to attendees prior to the workshop for accessing the workshop location.

The New England Archivists has partnered with Historic Northampton to provide free or deeply discounted attendee rates for this workshop. In supporting this workshop, NEA continues to expand its advocacy of institutions that preserve and forward our region’s history. HistoricNorthampton has a unique voice and NEA is happy to help amplify it.  Colin B. Lukens, President of NEA, summarizes by saying, “We are pleased to collaborate with Historic Northampton in offering this workshop.  HistoricNorthampton is an institution that celebrates the power of history and provides an invaluable service to its community, and presenting this workshop represents a distinct opportunity for NEA to develop a partnership with New England institutions devoted to public history."

NEA thanks University Products, Inc. for its support of this workshop.

OPEN CALL FOR NEW MEMBERS

NEA’s Communications Committee is looking for two reliable and motivated people willing to learn and to challenge themselves marketing NEA’s news, events, and activities.

We have two open positions that begin September 1st:

ANNOUNCEMENT COORDINATOR

    Oversees announcements and press releases sent to listservs.
    Maintains the CommComm contact list.
    Maintains and works with the nea_announce@newenglandarchivists.org email account.

This position will work with the Chair and the Copy Editor to send announcements to the NEA membership and to other archivists and information professionals in New England region. We generally send out one to two announcements per week, but it can get busy around the Spring and Fall Meetings. We are looking for someone who is good with editing text to be professionally interesting and eye-catching as well as for someone who is able to send out announcements on a quick turn-around to a variety of listservs.

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

    Maintains NEA’s social media accounts at Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Vimeo.
    Maintains and works with the nea_socialmedia@newenglandarchivists.org email account.
    Creates new social media accounts for NEA if there is a need.
    Posts announcements and items of regional interest regularly on Twitter and Facebook.
    Coordinates and promotes social media during NEA Meetings:
         -- names the meeting hashtag
         -- posts announcements and news coming from the Meeting Committee
         -- coordinates with the Meeting Committee about creating local food/entertainment boards and maps on Pinterest (example here)
         -- organizes an introduction to meeting attendees about how to use Twitter
         -- actively tweets and posts to Facebook during meetings
         -- coordinates with Meeting Committee to obtain any video recordings for Vimeo

This position will work with the Chair, Announcement Coordinator, and Web New/Events Coordinator to push out all announcements to Facebook and Twitter (and other social media accounts when appropriate). There is a lot of opportunity to integrate and expand NEA’s presence outside of our website -- we need an innovative and creative person for this position!

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Both positions have a lot of autonomy, so we are looking for people who can be relied upon to work on their own schedule. If you would like to apply, send a letter of interest stating which position you would like to apply for and why you would be a good fit.

Joining an NEA committee is a great way to network and get involved in the archives community. Working with CommComm, you will really be making a difference for NEA. 

Send questions and letters of interest to Jessica Tanny, chair of the Communications Committee at jtanny@gmail.com. We will consider all applications until Friday August 28th. (Please note: both positions begin September 1st, but will overlap with the current position-holder for one month.)

REMINDER: Submissions are due August 31st

The New England Archivists (NEA) is working in collaboration with the Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies (JCAS) to publish original articles on the topic of 19th-century photography collections and techniques. The JCAS will select submissions for a special issue to be published online in conjunction with the NEA Fall 2015 Meeting focusing on 19th-century photography to be held in Providence, Rhode Island, on November 7, 2015.

Authors should submit original works of recent research on:
     -- the history of 19th-century photography collections
     -- management and descriptive projects involving these materials
     -- the use of 19th-century photo collections by researchers, artists,
         and staff in interesting projects and performances.

Original works by students, archivists, librarians, researchers, and artists will be accepted and reviewed according to the parameters set by the JCAS. See the JCAS website for criteria guidelines and information on the submission process (elischolar.library.yale.edu/jcas/). For more information on the Fall 2015 NEA Meeting, visit the NEA website (newenglandarchivists.org/Fall-2015).

UPDATED DEADLINES:
August 1: Submission period begins
August 31: Submissions period ends | peer reviews begin
September 15: Peer review ends | revisions begin
October 15: Revisions end
November 7: Publication and NEA Fall 2015 Meeting

For more information, please contact JCAS Managing Editor, Mike Lotstein at email.jcas@gmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you.

If you work in an archive, library, historical society, or museum, the New England Archivists (NEA) wants to hear from you. The New England Archivists Constituencies Task Force (CTF) seeks to identify the various constituent groups among the membership and among all relevant groups in the region to investigate their needs for professional development and the exchange of ideas.

To further these goals the CTF has created a short online survey, beginning today (July 15) and ending on July 31. Data collected from the survey will be used to develop an effective communication strategy to best inform you about NEA meetings and professional development opportunities. The findings of the CTF will also be used to develop and expand potential partnerships with relevant constituency groups.

At the end of the 10 minute survey, enter to win our prize: a free year of membership in NEA.

If you have any questions, contact CTF co-chair, Tom Doyle at tdoyle@minlib.net.

Early Bird Registration is now open for the Career Development Strategies for Early Career Professionals Workshop.

Join instructors Annalisa Moretti and Silvia Mejia on Saturday, September 12th at Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts, as they aim to help new archivists and students navigate the job market, improve prospects, and provide support during what can be a stressful and confusing experience. Whether you are just starting out, are trying to climb the ladder, or are transitioning career tracks, this workshop will try to give you tools to make these processes a little easier. Some of the topics covered include post-graduate career planning, tailoring your education, internships, and entry-level or part-time positions to further your goals, networking and finding mentors, and affordable methods of professional development. For more information and to register, visit us online at newenglandarchivists.org/education.