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Spring 2016 Annual Meeting
March 31-April 2, 2016
Inn by the Bay, Portland Maine
#NEAsp16
meeting details
Schedule-At-A-Glance
Thursday | Friday | Saturday
Program Committee | Plenary Speakers | Special Events | Workshops | Concurrent Sessions
Full program [.pdf]
Schedule-at-a glance
Thursday, March 31, 2016
| 7:30am - 10:00am | Registration |
| 9:00am - 4:30pm | Day of Service, Maine Historical Society |
| 9:00am - 5:00pm |
WorkshopsArchivists & Active Learning: Fostering Student Engagement and Learning Opportunities in Archives (Oxford) |
| 12:00pm - 1:00pm | Lunch on your own |
| 1:00pm - 5:00pm | NEA Board Meeting (Connecticut/Rhode Island) |
| 2:30pm - 3:30pm | Afternoon Break |
Friday, April 1, 2016
| 7:30am - 4:00pm | Registration |
| 8:00am - 4:00pm | Vendor Showcase |
| 8:00am - 9:00am | New Member Breakfast (New Hampshire/Vermont) Sponsored in part by ArchivesSpace. |
| 9:00am - 4:00pm | Respite Room (Cumberland) |
| 9:00am - 10:00am | Friday Plenary: Caleb Neelon (New Hampshire/Vermont) |
| 10:00am - 10:30am | Morning Coffee Break with Vendors |
| 10:30am - 12:00pm |
Friday Concurrent Sessions, Morning Block1.1 Art, Archives, and a Sea of Meanings (Oxford/Somerset) |
| 12:00pm - 1:30pm | Lunch on your own |
| 1:30pm - 3:00pm |
Friday Concurrent Sessions, Afternoon Block1.5 Copyright and Archives (Massachusetts) |
| 3:00pm - 3:30pm | Afternoon Coffee Break with Vendors Special Remarks and Afternoon Coffee Break with Vendors. Remarks by incoming NEA President Jennifer Gunter King. Sponsored by Atlas Systems. |
| 3:30pm - 4:30pm |
Friday Archives Carnival
Roundtables (New Hampshire/Vermont) |
| 3:30pm - 4:30pm |
Friday Concurrent Sessions, Carnival Block
1.9 A Little on a Lot: Lightning Talks on an Assortment of Archival Topics (Connecticut)Lightning Talk 1: Partnerships between Open Access Librarians and Archivists1.10 JCAS: An Open Forum Discussion of a Collaborative Publishing Project (Rhode Island) |
| 4:30 - 5:30pm | Archives StorySlam! Moths in the Archives: Stories from the Stacks (New Hampshire/Vermont) |
| 5:30pm - 7:00pm | Portland Happy Hour Reception (New Hampshire/Vermont) |
Saturday, April 2, 2016
| 7:30am - 12:00pm | Registration |
| 8:00am - 4:00pm | Vendor Showcase |
| 8:00am - 9:00am | Morning Arrival Coffee Break with Vendors |
| 9:00am - 4:00pm | Respite Room (Cumberland) |
| 9:00am - 10:00am | Saturday Plenary: Wes Cowan (New Hampshire/Vermont) |
| 10:00am - 10:30am | Morning Coffee Break with Vendors |
| 10:30am - 12:00pm |
Saturday Concurrent Sessions, Morning Block
2.1 Exploring the Unexplained: Mysteries, Monsters, and Archives (Massachusetts) |
| 12:00pm - 1:30pm | Lunch and NEA Business Meeting (New Hampshire/Vermont) Lunch sponsored in part by the University of Massachusetts Boston. |
| 1:30pm - 3:00pm |
Saturday Concurrent Sessions, Afternoon Block
2.5 Just One, I'm a Few: Lone Arranging When You Wish You Could Clone Yourself (Connecticut) |
| 3:00pm - 3:45pm | NEA Awards Ceremony and Special Spring 2015 Break (New Hampshire/Vermont) |
| 3:45pm - 4:45pm |
Saturday Archives CarnivalHome Movie Day Screening and Discussion (Massachusetts) |
| 3:45pm - 4:45pm |
Saturday Concurrent Sessions, Carnival Block2.8 Transcription and Historical Documents as Means to Teach Primary Source Literacy (Connecticut) |
Plenary speakers
Caleb Neelon
Friday, April 1st, 9:00am-10:00amIn February 1990, thirteen-year-old Caleb Neelon visited family friends in a small town in Germany with his mother and took a side trip to Berlin. For Neelon, the sight of the newly opened Berlin Wall, covered in graffiti and murals, was a revelation. By the mid-1990s, Neelon was immersed in the global graffiti scene under the name SONIK. He traveled constantly and developed a style of mixed-media painting that was vivid, homespun, and raw. He freely crossed boundaries between graffiti, murals, and what would soon be referred to as street art. At the same time, he wrote in-depth articles for graffiti fanzines, publications which would evolve into art and popular culture magazines, trade books, and feature films.
Caleb Neelon’s bright, folksy works, frequently incorporating nautical and quilting motifs, can be seen in galleries and museums around the world. In addition to visiting-artist talks and programs, Neelon’s work spans cultural diplomacy projects through the U.S. State Department, curatorial advisory work at museums, projects bringing artwork to hospitals, and public artwork projects in more than thirty countries around the globe. Neelon has written more than a dozen books, among them The History of American Graffiti, co-authored with Roger Gastman, and the retrospective Ed Emberley, with Todd Oldham. Neelon lives and works in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Wes Cowan
Saturday, April 2, 9:00am-10:00amWes Cowan is founder and owner of Cowan's Auctions, Inc., in Cincinnati, Ohio. An internationally recognized expert in historic Americana, Cowan stars in the PBS television series “History Detectives” and is a featured appraiser on “Antiques Roadshow.” He writes an antiques column for the Cincinnati Enquirer and speaks at antiques events around the country. Licensed as an auctioneer in Ohio, Cowan holds a B.A. and M.A. in anthropology from the University of Kentucky and a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Michigan.
A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Cowan grew up in a household filled with Victorian antiques, with a mother who liked all things "old." Torn between the antiques business and American archaeology, Cowan first pursued a career in academia. After receiving his doctorate, he taught in the Anthropology department of Ohio State University. In 1984 he was appointed curator of archaeology at the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History. He has published widely in the fields of American archaeology and paleoethnobotany and is co-editor of The Origins of Agriculture in International Perspective and Societies in Eclipse: Eastern North America at the Dawn of European Colonization.
Cowan left academia and the museum world in 1995 to return to his childhood love, antiques. Since then, Cowan's Auctions has grown from a one-man shop to a nationally recognized business with annual sales approaching $20 million.
Special Events
Day of Service: NEA Community Volunteer Project at the Maine Historical Society
Thursday, March 31, 2016 | 9:30am-4:30pmNEA colleagues come together at the Maine Historical Society (MHS) this Thursday to help improve the preservation of the bound manuscripts and rare books in their collections, including diaries, journals, ledgers, and early Maine imprints. Volunteers will work on-site at MHS to create phase boxes out of recycled materials to house 18th– to 20th–century bound volumes of varying sizes. This work will help supplement ongoing preservation work, stemming from an IMLS conservation grant awarded in 2006.
The Day of Service is part of NEA’s annual volunteer outreach initiative, which began at the Spring 2013 Meeting with the StoryCorps project “Why Worcester?” and continued with projects at the Portsmouth Public Library in 2014 and the Boston Public Library in 2015. By continuing this annual event, archivists are able to come to together to help their colleagues improve access to important archival collections across the region.
New Member Breakfast
Friday, April 1, 2016 | 8:00am-9:00amAll meeting attendees are welcome to join us for continental breakfast and coffee to kick off the meeting in Portland. Sponsored in part by ArchivesSpace.
Respite Room
Friday, April 1, 2016 | 9:00am-4:00pmSaturday, April 2, 2016 | 9:00am-4:00pm
We asked and you responded with a resounding “Yes, please!” The Inclusion & Diversity Coordinator will be sponsoring a quiet room for weary conference attendees to retreat and recharge. Come join us throughout the day for a talk-free space featuring soothing white noise, tasty snacks, and coloring books.
Friday Archives Carnival
Friday, April 1, 2016 | 3:30pm-4:30pmCome one, come all! Friday’s Archives Carnival programming includes Roundtable Meetings, Lightning Talks, an Open Forum, plus a wide variety of drop-in discussions, activities, and opportunities for attendees.
Roundtables
Academic Archivists Roundtable
Join the Academic Archivists to discuss the upcoming NEA election and shape the future of the roundtable. Members interested in leadership roles—including new members—are encouraged to attend.Digital Archives Roundtable
Come to contribute to the Digital Archives Roundtable’s ReBoot. Discussion will center upon roundtable goals, future activities, and officers. Outcomes from the meeting will include a formal call for volunteers and nominations for officers for 2016.LGBTQ Issues Roundtable
All are welcome to join our annual LGBTQ Issues Roundtable meeting. We know it’s a busy day for everyone, but please stop by if you have the chance, to ask questions, to offer suggestions, or just to say hello. It will be an informal gathering where we’ll take the opportunity to discuss our ideas and goals for the next year.Local History Roundtable
Come join the Local History Roundtable as we talk about ideas and issues facing many different organizations. Anyone with an interest in this area of practice is encouraged to stop by and take part in the conversation.Moving Image and Recorded Sound Roundtable
NEA’s Moving Image & Recorded Sound (MIRS) Roundtable was established in 2013 to create a forum for individuals and organizations working with film, video, and recorded sound collections. Please join us to connect with fellow NEA members with an interest in A/V, hear about exciting upcoming MIRS-centric events, and learn how you can get involved in the MIRS communityRecords Management Roundtable
The Records Management Roundtable (RMRT) will meet to discuss its soon-to-be-launched website. Stop by to share your favorite resource and learn how you can get involved with RM colleagues.Roundtable for Early Professionals and Students
The Roundtable for Early Professionals and Students (REPS) will host its annual meeting. Steering Committee members will report on 2015 activities; the chairs will discuss changes to the REPS Bylaws and announce new Roundtable leadership; and the new leadership will discuss ideas and plans for 2016.
Preservica User Group Meeting
Preservica is the digital preservation and access software technology, consulting, and research company. Are you a Preservica user or thinking about becoming one? Please come to the inaugural meeting of the New England Preservica User Group. We will be discussing user needs, concerns, and how we will report our findings back to Preservica.Resume and Cover Letter Review Session
Are you currently on the job market? Just starting out in your career? NEA is pleased to offer its resume and cover letter review service at the Spring 2016 Meeting. Experienced archivists will give tips and feedback to members looking to present an effective job application. This service is sponsored by the NEA Membership Committee.Brainstorming Discussion on the Challenges of Work-Life Balance
Responding to NEA members’ requests for programming on work-life balance issues, the Inclusion and Diversity Coordinator, in partnership with the Education Committee, would like to hear how work-life balance issues are affecting you professionally and personally—and what NEA can do to support you. Join us for a brainstorming session with some of these questions in mind: what does work-life balance look like to you? What might ease your concerns about growing in your career and growing your family? How can NEA, as a professional organization, help members attempting to balance caregiving and profession? What would meaningful support look like? Educational opportunities, roundtable discussions, or something else entirely?
Whether you are a caretaker of children, parents, pets, or a combination of all three; attempting to handle personal crises with some grace in the workplace; or planning for a family and unsure of what that means for your career, we want to hear your concerns and how NEA can support you in the field.
Regional Archival Associations Consortium (RAAC) Info Table
Did you know that NEA is part of a consortium of regional archival associations working on shared issues such as advocacy, disaster planning, and grant development? Stop by to chat with RAAC representatives Rachel Chatalbash and Jessica Sedgwick to find out more.
Archives StorySlam! Moths in the Archives: Stories from the Stacks
Friday, April 1, 2016 | 4:30pm-5:30pmFunny things can happen when working in an archives...or weird, wonderful, wise, or unforgettable things. Join some storytelling archivists as they tell their stories during NEA's first StorySLAM! Moths in the Archives: Stories from the Stacks. Based on the StorySLAM competitions developed by NYC nonprofit literary society The Moth, NEA's competition at the Spring 2016 meeting has only four ground rules:
- First rule is all stories must be true
- Second rule is all stories must be told, not read
- Third rule is there is a 5-minute time limit
- And fourth rule is to keep it anonymous-don't betray confidentiality restrictions
NEA's Stories from the Stacks is a contest of words held in a supportive space featuring the undiscovered talents of our archivist colleagues. Audience members will vote for their favorite story and a prize will be awarded to the winner. Join us Friday evening to hear some incredible stories. All are welcome.
Portland Happy Hour Reception
Friday, April 1, 2016 | 5:30pm-7:00pmGather with fellow attendees for passed appetizers provided in part by proceeds from the Spring 2015 Meeting in Boston. There will also be a cash bar featuring local Maine beers.
NEA Awards Ceremony and Special Spring 2015 Break
Saturday, April 2, 2016 | 3:00pm-3:45pmPresident Colin Lukens and the NEA Executive Board will recognize the recipients of the 2016 NEA awards during this special ceremony. Please join us to honor your colleagues and enjoy Maine-themed sweet treats provided by proceeds from the Spring 2015 Meeting. Awards to be presented include:
- Archival Advocacy Award
- A/V Professional Development Award
- Distinguished Service Award
- Richard W. Hale, Jr., Professional Development Award
- Richard L. Haas Records Management Award
- Inclusion and Diversity Session and Travel Award
- NEA Member Meeting and Travel Scholarship
- Susan J. von Salis Student Meeting and Travel Scholarship
Saturday Archives Carnival
Saturday, April 2, 2016 | 3:45pm-4:45pmCome one, come all! Saturday’s Archives Carnival programming includes a Home Movie Day event, a Mini-Workshop, an Open Forum, plus a wide variety of drop-in discussions, activities, and opportunities for attendees.
Home Movie Day Screening and Discussion
Home Movie Day is an annual event held at local venues worldwide celebrating amateur film and home movies. Join Liz Coffey, Film Conservator at Harvard Film Archive, for a curated screening and discussion featuring family films and amateur films submitted by NEA members and local New England repositories.
Resume and Cover Letter Review Session
Are you currently on the job market? Just starting out in your career? NEA is pleased to offer its resume and cover letter review service at the Spring 2016 Meeting. Experienced archivists will give tips and feedback to members looking to present an effective job application. This service is sponsored by the NEA Membership Committee.Brainstorming Discussion on the Challenges of Work-Life Balance
Responding to NEA members’ requests for programming on work-life balance issues, the Inclusion and Diversity Coordinator, in partnership with the Education Committee, would like to hear how work-life balance issues are affecting you professionally and personally—and what NEA can do to support you. Join us for a brainstorming session with some of these questions in mind: what does work-life balance look like to you? What might ease your concerns about growing in your career and growing your family? How can NEA, as a professional organization, help members attempting to balance caregiving and profession? What would meaningful support look like? Educational opportunities, roundtable discussions, or something else entirely?
Whether you are a caretaker of children, parents, pets, or a combination of all three; attempting to handle personal crises with some grace in the workplace; or planning for a family and unsure of what that means for your career, we want to hear your concerns and how NEA can support you in the field.
Regional Archival Associations Consortium (RAAC) Info Table
Did you know that NEA is part of a consortium of regional archival associations working on shared issues such as advocacy, disaster planning, and grant development? Stop by to chat with RAAC representatives Rachel Chatalbash and Jessica Sedgwick to find out more.
Workshops
Archivists & Active Learning: Fostering Student Engagement and Learning Opportunities in Archives
Thursday, March 31, 2016Archives and archivists can play a vital role in education across grade levels—from primary school to graduate programs. But simply placing students in a reading room with primary sources or showcasing “cool stuff” to a class does not necessarily facilitate student learning. Pedagogical design does. This full-day workshop will help you maximize your interactions with students, adapt your information literacy approaches, and develop mutually beneficial, collaborative relationships between archives and educational institutions. What skills and concepts do educators hope to cultivate in their students and how can working with archival materials help further pedagogical goals? How can archivists assess the effectiveness of these interactions? How do you develop relationships with educators and administrators that encourage deeper engagement with archival materials?
We will discuss emerging and innovative ideas and practices related to engaging students with archival materials, both in and outside of class assignments and how these archival activities should align with curriculum frameworks. Models of innovative projects will be presented as well as practical tips on building cross discipline collaborations between archivists, educators, artists and humanists. Participants in this workshop will have time to design an adaptable lesson plan based on a collection in their archive and should leave the workshop feeling confident in implementing this plan.
Morning Session Instructors:
Marilyn Morgan, University of Massachusetts, Boston
Marta Crilly, Boston City Archives
Afternoon Session Instructors:
James Moran, American Antiquarian Society
Suzy Taraba, Wesleyan University
Oral History: Approaches, Technology, Preservation
Thursday, March 31, 2016For over 30 years the Vermont Folklife Center has conducted ethnographic and oral history research in Vermont. At the heart of our work resides the oral interview—-a process rooted in empathy, respect and engaged, passionate listening.
The morning and early afternoon will focus on the fundamentals of an ethnographic approach to oral history work, including theory, methods and ethics. The workshop begins with a demonstration interview and group discussion of the ethnographic interview process. Following our discussion, attendees will next break into groups and conduct interviews with one another using provided digital audio recording equipment. The first part of the workshop will conclude with reflection on interviewing and a discussion of project ideas.
For the remainder of the day will explore the theory, technology and methods of digital audio recording for interviews, including the fundamentals of digital audio, microphones for field recording, and options for audio recorders. We will conclude the day with an overview and discussion of fundamentals of digital preservation for oral history researchers.
Instructor:
Andy Kolovos, Co-Director and Archivist at the Vermont Folklife Center
[DAS] Arrangement and Description of Electronic Records, Part I #1633
Thursday, March 31, 2016This one–day course introduces you to processing strategies that are applicable to born-digital records, with an emphasis on basic concepts that archivists use to establish descriptive control over digital content. You’ll learn about standards and tools that can be used to implement an integrated processing strategy. You’ll also participate in a set of instructor–led exercises that arrange and describe some electronic records in ways that maintain the integrity and authenticity of the digital records. This course builds on others in the Digital Archives Specialist (DAS) curriculum including Basic Electronic Records.
For more information, please visit http://saa.archivists.org/events/arrangement-and-description-of-electronic-records-part-i-1633/636/
Concurrent Sessions
Friday Concurrent Sessions, Morning Block
Friday, April 1, 2016 | 10:30am-12:00pm1.1 Art, Archives, and a Sea of Meanings
In 2015, John Campopiano and Lily Troia were awarded the Richard W. Hale Jr., Professional Development Award to support research into the burgeoning trend among artists across media — photographers, musicians, filmmakers — of garnering inspiration from archives and incorporating archival materials into their works. This session will offer conference attendees a nontraditional space to explore the researchers’ work in a hands-on environment, presenting artists’ works in a multimedia, gallery-like setting, with stations featuring the work, artist background, and data about the related archival materials. Rather than present in a standard panel format, the presenters will speak in shorter intervals at scheduled points throughout the session, and provide space for project participants to share their experiences .
John Campopiano, WGBH-TV Frontline Digital Records Manager, WGBH
Lily Troia, Dean's Fellow for Digital Media Outreach, Simmons College
1.2 The Massachusetts Municipal Clerks Archival Education Project
Across the United States municipal clerks are usually appointed or elected. Although responsible for records, from the older, paper-based to the electronic records of today, most have little or no knowledge of records management or archival principles. The Archives faculty at the School of Library and Information Science, Simmons College, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the Massachusetts Archives, and the Massachusetts Town and City Clerks Associations applied for and were awarded an NHPRC grant to develop and offer an archives and records administration curriculum for training municipal clerks as a way to ensure the long-term preservation of and access to these historical records. This program is using Massachusetts as a test case for a curriculum that will be available nationally at the end of the grant. The speakers will describe the program from the points of view of the state archives, the grant administration, and curriculum development, and will include a municipal clerk who deals directly with these issues.
Gregor Trinkaus-Randall, Preservation Specialist, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
J. Michael Comeau, Executive Director, Massachusetts Archives
Kaari Mai Tari, Town Clerk, Westford, MA
1.3 Strange New Worlds: Exploring Careers Outside of Archives
This roundtable session will provide a forum for archivists to discuss working in positions outside of archives. Topics will include how skills learned in the archives field can apply to non-archives positions and vice versa; transitioning between archives and non-archives jobs; and the challenge of returning to the archives field after working outside of it. Students and early professionals looking for their first jobs, as well as established professionals whose careers have followed less traditional paths, are encouraged to attend.
Annalisa Moretti, Archives Processing Assistant, John J. Burns Library, Boston College
Michelle Chiles, Robinson Research Center Coordinator, Rhode Island Historical Society
Chris Markman, Academic Technology Specialist, Clark University
Julie Swierczek, Digital Asset Manager and Archivist, Harvard Art Museums
Allyson Glazier, Adjunct Faculty Reference and Instruction Librarian, University of New Hampshire
1.4 From Repository to Resource Center: Transforming Physical and Intellectual Access to Collections at the Newport Historical Society
The Newport Historical Society (NHS) has undertaken an extensive renovation project as part of a broader initiative to improve access to its collections in ways that meet the needs of a growing user base. Ruth Taylor will introduce the presentation by explaining how the project marks a significant and tangible shift towards emphasizing the Society’s role as a dynamic educational resource center for the public. Bridget Sullivan, who was closely involved in planning and overseeing the day-to-day work of the construction, will explore how the building renovation was conceived to create a physical space that encourages use and facilitates research. Finally, Molly Bruce Patterson will discuss how the physical renovation goes hand in hand with improvements in intellectual access to collections.
Molly Bruce Patterson, Archivist & Manager of Digital Initiatives, Newport Historical Society
Bridget Sullivan, Registrar, Newport Historical Society
Ruth Taylor, Executive Director, Newport Historical Society
Friday Concurrent Sessions, Afternoon Block
Friday, April 1, 2016 | 1:30pm-3:00pm1.5 Copyright and Archives
Kyle Courtney and Emily Kilcer reprise their popular Spring 2015 talk, updated with the latest case studies and copyright news. Technology has vastly outpaced copyright law, and archivists, eager to use the newest equipment to make high-quality digital copies for distribution to their patrons, may hesitate because they are unsure about the legal implications of their actions. This interactive session will examine the state of the law, especially copyright, with regard to archives. Looking at ways to reconcile our reliance on past laws with attempts to reframe our thinking in light of more recent laws, this session will provide the context for participants to take a fresh look at policy and technology.
Kyle K. Courtney, Program Manager and Copyright Advisor, Office for Scholarly Communication, Harvard University
Emily Kilcer, Project Coordinator, Office for Scholarly Communication, Harvard University
1.6 To Hades and Back: One Archives' Journey to Digitization
Archivists will discuss the Maine State Archives’ digital archives project and its conversion to OnBase and ArchivesSpace. Presenters will recount their challenging journey on the road to a fully realized online digital database, from building keyword lists and search criteria to decisions such as how to set scanning priorities and how to digitize items seemingly not in scan-worthy condition.
Betsy Spekke, Archivist III, Maine State Archives
Samuel Howes, Archivist II, Maine State Archives
1.7 Entering the Unchartered Waters of Old Loans, Abandoned Property, and Deaccessioning
In recent years, three New England states (Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island) have passed legislation permitting cultural institutions to clear title to old loans and abandoned property in their possession. Now that these laws are on the books, how are institutions applying them? Why is deaccessioning an important collections management tool? What policies should you have in place to ensure future archivists will not be cleaning up similar problems in the future? Presenters will share case studies and sample policies and encourage audience participation.
VivianLea Solek, Archivist, Knights of Columbus, New Haven, CT
Margaret B. Smith, Archivist, The Episcopal Church in Connecticut
Peter Carini, College Archivist, Dartmouth College
Rachel Onuf, Roving Archivist, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
1.8 What's DAT? Identifying and Prioritizing Magnetic Media
**PLEASE NOTE: this session is limited to 40 participants**
Identifying the materials in archival collections and understanding how to prioritize their preservation is an integral part of collections care and management. Audiovisual materials can present particularly challenging issues, and many archivists feel we do not have the knowledge or skills required to appropriately care for these materials. This session will address that skills gap by introducing the different types of magnetic media most frequently found in our collections and the associated preservation risks. This mini-workshop will open with a primer on magnetic media format identification, followed by an introduction to prioritization schemes based on both technical issues and content value. The second half of the session will be devoted to a hands-on small-group exercise, to teach participants simple techniques for identifying magnetic media, familiarize them with the decisions involved in prioritizing these materials for digitization, and foster discussion of the real-life challenges of caring for magnetic media.
Elizabeth Walters, Preservation Librarian for Audiovisual Materials, Harvard University
Jessica Bitely, Director of Preservation Services, Northeast Document Conservation Center
Rebecca Chandler, Consultant, AV Preserve
Friday Concurrent Sessions, Carnival Block
Friday, April 1, 2016 | 3:30pm-4:30pm1.9 A Little on a Lot: Lightning Talks on an Assortment of Archival Topics
Lightning Talk 1: Partnerships between Open Access Librarians and Archivists
Speaker:
Open access librarians and academic archivists can work together to advance each other’s goals in outreach, access, and preservation. This lightning talk will outline the intersections between the two disciplines and explore ways these librarians and archivists can join forces.Colin B. Lukens, Repository Manager, Harvard Library Office for Scholarly Communication, Harvard University
Lightning Talk 2: Maine's History: Highlights from the Maine State Archives
Speakers:
Colonial charters, trademarks, slavery petitions, Civil War correspondence, Department of Economic Development photographs, and more: the Maine State Archives' holdings offer a view of Maine’s rich history. Archives staff will present a history of the state drawing on a fascinating variety of government records.Betsy Spekke, Archivist III, Maine State Archives
Helen Tutwiler, Archivist I, Maine State Archives
Samuel Howes, Archivist II, Maine State Archives
Lightning Talk 3: Teach with us! Using the CRT for Class Request Management and Reporting in the Archives
Speaker:
Over the past few years, Harvard’s Houghton Library has seen its number of class sessions increase by two and a half, and staff have sought to accommodate that growth. With the help of an Arcadia Foundation Library Innovation grant, they designed and produced a Class Request Tool (CRT) to streamline, consolidate, and automate administration and assessment of teaching programs in archives and special collections. This lightning talk will feature a demonstration of the use of the CRT, an open-source tool that has helped the library's staff refoucs its efforts and energies on the mission of teaching and engaging the students with primary sources.Emilie Hardman, Research, Instruction, and Digital Initiatives Librarian, Houghton Library, Harvard University
Lightning Talk 4: History of Medicine Collection from the National Library of Medicine
Speaker:
This lightning presentation highlights the History of Medicine Collection from the National Library of Medicine, a free, specialized history and archival resource. Its tools can help archivists working with medical information in collections or provide valuable information to patrons from researchers to students. Attendees will also learn about resources and funding opportunities from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine New England Region.Martha Meacham, Head of Knowledge and Information Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Manchester, NH and Bedford, MA
1.10 JCAS: An Open Forum Discussion of a Collaborative Publishing Project
The editors of the Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies (JCAS), an online journal dedicated to publishing original works in the fields of archival science, library science, and public history, will discuss the origins of the project and its implementation. This includes a behind-the-scenes tour of how the journal operates on the Yale University repository for scholarly publishing, EliScholar, as well as an interactive forum of editors, JCAS authors, and participants interested in submitting their work for publication. Stop by to find out more about our submission policies or about volunteering as a peer reviewer.
Michael Lotstein, Yale University Library (JCAS Managing Editor)
William Ross, Head, University of New Hampshire Library (JCAS Editor)
Matthew Gorham, Yale University Library (JCAS Editor)
Katherine Wisser, School of Library and Information Science, Simmons College (JCAS Author)
Saturday Concurrent Sessions, Morning Block
Saturday, April 2, 2016 | 10:30am-12:00pm2.1 Exploring the Unexplained: Mysteries, Monsters, and Archives
“The Interrupted Archivist: My Professional Journey with Alien Abduction, a Stained Blue Dress, and the Betty and Barney Hill Collection”
Speaker:
In September of 1961, Betty and Barney Hill of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, were driving through the White Mountains when they were allegedly abducted by an alien spaceship. Through dreams and hypnosis, the Hills later remembered and relived the event. Their story became public in 1965, after a newspaper reporter got hold of an audio tape and transcriptions from the Hills’ sessions, and was the first widely publicized report of an alien abduction. The basis of the bestselling 1966 book The Interrupted Journey, the Hills’ case generated a new standard for the portrayal of extraterrestrials in contemporary popular culture. Since November 2006, the Milne Special Collections at UNH has housed the Hills’ papers. Special Collections Librarian Bill Ross will discuss his experiences working with a broad range of interested researchers, maintaining memorabilia including the blue dress Betty wore the night of her alleged abduction, and being interviewed for cable network productions.William Ross, Head, Milne Special Collections and Archives, University of New Hampshire Library
Exploring the Unexplained: Mysteries, Monsters, Museums, and Manuscripts
Speakers:
In September of 1961, Betty and Barney Hill of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, were driving through the White Mountains when they were allegedly abducted by an alien spaceship. Through dreams and hypnosis, the Hills later remembered and relived the event. Their story became public in 1965, after a newspaper reporter got hold of an audio tape and transcriptions from the Hills’ sessions, and was the first widely publicized report of an alien abduction. The basis of the bestselling 1966 book The Interrupted Journey, the Hills’ case generated a new standard for the portrayal of extraterrestrials in contemporary popular culture. Since November 2006, the Milne Special Collections at UNH has housed the Hills’ papers. Special Collections Librarian Bill Ross will discuss his experiences working with a broad range of interested researchers, maintaining memorabilia including the blue dress Betty wore the night of her alleged abduction, and being interviewed for cable network productions.Loren Coleman, Director, International Cryptozoology Museum
Jeff Meuse, Assistant Director, International Cryptozoology Museum
2.2 Content and Context: Archiving Social Media for Future Use
How will researchers of the future interpret social media? Decades from now, what meaning will be derived from hashtags like #tbt or #blacklivesmatter? These questions form the basis for this session on archiving social media content and its context for future use and research. We will discuss methods for creating event-specific web collections as one way to provide a social context for archived social media, as well as the idea that their social and technological forms may need to be captured in secondary resources that provide histories and analyses of these forms. Suggestions for how to use low-cost or free tools to capture social media will also be made, paying special attention to the ways that social media capture does not allow for comprehensive capture of all related content.
Presentation Slides
Sylvia Rollason-Cass, Web Archivist, Internet Archive, Archive-It
Julie Swierczek, Digital Asset Manager and Archivist, Harvard Art Museums
2.3 Pedagogical Funambulism
“Pedagogical funambulism” is the notion of balancing theory and practice in developing archival studies curricula. Teaching in a professional program creates a classic tension between theory and application. Each archival educator faces this struggle, believing in the significance of the fundamental yet abstract principles that guide the discipline while facing the very real challenge of preparing tomorrow’s professionals with today’s tools. This roundtable will explore the affordances and challenges of developing a curriculum that is both theoretically and practically grounded. LIS faculty, adjuncts, and seasoned internship supervisors will share their experiences teaching and training future archivists. This session will appeal to anyone who has an interest in archival education or works with archives students in any capacity.
Jason Arthur Wood (moderator,) College Archivist, Associate Director for Discovery Services, and Adjunct Professor, Simmons College
Discussants: Kate Bowers, Collections Services Archivist for Metadata, Systems, and Standards, Harvard University, and Adjunct Professor, Simmons College
Kelly Francis, Assistant Digital Archivist, Textual Collections, JFK Presidential Library and Museum
Katherine Wisser, Assistant Professor, Simmons College
Janet Ceja, Assistant Professor, Simmons College
2.4 Sparks Along a Broad Horizon: New Approaches to Archival Discovery
The focus of this session is discovery, in a broad sense. The talks will address some of the challenges — and opportunities — relating to discovery in the archives world, from innovations in the applications of ILS and other systems to new approaches to archival discovery within a framework of traditional processing. The emphasis will be on new ways to facilitate the discovery of archival holdings by a diverse range of users. Speakers will also address the impact on discovery of missing descriptive metadata, such as in Music Information Retrieval (MIR).
Mary Yearl, Interim Archivist, Wellesley College Archives and Special Collections
Samuel Howes, Archivist II, Maine State Archives
Sara Ludovissy, Project Archivist, Wellesley College Archives and Special Collections
Susan Pyzynski, Associate Librarian for Technical Services, Houghton Library, Harvard University
Lily Troia, Dean's Fellow for Digital Media Outreach, Simmons College
Saturday Concurrent Sessions, Afternoon Block
Saturday, April 2, 2016 | 1:30pm-3:00pm2.5 Just One, I'm a Few: Lone Arranging When You Wish You Could Clone Yourself
Lone arranging, or archivists running their departments on their own, is not exclusive to small cultural organizations or even small colleges. In larger settings, an archivist must work as if in possession of the time and skills of multiple people. Operating a repository single-handedly may require an archivist to handle collections, records management, rare books, artifacts, A/V collections, reference and instruction, and digital projects. In this session, three archivists flying solo share stories about and strategies for being several people at once, developing a multitude of specialties, prioritizing tasks, and forging alliances. The session will flip after the presentation to encourage questions, discussion, and sharing of ideas among not only lone arrangers but anyone working in a repository with a small staff.
Presentation Slides (pdf)
Genna Duplisea, Archivist/Special Collections Librarian, Salve Regina University
Jaimie Fritz, Project Archivist, Bentley University
Nadia Dixson, Archivist, City of Somerville
2.6 Two Takes on Early American History: Documentation and Collaboration Across Repositories
Military Collections and Records at the Maine State Archives
Speaker:
From correspondence to cartes-de-visite, this illustrated talk will present the array of records pertaining to the militia and military activity in Maine. While Maine didn’t become a state until 1820, the military collections at the Maine State Archives span the years 1700–1940. Highlights include Revolutionary War pension applications, Maine militia records from 1812–1814, and an impressive amount of Civil War material. As part of a grander collaboration and future exhibit with the Maine State Library, this presentation will also discuss Aroostook War holdings at both agencies.
Presentation Slides [pdf]
Outline [pdf]Samuel Howes, Archivist II, Maine State Archives
Greater than the Sum of its Parts: The Harvard University Archives' Participation in the Colonial North American Project
Speakers:
The Colonial North American Project at Harvard University is an ongoing, multi-year collaborative project to identify and make digitally available all known archival and manuscript materials in the Harvard Library that relate to 17th– and 18th–century North America. Scattered through twelve repositories, these documents reveal a great deal about topics such as social life, education, trade, finance, politics, revolution, war, women, Native American life, slavery, science, medicine, and religion. Staff from the Harvard University Archives, who have been involved in the project since its inception in 2011, will speak about our experiences, including the current exhibition, Opening New Worlds.Juliana Kuipers, Collection Development Curator/Archivist, Harvard University Archives
Emily Atkins, Survey Archivist, Harvard University Archives
2.7 Boston Public Schools Desegregation: From Digital Library to Classroom
The 2014–2015 school year marked the 40th anniversary of Boston Public Schools’ (BPS) court-ordered school desegregation, and BPS is building a multi-grade curricular unit for students to study the city’s busing crisis. To assist this effort, a coalition of Boston archives has embarked on a collaborative digitization project to make available archival material that relates to how and why busing happened in Boston, as well as the effects it had on the community. The goal is to create a digital library of material in Digital Commonwealth/DPLA that can be widely disseminated for both curricular and scholarly use.
This panel will bring together curricular specialists, academics, and archivists to discuss the project as it is unfolding, including a look at how archivists have been working with educators to embed the digitized archival material in a variety of curricular settings. Panelists will discuss their experiences in developing and guiding the creation of the collection and give examples of its use in K-12, undergraduate, and graduate educational settings.
Speakers:Giordana Mecagni, Head of Special Collections and University Archivist, Northeastern University
Patricia Reeve, Associate Professor of History, Suffolk University
Marilyn Morgan, Archives Program Director, University of Massachusetts Boston
Josue Sakata, Assistant Director of Implementation, History and Social Studies, Boston Public Schools
Andrew Elder, Digital Archives and Outreach Librarian, University of Massachusetts Boston
Julia Collins Howington, University Archivist and Moakley Institute Director, Suffolk University
Saturday Concurrent Sessions, Carnival Block
Saturday, April 2, 2016 | 3:45pm-4:45pm2.8 Transcription and Historical Documents as Means to Teach Primary Source Literacy
The mini-workshop will introduce the use of transcription of historical documents as a means to teach primary source literacy. With a hands-on component, the workshop will cover Keene State College archivists’ teaching methods, learning outcomes, and assessment strategies, as well as how transcription work and how primary source literacy fits into the new ACRL Information Literacy Framework.
Brantley Palmer, Assistant Archivist, Keene State College
Rodney Obien, Head of Special Collections, Keene State College
Mylynda Gill, Student Archives Assistant, Keene State College
Hayley Lamberson, Project Archivist, Keene State College
2.9 Standards and Best Practices for Metrics: Reports from the SAA-ACRL/RBMS Joint Task Forces
Join us for reports from regional members of three SAA-ACRL/RBMS task forces on their work and participate in a dynamic conversation on the subject of standardizing metrics and measures in our repositories. The Joint Task Force on the Development of Standardized Statistical Measures for Public Services in Archival Repositories and Special Collections Libraries works to develop a new standard defining appropriate statistical measures and performance metrics to govern the collection and analysis of statistical data for describing public services provided by archival repositories and special collections libraries.
The Joint Task Force on the Development of Standardized Holdings Counts and Measures for Archival Repositories and Special Collections Libraries is responsible for developing guidelines that will provide metrics, definitions, and best practices for quantifying the holdings of archival repositories and special collections libraries, while the Joint Task Force on the Development of Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy develops guidelines that will provide competency standards for primary source literacy.
Speakers:Emilie Hardman, Research, Instruction, and Digital Initiatives Librarian, Houghton Library, Harvard University
Morgan Swan, Special Collections Education and Outreach Librarian, Rauner Library, Dartmouth College
Emily Gustainis, Head, Collections Services, Countway Medical Library, Harvard University
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