New Record Keeping Procedures for State Government

First of all congratulations are in order for all recent graduates. I wish you all the best of luck. The second thing I want to share with everybody is an article recently posted to the Archives and Archivists listserv. It details an Executive Order recently signed by Governor Paterson that provides for the development of a records management policy for his office. Click on the link above for the full article.

Supreme Court Questions Broad Use of FOIA

A recent article from the Washington Post was posted to the Archives and Archivists listserv. The Supreme Court recently heard a case involving a broad interpretation an exemption from the Freedom of Information Act to keep a set of maps from being released. It raises some interesting questions concerning government secrecy and what the public has a right to know. Click the link to view the article.

Something to look foreward to...

With the semester winding down, this cartoon was posted to the Archives and Archivists listserv. It is entitled "Why You Shouldn't Become an Archivist". The title basically describes the substance of it. While intended to be humorous, it has provoked a strong reaction from some members of the listserv. Enjoy (if you can)!

National Archives Having Network Diffifculties

A recent article from Information Week reported that the National Archives and Records Administration needs to purchase new networking equipment but can't because of its bidding process. The situation has gotten so bad that Office of General Counsel lost e-mail access for a whole day. Click on the link for the full story.

Personal Archives

Salon.com posted an interesting piece on Friday concerning the need for personal archives. The article advocates the creation of some kind of way to automatically archive the digital content (such as blog posts) that we create. It raises some interesting issues about how the material we create on the internet will be preserved, if it will be at all, and if it should be. Click on the link above to access the article.

Geocities Becomes Torrent File

As most of you are probably aware, Yahoo! closed there pioneering Geocities service last year. Despite the fact that they did not archive the sites it hosted a small chunk of it has been saved. The article was originally posted on the archives and archivists listserv.

Also, today is election day. For those of you reading this I would like to remind you to vote if you have done so already. Voting it the duty of every citizen. While it may not seem obvious, your vote does count.

Founding Fathers Going Digital

The Washington Post has an interesting article. It seems that the University of Virginia Press is going to be putting the papers of some of the Founding Fathers online. The project is expected to be public by 2012 and completed by the following year. Click the above link for the full article.

Upcoming Conferences

The following conferences are coming up in the next several weeks:

• MARAC Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference, November 11th-13th. It will be held in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and the theme is "the politics of archives".

• Association of Moving Image Archivists and the International Association of Sound
  and Audiovisual Archives will come together for the first time in a joint
  conference. November 2-6, 2010 in Philadelphia, PA

• New England Archivists Meeting November 5-6, 2010 at Keene State College
  the theme is "Looking Inward/Looking Outward: Changing Roles and Expectations
  in Archival Settings"

Also note that election day is in 2 weeks. Mark this date on your calender. Remember that your vote is important, no matter how dismal the year may seem.

Archivist in the News

The following article was posted on the Archives and Archivists listserv that is maintained by the SAA. It's an article about a man from Hopewell Junction who tried to sell what turned out to be a stolen Texas Supreme Court document. The situation was resolved when the director of operations for the New York State archives certified that the document was real and brought it back to Texas. Here is the link: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/casey/7237177.html.

New Assistant Web Master

I would like to take the time to introduce myself. My name is Michael and I am the new assistant web master for SCSAA. What that means is that I will be contributing to this blog on a regular basis. The plan is for that to happen every Sunday. This is my first semester at Albany and I am currently enrolled in the dual History/Information Science program. As you may have gathered I am in the archives track. That will be all for my first post. I look forward to contributing further to this blog.

SAA - In the Loop for Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Upcoming Deadlines
April 14: Deadline for proposals for Business Archives Colloquium.
May 1: Do one thing to help “save our archives” for MayDay!
May 1: Deadline for proposals for 75th Anniversary issue of American Archivist.
May 4: Deadline for participation in American Archivist survey.

Watch Us Grow…
Our website is evolving—right before your eyes. This week we begin a phased launch
of the new site, which is powered by Drupal, an open-source content management
system. The home page now sports our new look. In the coming months we will
systematically evaluate and convert all website content into the new system, with a
goal of completing the project by early 2011.

MayDay! MayDay!
Now’s the time to decide on one thing you can do—even if it’s something simple—to
help “save our archives” on May 1. The SAA website has lots of ideas and tips for
you to consider.

What Do You Think About The American Archivist?
Let your opinion be heard! The Editorial Board is conducting an evaluation of SAA’s
semiannual journal, American Archivist, and would like your input. Please complete a
brief survey that queries your satisfaction with the journal. Tell us how it can be
most useful to your professional practice and development. Click here to participate
by May 4.

Tell the Senate Now Why PAHR Is Important to You!
Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Carl Levin (D-MI) will introduce the PAHR bill in
the Senate very soon. They have sent a “Dear Colleague” letter to invite other
Senators to join them as sponsors. Now is the time to contact your senators to tell
them that this bill is of concern to you and your organization as their
constituents—and to ask for their support. If we can move PAHR well in the Senate in
the next month or two, the chances are very real that the bill could be voted on in
both houses of Congress this year! See the PAHR web page for all the tools and
information you need to contact your senators!

Swing by SAA Table at MAC
Make sure to stop by the SAA table at the 2010 Midwest Archives Conference Annual
Spring Meeting, April 22–23, in Chicago. SAA staff members will be in the exhibit
area selling a number of new releases and popular titles at reduced rates. Spring
for a book this season—the special pricing on books like Preserving Archives and
Manuscripts and Photographs is hard to beat!

Cheers to 75 Years!
Seventy-five years of growth and achievement are good reasons to celebrate—and in
2011 SAA will do just that as the Society toasts its 75th anniversary. Chief among
the priorities of the task force charged to oversee the anniversary celebration is
to provide opportunities for member participation in development of materials. Watch
this space for ideas about what you can do to join in the fun.

Call for Papers for 75th Anniversary of SAA
If you’d like to contribute to the celebration—and see your name in print—here’s a
great opportunity!  The American Archivist Editorial Board invites proposals for
papers to be published in the Fall/Winter 2011 issue to mark SAA’s 75th anniversary.
The deadline is May 1. Read more here.

DC 2010 Registration Fees, Hotel Reservation Site Now Available; Program Goes “Live”
on April 15
Begin planning for DC 2010! Click here for access to the full conference website
(beginning April 15), including the preliminary program, registration fees and
forms, and the headquarters hotel’s guest room reservation site.

Call for Speakers for Business Archives Section
The Business Archives Section is looking for speakers for its Colloquium on August
11, 2010. If you’re interested in speaking about one of the topics below, submit
your presentation proposal by April 14. Topics: digital archives and preservation;
social media and corporate archives; work-life balance; and advocacy.

Haiti's Declaration of Independence Found in British Archives
Canadian graduate student Julia Gaffield was researching in Britain's National
Archives and stumbled upon the only known copy of Haiti's Declaration of
Independence. In 1804 former slaves proclaimed the independence of their country
Saint-Domingue from France, declaring the new nation be named Haiti. Although it was
known that documents declaring the country's emancipation were printed, none had
ever been found. The discovery gives a look into the only country in the Western
Hemisphere in which slaves successfully revolted to gain national independence.

2011 SAA Nomination Form
Please take this opportunity to suggest prospective candidates for the 2011 SAA
ballot. All submissions are confidential. Make your nomination today.

National Preservation Week Clinic
The Historical Society of Washington, D.C., in cooperation with the Washington
Conservation Guild and the Library of Congress, will host a free Preservation Clinic
for Books, Papers, and Photographs on May 15 from 12:00 to 3:30 p.m. The event is
held on the last day of Preservation Week, an initiative to raise public awareness
about preservation of personal, family, community, and public collections. Click
here for details on how to sign up for the clinic.

Protecting Cultural Heritage Course: Sign Up Now
The International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of
Cultural Property (ICCROM) just announced its training course on First Aid to
Cultural Heritage in Times of Conflict. The six-week course will take place
September 17 to October 29, 2010, and train participants on how and when to protect
endangered cultural heritage. Application deadline: May 14. For more details, click
here.

“The Story of Us” Contests Call for You!
The Institute of Museum and Library Services, with HISTORYTM and the President's
Council on the Arts and the Humanities, invites U.S. libraries and students to flex
their creative muscles and share their passion for American history by participating
in “HISTORY America: The Story of Us” contests. The contests involve projects that
promote learning about American history and explore the nation's heritage. For
details, click here.

I-CHORA 5 This Summer in the U.K.
I-CHORA 5—“Records, Archives, and Technology: Interdependence Over Time”—will be
held in London, July 1–3, 2010. Thirty speakers from North America, Europe, and
Australia will address subjects ranging from the early recordkeeping technologies of
Peru, to medieval recordkeeping in Venice, to nineteenth century British civil
service and twentieth century Spain. Among the four keynote speakers is SAA member
Barbara Craig (University of Toronto). Read more details here.

New Procedures for Standards Review/Approval
At its February meeting the SAA Council adopted the Standards Committee’s
recommendations for an overhaul of the committee’s charge and procedures for
development and review of standards. View the new documents here.

CLIR Requests Pre-proposals for Hidden Collections Grant
The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) has opened the pre-proposal
application period for its Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives grant
program. CLIR expects to award about $4 million in grants that range from $75,000 to
$500,000 to institutions holding collections of high scholarly value that are
difficult or impossible to locate through existing finding aids. The deadline for
submitting pre-proposals is April 23, 2010. Click here for more details.

Richard A. Baker Graduate Student Travel Grant Available
The Association of Centers for the Study of Congress (ACSC) is accepting
applications for the 2010 Richard A. Baker Graduate Research Travel Grant, which
supports graduate-level research conducted at member repositories of the Association
of Centers for the Study of Congress. An award of up to $500 may be used to
underwrite travel, lodging, copying, and other research expenses. For application
details, click here. Apply by April 18, 2010.

Continuing Education
We’ve added three more workshops in June/July—and more are in the works! With so
many topics to choose from, this is a great time to invest in your professional
future with continuing education from SAA. Take a look at the complete calendar.
Don’t see the topic of your choice? Contact us to bring a workshop to your location.

April/May/June Workshops (Yes, some still have space available!)
•        Implementing “More Product, Less Process” (Washington and Georgia)
•        Describing Archives: A Content Standard (Tampa and Los Angeles)
•        Oral History: From Planning to Preservation (Early discount extended to 4/16!)
•        A Guide to Balancing Legal Issues in Photo Collections (Early discount through 4/21!)
•        Fundamentals of Acquisition and Appraisal (Early discount through 4/19!)
•        Style Sheets for EAD: Delivering Your Finding Aids on the Web
•        Advanced Appraisal for Archivists
•        NEW! Archival Overview (Macomb, Illinois)

Web Seminars
•        Register Now!  “Disaster Planning for Electronic Records,” June 22, at 1:00 pm (US
CT) with William LeFevre of Wayne State University.
•        If you missed live presentations of SAA’s topical Web seminars, they’re now
available Online On Demand. Access the Education Calendar under the Education and
Events menu on the home page and register to gain access for two months. Or, if
you’d rather have an audio CD to listen to while driving, go to the Publications
Catalog and check for CDs.

Preconference Workshop Schedule at DC 2010
•        Managing Architectural, Design, and Construction Records (8/8-8/9)
•        Understanding Archives: Introduction to Principles and Practices (8/8-8/9)
•        Planning New and Remodeled Archival Facilities (8/8-8/9)
•        Managing Electronic Records in Archives and Special Collections (8/9-8/10)
•        Copyright:  The Archivist and the Law (8/9-8/10)
•        Emergency Management for Archivists (8/9-8/10)
•        A Guide to Balancing Legal Issues in Photograph Collections (8/9)
•        Introduction to Basic Imaging: How to Do a Small Digitization Project (8/9, 1/2 day)
•        Advocating for Archives (8/10)
•        Producing it Online: Planning and Expanding Your Exhibitions (8/10, 1/2 day)
•        When It’s All About the Money: Leveraging Your Economic Impact (8/10, 1/2 day)

Attention Job Seekers!
Check out the following career opportunities posted to SAA’s Online Career Center:
•        Archivist / American Academy of Pediatrics (Elk Grove Village, Illinois)
•        Archivist / Robert J. Terry (Houston)
•        Assistant Director, Special Formats Processing / New York Public Library (New
York, New York)
•        Assistant Head of Cataloging/ Head of Processing / University of Kansas Libraries
(Lawrence, Kansas)
•        Civil Rights Oral History Survey Project / American Folklore Society (Ohio)
•        Digitization Specialist / Dumbarton Oaks, Trustees for Harvard University
(Washington, D.C.)
•        Library Technical Assistant III / New York Public Library (New York, New York)
•        Re-Invent Archives / Youngstown State University (Youngstown, Ohio)
•        Specialist I or II / New York Public Library (New York, New York)
•        Specialist II / New York Public Library (New York, New York)

*     *      *

SCSAA Meeting Minutes 4/6/2010

SCSAA Meeting Minutes 4/6/2010

• An email will go out later this week to officially sign up for the Cooperstown trip. The group will be limited to 15 people. A sign-up sheet was passed around at the meeting to get a preliminary idea of the number of interested people.
  

• Officer positions for the fall 2010 were announced and include the Vice-president, Treasurer and Assistant Webmaster. It was also discussed whether we should make a formal motion to approve Ashley Tuerffs as the new President. It was announced that voting and nominations can be done by emailing Kerry Lynch. Nominations must be in by April 14, and the new officers will be announced at our last meeting April 20.
  

• It was announced that for travel grant purposes the officers need to know who is officially coming to the annual SAA conference in Washington, D.C. by April 20.
  

• The SCSAA email and website are down until the end of the week due to a problem re-validating the student group.
  

• There will be an end of the year CCI part to be held at Junior’s on Madison Ave., more details to come later.

• Discussed the possibility of the group meeting up over the summer for a social hour, for those SCSAA members who will still be in the Albany area.
  

• The final meeting of the spring semester will be on April 20, 2010 at 3:30 in the Draper Hall Lounge.
  

SCSAA Meeting Minutes 3/23/2010

SCSAA Meeting Minutes 3/23/2010

• The New York State Archives visit is scheduled for this Friday from 2:00-3:30. Ashley will be picking up people for rides down to the archive at 1:30 in Draper lobby.
  

• The visit to the preservation department of the New York State Archives is scheduled for May 6.
  

• We discussed updates on the Cooperstown trip, those who are going will have to visit the Farmer’s Museum or the Fenimore Art Museum after the Baseball Hall of Fame.
  

• ASIS&T would like to sponsor an end of the year party for CCI student groups either by holding a BBQ or at Junior’s on Madison in early May.
  

• Discussed beginning to think about new officers for Fall 2010, positions available will be President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Assistant Webmaster

• The next meeting will be held April 6, 2010 in the Draper Hall Lounge.
  

In the Loop for Tuesday, March 16, 2010

In the Loop for Tuesday, March 16, 2010
In the Loop is an electronic newsletter distributed via e-mail bi-weekly to provide
members with an update on SAA activities. Please contact the SAA office at
866-SAA-7858 (toll-free) if you have any questions.

Upcoming Deadlines
March 11–April 11: Cast your vote in the 2010 SAA election.
March 31: Deadline for participating in the “Periodicals Redesign Survey.”
May 1: Deadline for proposals for 75th Anniversary issue of American Archivist.

Vote Today!
Online voting for SAA’s 2010 Election is now open. Casting your vote online is
easier than ever by visiting SAA’s home page between March 11 and April 11 to select
the candidates of your choice vying for SAA office. All individual members, student
members, and primary contacts of institutional members who were in good standing on
February 28, 2010, are eligible to vote. Paper ballots may be requested by calling
1-866-722-7858 or e-mailing servicecenter@archivists.org. Paper ballots must be
requested by March 31, 2010, and postmarked no later than April 11, 2010.

2011 SAA Nomination Form
Please take this opportunity to suggest prospective candidates for the 2011 SAA
ballot. All submissions are confidential. Make your nomination today.

Bring a Little Sunshine to Your Week!
Sunshine Week, March 14–20, is a national initiative led by the American Society of
Newspaper Editors to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and
freedom of information. Participants include news media, civic groups, archives and
libraries, nonprofits, schools, and others interested in the public's right to know.
Take this opportunity to participate—and help spread the good word about archives
and archivists. Click here for the 2010 Sunshine Week toolkit and here for a video
of a March 19 event on “Building Governmental Transparency.”

Hey, What Do You Think about SAA Periodicals?
SAA is embarking on a redesign of its periodicals—In the Loop, Archival Outlook, and
American Archivist. Tell us what you think by taking a brief survey (just 9
questions). Click here to participate by March 31.

March/April Archival Outlook Hits the Streets!
Take a look at Jackie Robinson giving batting tips to Connie Morgan, one of three
women to play in the Negro Leagues in the 1950s, and see how Negro League archives
played a role in a new U.S. Postal Stamp. The new issue also gives a peek at the
City of Vancouver’s Olympic archive acquisition and Archives*Records/DC 2010
educational sessions. Login now to read the electronic version. The print edition
will be mailed to members next week.

Tell the Senate Now Why PAHR Is Important to You!
Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Carl Levin (D-MI) will introduce the Preserving the
American Historical Record legislation in the Senate very soon. (The House bill now
has 60 co-sponsors!) But first they will send a “Dear Colleague” letter inviting
other senators to join them as sponsors. Now is the time to contact your senators to
tell them that this bill is of concern to you and your organization as their
constituents—and to ask for their support. If we can move PAHR well in the Senate in
the next month or two, the chances are very real that the bill could be voted on in
both houses of Congress this year! See the PAHR web page for all the tools and
information you need to contact your senators!

Call for Papers for 75th Anniversary of SAA
SAA will celebrate its 75th Anniversary in 2011. If you’d like to contribute to the
celebration—and see your name in print—here’s a great opportunity! The American
Archivist Editorial Board invites proposals for papers to be published in the
Fall/Winter 2011 issue to mark SAA’s 75th anniversary. The deadline is May 1. Read
more here.

New Procedures for Standards Review/Approval
At its February meeting the SAA Council adopted the Standards Committee’s
recommendations for an overhaul of the committee’s charge and procedures for
development and review of standards. To view the new documents, click here.

Preserving Archives and Manuscripts: Order Your Copy Today
Time is running out to purchase Preserving Archives and Manuscripts (2nd ed.) at the
special promotional rate of $36 (plus s/h). Secure your copy of Mary Lynn
Ritzenthaler’s must-read book today!

Other Preservation Resources . . .
Speaking of preservation, the British Library has a couple of resources also worth
investigating:
•        An excellent pamphlet on “Damaged Books” and how to care for them.
•        Helen Shenton’s presentation on strategic challenges for preservation, which
addresses the changing landscape (including user habits, user demands, and the
digital world) as well as outlining the British Library's strategy for preservation
and conservation within this context. Check out this set of two sound files totaling
30 minutes.

CLIR Requests Pre-proposals for Hidden Collections Grant
The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) has opened the pre-proposal
application period for its Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives grant
program. CLIR expects to award about $4 million in grants that range from $75,000 to
$500,000 to institutions holding collections of high scholarly value that are
difficult or impossible to locate through existing finding aids. The deadline for
submitting pre-proposals is April 23, 2010. Click here for more details.

International Relief for Haitian Cultural Heritage
SAA has received updates from several sources on international efforts to provide
relief for Haitian cultural heritage. For information from UNESCO, the International
Council on Archives, and the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield, click here.

Feeling Groovy? Journal Issues from ‘70s and ‘80s Now Online!
Eighty back issues of the American Archivist—from January 1970 through Fall
1989—were added in February to the American Archivist Online website. Check out the
treasure trove of research articles, as well as interesting reports documenting
SAA’s evolution on the eve of its 75th anniversary.

Volumes 33 through 72 of the journal are now available digitally. With the exception
of the three most recent volumes (70–72), which are reserved for SAA members and
journal subscribers, this content is freely available to the public for the first
time. The remaining 128 back issues, from 1938 through 1969, are in various stages
of digitization, review, and posting. The next batch, including issues from 1951
through 1969, should be launched online by April, and the final batch (1938–1950) is
slated for June. The issues are being scanned by Backstage Library Works.

DC 2010 Registration Fees, Hotel Reservation Site Now Available
Begin planning for DC 2010! Click here for information about registration fees and
to access the headquarters hotel’s guest room reservation site.

Richard A. Baker Graduate Student Travel Grant Available
The Association of Centers for the Study of Congress (ACSC) is accepting
applications for the 2010 Richard A. Baker Graduate Research Travel Grant, which
supports graduate-level research conducted at member repositories of the Association
of Centers for the Study of Congress. An award of up to $500 may be used to
underwrite travel, lodging, copying, and other research expenses. For application
details, click here. Apply by April 18, 2010.

Check Out New Book on Web 2.0
Web 2.0 Tools and Strategies for Archives and Local History Collections by Kate Theimer
demystifies essential Web 2.0 concepts, tools, and buzzwords, and provides a
thorough introduction to new ways to interact with traditional audiences and attract
new ones.
Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2010 / 246 pp., Soft cover / Product Code:
BOOKRES-0565 / List Price: $79.95 / Member Price: $65.

Continuing Education
We’ve added more workshops from April to June—and more are in the works! With so
many topics to choose from, this is a great time to invest in your professional
future with continuing education from SAA. Take a look at the complete calendar.
Don’t see the topic of your choice? Contact us to bring a workshop to your location.

April/May/June Workshops—there’s space!
•        Implementing “More Product, Less Process” in Washington and Georgia
•        Describing Archives: A Content Standard: in Chicago and Tampa
•        Oral History: From Planning to Preservation: early discount through 3/30
•        Digital Libraries and Digital Archives: Just added
•        A Guide to Balancing Legal Issues in Photograph Collections
•        Fundamentals of Acquisition and Appraisal: Just added
•        Style Sheets for EAD – Delivering Your Finding Aids on the Web
•        Advanced Appraisal for Archivists

Web Seminars
•        Register now for “Basics of Managing Electronic Records…Getting You Started!”
March 30 at 1:00 p.m. (US CT) with Geof Huth of the New York State Archives.
•        If you missed live presentations of SAA’s topical Web seminars, they’re now
available Online On Demand. Access the Education Calendar under the Education and
Events menu on the home page and register to gain access for two months. OR, if
you’d rather have an audio CD to listen to while driving, go to the Publications
Catalog and check for CDs.

Attention Job Seekers!
Check out the following career opportunities posted to SAA’s Online Career Center:

•        Appraisal Archivist / Bermuda Government Archives (Nationwide)
•        Archival Digital Internship / San Francisco Symphony (San Francisco)
•        Director / RBMSCL Duke University (Durham, North Carolina)
•        Director of Information Services Librarian / American Philatelic Society
(Bellefonte, Pennsylvania)
•        E-archivist / Inter-American Development Bank (Washington, D.C.)
•        Grateful Dead Archive Project Manager / UC Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, California)
•        Head of University Archives & Area Research Center / University of Wisconsin,
River Falls (River Falls, Wisconsin)
•        Project Archivist / Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Los Angeles)
•        Tenure-Track Faculty Position / St. John's University (New York)
•        University Archivist / University of North Carolina at Greensboro (Greensboro,
North Carolina)
•        Video Archiving Summer Internship 2010 / Glenstone (Potomac, Maryland)
•        Western History Archivist / Casper College (Casper, Wyoming)

*     *      *

The Famous Mr. Brothman

From the [archhist] roundtable (read until end.  It sounds like if you go to DC2010
you can actually meet him:

Brien:
I couldn't say "wrong," but Libraries & the Cultural Record
absolutely is a journal you should consider.  Here are reasons why:

1. The journal has been expanding its scope ever since it was founded
as the Journal of Library History 40-plus years ago.  Under my
editorship, it is the journal of the history of the information
domain.  We are very consciously including pieces from each of the
fields of the information domain--libraries and librarianship, archives
and archival enterprise, information science in all its breadth,
preservation and conservation of the cultural record, and museum
administration and history museums.  Moreover, under my leadership, we
are consciously not following others
in the library field who are focusing on the history of books and
reading.  While the word "history" is not in our title, and has not
been for more than 30 years, this has consistently been a journal of
history.

2. The title is an expansion from its previous Libraries &
Culture.  As we mature as the journal of the history of the
information domain, perhaps someday another title may be more
appropriate.  Nothing of that sort is even being contemplated at this
point, particularly because in making the change we have made, we could
not afford to appear to abandon a solid and valuable audience while
building another that must include the first one.

3. A number of substantial pieces dealing with archival history have
been published in our pages through the years, and under the new title,
that number is increasing.  We published papers from the Boston I-CHORA
and will publish ones from the 2012 Austin I-CHORA.  When that happens,
we will be the first journal to publish papers from more than one.  I
have argued for sometime that I-CHORA should identify a journal of
record so that we all know where to look for the papers.  Since we are
not affiliated with any association, we are the best choice in my
view.  With the 2012 set of papers, we will voice this again loudly,
and having two in our pages, can make a strong case for our journal.
Beyond this, we will open the SAA's 75th anniversary year with a dandy
piece offering what I believe readers will find to be a significant
interpretation of the French experience with archives from the
Revolution to Respect des Fonds.  Other pieces on archives are in the
works.  The bottom line is that L&CR publishes more pieces dealing
with the history of archives than do other archival journals.

4. In the recent ranking of the Australian Research Council of
20,000-plus journals developed over a two-year period,  L&CR fared
very well.  We learned of the ranking from the announcement posted on
the ICA list!  Here is the statement you can find on our website
reporting this ranking (Note the sentence about our ranking vis-a-vis
archival journals):
Libraries & the Cultural Record has been rated among the
top twenty percent of journals in its field by the Australian Research
Council in a ranking of scholarly journals worldwide.  In the category
of library and information studies, 148 journals were ranked on a
four-step scale of A+, A, B, and C.  Libraries & the Cultural Record
received an A rating, one of only 30 in the LIS field receiving either
an A or A+ rating.  Just six journals (4 percent) received the A+
ranking.  Among the 13 archival journals on the list, only two ranked
higher than Libraries & the Cultural Record.

Libraries & the Cultural Record
is a multi-disciplinary research journal that explores the history of
the information domain and especially the broad history of collections
of knowledge that form the cultural record.  The peer-reviewed
quarterly journal is edited in the University of Texas School of
Information and is published by University of Texas Press.
According to the Australian Research Council,
for journals ranked A, the majority of papers . . . will be of very
high quality.  Publishing in an A journal would enhance the author's
standing, showing they have real engagement with the global research
community and that they have something to say about problems of some
significance.

The Australian Research Council, a government
agency, worked for two years to complete the job of ranking 20,712
unique peer-reviewed journals published worldwide.  The database of
rankings is available at:  http://www.arc.gov.au/era/era_journal_list.htm.

So, I believe you cannot do better than Libraries & the
Cultural Record as a venue for publishing archival history (and one
certainly can do worse), especially works that explore the history of
archival enterprise as it has been intertwined with the history of one
or more other components of the information domain.  We mean to be a
major participant in the discussion of archival history.  Our
increasing content testifies to it.  And now the recent ranking
documents that we are doing so.
I thank you very much for your inquiry and look forward to being in
contact about a submission from you.
All the best.

XXXX

XXXX:

Thanks for taking the time to respond in such detail to my comment on "Libraries and
the Cultural Record." I have had the opportunity to read a number of contributions
to the journal and found them to be of very high quality. So, I did not at all
intend to impugn the journal.

Nevertheless, in light of what you say about the journal's broadened mandate, the
title is misleading. Indeed, it seems to sell the journal short. This may be one
more bit of evidence that our language and frames of reference are tending to lag
behind  technological, social and cultural developments. As you well know,
information technology studies is an evolving field - perhaps at the very beginning
of its evolution - in which many disparate interests are attempting to bring closure
to what we mean by  "information technology", "information studies" and so on.

All the more important, then, for archivists to bring historical perspectives to
bear on their understanding and interpretation of the  shaping of what seems
traditional and different about our "information society", "information studies",
etc. For example, some  bits of historical analysis argue that the information
revolution is nothing but a hyped up reincarnation of late nineteenth - early
twentieth century industrial production systems in the guise of  hypermanagement as
well as gussied up parts (code) and rules standardization. 

Hope to continue this in Washington at SAA.

Brien

SAA, In the Loop for Tuesday, March 3, 2010

In the Loop for Tuesday, March 3, 2010
In the Loop is an electronic newsletter distributed via e-mail bi-weekly to provide
members with an update on SAA activities. Please contact the SAA office at
866-SAA-7858 (toll-free) if you have any questions.

Upcoming Deadlines
By March 5: “Storm” the Senate for PAHR!
By March 31: Order Preserving Archives and Manuscripts at the special promotional rate!

Send the Senate a “Snowstorm” of Support for PAHR!
Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Carl Levin (D-MI) will introduce the Preserving the
American Historical Record legislation in the Senate very soon. (The House bill now
has 60 co-sponsors!) But first they will send a “Dear Colleague” letter inviting
other senators to join them as sponsors. Now is the time to contact your senators to
tell them that this bill is of concern to you and your organization as their
constituents—and to ask for their support. If we can move PAHR well in the Senate in
the next month or two, the chances are very real that the bill could be voted on in
both houses of Congress this year! See the PAHR web page for all the tools and
information you need to contact your senators!

SAA 2010 Election: Are You Ready to Vote?
Online voting for SAA’s 2010 Election will take place March 11−April 11, 2010.
All individual members, student members, and primary contacts of institutional
members who were in good standing as of February 28, 2010, are eligible to vote.
Paper ballots may be requested by calling 1-866-722-7858 or e-mailing
servicecenter@archivists.org. A paper ballot will be sent to you via first-class
mail, along with complete candidate information. Paper ballots must be requested by
March 31, 2010, and postmarked no later than April 11, 2010. In the meantime, read
candidate statements and biographies here.

International Relief for Haitian Cultural Heritage
SAA has received updates from several sources on international efforts to provide
relief for Haitian cultural heritage. For information from UNESCO, the International
Council on Archives, and the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield, click here.

Feeling Groovy? Journal Issues from ‘70s and ‘80s Now Online!
Eighty back issues of the American Archivist—from January 1970 through Fall
1989—were added in February to the American Archivist Online website. Check out the
treasure trove of research articles, as well as interesting reports documenting
SAA’s evolution on the eve of its 75th anniversary.

Volumes 33 through 72 of the journal are now available digitally. With the exception
of the three most recent volumes (70–72), which are reserved for SAA members and
journal subscribers, this content is freely available to the public for the first
time. The remaining 128 back issues, from 1938 through 1969, are in various stages
of digitization, review, and posting. The next batch, including issues from 1951
through 1969, should be launched online by April, and the final batch (1938–1950) is
slated for June. The issues are being scanned by Backstage Library Works.

JSTOR and the American Archivist
In February JSTOR reported that American Archivist was at the halfway point of the
release process! All 72 volumes of the journal are undergoing the digitization
process. Once JSTOR receives the dataset files, they will undergo quality-control
testing and data processing before release. For most titles at this stage, a target
release date of six to eight months is anticipated—which means that by September the
entire run of the American Archivist would also be available through JSTOR.

SAA signed an agreement in April 2009 to have American Archivist participate in
JSTOR, an independent not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to making a wide
range of intellectual content available in a trusted digital archive. Currently the
JSTOR archive includes the complete back runs of more than 1,000 journals, which are
available to libraries. American Archivist would be part of the newly developing
Arts and Sciences VI collection under “Library and Information Sciences.” SAA member
Charles Schultz and two anonymous libraries generously donated back issues of the
journal for use by JSTOR.

DC 2010 Registration Fees, Hotel Reservation Site Now Available
Begin planning for DC 2010! Click here for information about registration fees and
to access the headquarters hotel’s guest room reservation site.

Check Out New Book on Web 2.0
Web 2.0 Tools and Strategies for Archives and Local History Collections by Kate Theimer
demystifies essential Web 2.0 concepts, tools, and buzzwords, and provides a
thorough introduction to new ways to interact with traditional audiences and attract
new ones.
Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2010 / 246 pp., Soft cover / Product Code:
BOOKRES-0565 / List Price: $79.95 / Member Price: $65.

Call for Papers for 75th Anniversary of SAA
SAA will celebrate its 75th Anniversary in 2011. If you’d like to contribute to the
celebration—and see your name in print—here’s a great opportunity! The American
Archivist Editorial Board invites proposals for papers to be published in the
Fall/Winter 2011 issue to mark SAA’s 75th anniversary. The deadline is May 1. Read
more here.

Archivist Employment Up, Says Bureau of Labor Statistics
Curators, archivists, and museum technicians are among the professions projected to
show "much faster than average employment growth" over the next eight years,
according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The projections for 2008 to 2018 appear
in the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook, released at
the end of 2009. Its job outlook for the three occupations calls for a 20 percent
increase over 10 years. Broken down, museum technicians and conservators are
supposed to increase 26 percent, curators 23 percent, and archivists 7 percent. Read
more here.

How Do You Document “Tweets”?
Case studies documenting the use of Twitter and virtual environments (Second Life,
etc.) by archival repositories are wanted for The Interactive Archivist: Case
Studies in Utilizing Web 2.0 to Improve the Archival Experience. Also welcome are
case studies in areas such as blogging, social networking, tagging and folksonomies,
mashups, RSS, wikis, photo sharing services, video sharing services, and podcasts.
Click here for more info.

Preserving Archives and Manuscripts Is Here!
Hot-off-the-press and ready for your reading is Preserving Archives and Manuscripts
(2nd ed.) by Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler. Time is running out to buy a copy at the
special promotional rate of $36. Click here to order your copy today!

2009 Research Forum Papers Now Available
Click here to check out this new content:
• “‘Everything About This Person’: Name-Based Access to Multiple Resources Using
EAC,” by Nancy Hadley.
• “Searching for ‘Spitzer’ in the Archives: Drawing New Conclusions from
‘Troopergate’ Using Archival Records and Social Networking Analysis,”
by Catherine Stollar Peters.
• “Tapping Our Potential: Business Process Management and Archival Content
Management Systems,” by J. Gordon Daines III and Cory L. Nimer.

Plan for Preservation on March 18
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) will host its 24th Annual
Preservation Conference, "Plan for Preservation: Assess, Prioritize and Manage,"
March 18, 2010, at the William G. McGowan Theater in Washington, D.C. Take a look at
the event schedule that begins with an introduction by Archivist of the United
States David S. Ferreiro.

National Preservation Week, May 9–15, 2010
Pass It On: Saving Heritage and Memories
This May take the time to highlight your institution as a source of preservation
information. SAA has joined the American Library Association, the Library of
Congress, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services as a partner in
celebrating National Preservation Week, May 9−15, 2010. During this week, SAA
asks institutions to connect our communities through events, activities, and
resources that highlight what we can do to preserve our personal and shared
collections.
• Create a display about preserving and collecting personal, family, or community
heritage.
• Offer a preservation workshop or event.
• Highlight Preservation Week on your website with a link to ALA’s Preservation Week
resources.

NYU to Host Discussion Series
Just what is “archival silence”? Check out this topic and others at New York
University’s Spring 2010 “Discussing the Archive: Ideas, Practices and Institutions”
series.

Save the Date: Western Roundup 2010
Mark your calendars for Western Roundup 2010, held at the Renaissance Hotel in
Seattle from April 28 through May 1. This is a joint meeting sponsored by Northwest
Archivists, Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists, Society of California
Archivists, and Rocky Mountain Archivists. For more details click here.

Continuing Education
We’ve added more workshops from April to June—and more are in the works! With so
many topics to choose from, this is a great time to invest in your professional
future with continuing education from SAA. Take a look at the complete calendar.
Don’t see the topic of your choice? Contact us to bring a workshop to your location.

March/April Workshops—there’s still space!
• Implementing “More Product, Less Process” in North Carolina and Washington
• Understanding Photographs: Introduction to Archival Principles and Practices
• Fundamentals of Acquisition and Appraisal
• Arrangement and Description of Manuscript Collections: Just added
• Project Management for Archivists
• Visual Literacy for Photograph Collections: early discount through 3/6
• Describing Archives: A Content Standard: early discount through 3/21
• Oral History: From Planning to Preservation: early discount through 3/30
• Digital Libraries and Digital Archives: Just added

Web Seminars
• Register now for “Basics of Managing Electronic Records…Getting You Started!”
March 30 at 1:00 p.m. (US CT) with Geof Huth of the New York State Archives.
• If you missed live presentations of SAA’s topical Web seminars, they’re now
available Online On Demand. Access the Education Calendar under the Education and
Events menu on the home page and register to gain access for two months. OR, if
you’d rather have an audio CD to listen to while driving, go to the Publications
Catalog and check for CDs.

Attention Job Seekers!
Check out the following career opportunities posted to SAA’s Online Career Center:

• Appraisal Archivist / Government of Bermuda BMU (Nationwide)
• Archival Digital Internship / San Francisco Symphony (San Francisco, California)
• Archivist / Crown Family Philanthropies (Chicago)
• Archivist / Saving & Preserving Arts & Cultural Environments (Aptos, California)
• Coordinator / University Archives and Records Mgmt., Emory University Libraries
(Atlanta)
• Corporate Archivist / HSBC (Mettawa, Illinois)
• Director / Master of Archival Studies Program, Clayton State University (Morrow,
Georgia)
• Director / RBMSCL Duke University (Durham, North Carolina)
• E-Archivist / Inter-American Development Bank (Washington D.C.)
• Eastern Regional Archivist / Office of the Secretary of State (Washington)
• Head / Special Collections and Archives, University of Idaho Library (Moscow, Idaho)
• Lib. Svc. Spec. Archivist for Special Collections / Sacramento Public Library
(Sacramento, California)
• Librarian / William Gilmore Simms Curator, University of South Carolina (Columbia,
South Carolina)
• Records Officer / Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (Niskayuna, New York)
• Technical Archivist / John Deere (Moline, Illinois)
• Western History Archivist / Casper College (Casper, Wyoming)

* * *

SAA Workshops

Somewhat expensive but intriguing...

http://saa.archivists.org/Scripts/4Disapi.dll/4DCGI/events/ConferenceList.html?Action=GetEvents

Upcoming SAA Workshops

Fundamentals of Acquisition and Appraisal
March 15; Early discount extended to February 23!
Princeton, NJ
If you are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with fundamental appraisal theory and
practice, this workshop is for you! [Read more]

Project Management for Archivists
March 19; Early discount extended to February 26!
Amherst, MA
You’re involved in a variety of projects every day, from such small projects as
developing a new procedures manual to such large projects as digitizing a
collection. [Read more]

Basics of Managing Electronic Records...Getting You Started! Web Seminar
March 30 – 1:00 - 2:30 PM CENTRAL
This 90-minute web seminar provides you the basics you need to start solving your
electronic records problems. [Read more]

JUST ADDED!

Visual Literacy for Photograph Collections
Apr 06 at the National Museum of the American Indian
Washington, DC

Learn methods to gain information from photographs and to understand how this
information can be applied in a practical manner to help manage, arrange, and
describe collections more effectively and for researchers to extract information.
[Read more]

Introduction to Digital Libraries and Digital Archives
Apr 30 at the American Numismatic Society
New York, NY

Are you increasingly asked to deal with digital content that finds its way into your
archives either because of efforts to digitize print collections or because of
digital acquisition? Or are you preparing to receive “born digital” material and
want to understand the potential of digital libraries and digital archives. Or is
your institution building an institutional repository? [Read more]

If your browser doesn’t accommodate the URLs, go to www.archivists.org, and access
the education calendar in the education and events menu. Questions? Please contact
us at education@archivists.org or (toll free) at 886.722.7858.

SAA, In the Loop for Tuesday, February 16, 2010

In the Loop for Tuesday, February 16, 2010
In the Loop is an electronic newsletter distributed via e-mail bi-weekly to provide
members with an update on SAA activities. Please contact the SAA office at
866-SAA-7858 (toll-free) if you have any questions.

Upcoming Deadlines
• February 28: Deadline for SAA award, scholarship, and Fellow nominations.
• February 28: Deadline for changing username and password for 2010 election.

Awards, Scholarship, and Fellow Nominations Wanted!
Do you know an individual or organization that has made an outstanding contribution
to the archives profession? Or promoted greater public awareness of archives? SAA
annually recognizes outstanding achievements in the archives profession through an
awards competition and the naming of Fellows.

Scholarships are available to individuals in need of financial assistance to attend
graduate school. The Mosaic Scholarship offers financial and mentoring support to
two minority students pursuing graduate education in archival science. The F. Gerald
Ham Scholarship Fund gives financial support to two graduate students in their
second year of archival studies.
For more details on selection criteria and nomination forms for SAA Fellows, awards,
and scholarships, click here. Completed forms and supplementary materials must be
postmarked by February 28, 2010.

Take a Peek at Actions Taken by the SAA Council
A strategic planning session on public awareness, a half-day joint meeting with the
CoSA Board of Directors to discuss strategies for ensuring passage of the PAHR Act
in 2010, and a meeting with Archivist of the United States David Ferriero were among
the many activities tackled by the SAA Council at its February 2−4 meeting in
Washington, D.C., before the blizzard hit! Read a complete summary of the meeting
here.

SAA Council Posthumously Honors Studs Terkel
At its recent meeting, the SAA Council passed a resolution honoring renowned oral
historian Louis “Studs” Terkel. Read the full resolution here.

Haitian Archives Update
The SAA Council discussed the conditions of archives in Haiti at its meeting in
Washington D.C. Maygene Daniels, SAA Fellow and past president, represented SAA at a
meeting of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield (a non-profit organization that
protects cultural property around the world during armed conflicts and other
emergencies) member organizations in Washington on Feb. 5, and reported that
international efforts to provide support for Haitian archives are still being
organized. To learn about the state of libraries, records, and those in the
profession affected by the recent earthquake, visit the Digital Library of the
Caribbean Facebook page.


SAA 2010 Election: Are You Ready to Vote?
Online voting for SAA’s 2010 Election will take place March 11−April 11, 2010.
All individual members, student members, and primary contacts of institutional
members who are in good standing as of February 28, 2010, will be eligible to vote.
If you wish to change your SAA username and password for the purposes of this
election, you must do so by February 28. Paper ballots may be requested by calling
1-866-722-7858 or e-mailing servicecenter@archivists.org. A paper ballot will be
sent to you via first-class mail, along with complete candidate information. Paper
ballots must be requested by March 31, 2010, and postmarked no later than April 11,
2010. In the meantime, read candidate statements and biographies here.

Call for Papers for 75th Anniversary of SAA
SAA will celebrate its 75th Anniversary in 2011. If you’d like to contribute to the
celebration – and see your name in print – here’s a great opportunity! The American
Archivist Editorial Board invites proposals for papers to be published in the
Fall/Winter 2011 issue to mark SAA’s 75th anniversary. Read more here.

How Do You Document “Tweets”?
Case studies documenting the use of Twitter and virtual environments (Second Life,
etc.) by archival repositories are wanted for The Interactive Archivist: Case
Studies in Utilizing Web 2.0 to Improve the Archival Experience. Also welcome are
case studies in areas such as blogging, social networking, tagging and folksonomies,
mashups, RSS, wikis, photo sharing services, video sharing services, and podcasts.
Click here for more info.

Preserving Archives and Manuscripts Is Here!
Hot-off-the-press and ready for your reading is Preserving Archives and Manuscripts
(2nd ed.) by Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler. Time is running out to buy a copy at the
special promotional rate of $36. Click here to order your copy today!

2009 Research Forum Papers Now Available
Click here to check out this new content:
• “‘Everything about This Person’: Name-Based Access to Multiple Resources Using
EAC,” by Nancy Hadley.
• “Searching for ‘Spitzer’ in the Archives: Drawing New Conclusions from
‘Troopergate’ Using Archival Records and Social Networking Analysis,”
by Catherine Stollar Peters.
• “Tapping Our Potential: Business Process Management and Archival Content
Management Systems,” by J. Gordon Daines III and Cory L. Nimer.

Plan for Preservation on March 18
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) will host its 24th Annual
Preservation Conference, "Plan for Preservation: Assess, Prioritize and Manage,"
March 18, 2010, at the William G. McGowan Theater in Washington, D.C. Take a look at
the event schedule that begins with an introduction by David S. Ferreiro, Archivist
of the United States.

National Preservation Week, May 9–15, 2010
Pass It On: Saving Heritage and Memories
This May take the time to highlight your institution as a source of preservation
information. SAA has joined the American Library Association, the Library of
Congress, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services as a partner in
celebrating National Preservation Week, May 9−15, 2010. During this week, SAA
asks institutions to connect our communities through events, activities, and
resources that highlight what we can do to preserve our personal and shared
collections.
• Create a display about preserving and collecting personal, family, or community
heritage.
• Offer a preservation workshop or event.
• Highlight Preservation Week on your website with a link to ALA’s Preservation Week
resources.

Letter to ALA Concerning “Traditional Cultural Expressions” Statement
On January 6, 2010, SAA President Peter Gottlieb responded to ALA on behalf of SAA
about ALA's current draft statement (Draft 6) on traditional cultural expressions.
Read more here.

Emmett Leahy Award Nomination
If you or someone you know has had a major impact on the records and information
management professions, recognize their contributions and accomplishments through
the Emmett Leahy Award (nomination deadline is February 25).

NYU to Host Discussion Series
Just what is “archival silence”? Check out this topic and others at New York
University’s Spring 2010 “Discussing the Archive: Ideas, Practices and Institutions”
series.

Save the Date: Western Roundup 2010
Mark your calendars for Western Roundup 2010, held at the Renaissance Hotel in
Seattle from April 28 through May 1. This is a joint meeting sponsored by Northwest
Archivists, Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists, Society of California
Archivists, and Rocky Mountain Archivists. For more details click here.

Continuing Education
We’ve added more workshops from March to May—and more are in the works! With so many
topics to choose from, this is a great time to invest in your professional future
with continuing education from SAA. Take a look at the complete calendar. Don’t see
the topic of your choice? Contact us to bring a workshop to your location.

March/April Workshops
• Implementing “More Product, Less Process”
• Understanding Photographs: Introduction to Archival Principles and Practices
• Fundamentals of Acquisition and Appraisal
• Project Management for Archivists
• Visual Literacy for Photograph Collections
• Describing Archives: A Content Standard
• Oral History: From Planning to Preservation

Web Seminars
• Register now for “Basics of Managing Electronic Records…Getting You Started!”
March 30 at 1:00 p.m. (US CT) with Geof Huth of the New York State Archives.
• If you missed live presentations of SAA’s topical Web seminars, they’re now
available Online On Demand. Access the Education Calendar under the Education and
Events menu on the home page and register to gain access for two months. OR, if
you’d rather have an audio CD to listen to while driving, go to the Publications
Catalog and check for CDs.

Attention Job Seekers!
Check out the following career opportunities posted to SAA’s Online Career Center:

• Archivist / Crown Family Philanthropies (Chicago)
• Archivist / SPACES - Saving &Preserving Arts & Cultl Envirnmts (Aptos, California)
• Coordinator University Archives and Records Mgmt / Emory University Libraries
(Atlanta)
• Corporate Archivist / HSBC (Mettawa, Illinois)
• Dickinson Research Center Director / National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
(Oklahoma City)
• Director, Master of Archival Studies Program / Clayton State University (Morrow,
Georgia)
• Eastern Regional Archivist / Office of the Secretary of State (Washington)
• Electronic Records Archivist /
http://forums.archivists.org/t/375785/1040819/725/0/?u=aHR0cDovL2xpYndlYi51b3JlZ29uLmVkdS8%3d&x=144421de
(Eugene, Oregon)
• Librarian-William Gilmore Simms Curator / University of South Carolina (Columbia)
• Project Archivist / Northern Michigan University (Marquette)
• Records Officer / Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (Niskayuna, New York)
• Technical Archivist / John Deere (Moline, Illinois)
• University Archivist / Santa Clara University Library (Santa Clara, California)
• University Records Manager / Princeton University, Library (Princeton, New Jersey)

* * *

For more news of interest, see the SAA home page at www.archivists.org or SAA’s
Facebook page at
http://forums.archivists.org/t/375785/1040819/628/0/?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20vYXJjaGl2aXN0cy4%3d&x=4a008b76

[archmgmt] Photograph Storage discussion

Starting e-mail:
Good morning,
Hello everyone. I'm a Special Projects Librarian, and one of my responsibilities is reorganizing and managing our archives collection.
First off, I need to admit that I am not an archivist. That being said, I was looking for some input. Our archives collection consists of various document and photographic material relating directly to the history of the college. Most of our items are kept at an off-site storage facility,
but are in desperate need of reorganization. I am recalling the boxes a few at time to create a more concise collection that facilitates resource discovery. For instance, right now I might open a box that has photos from the Student Activities department along with Alumni magazines, memorabilia, president's memos, etc.

What is the best method for storing photographs and documents? Most of them are no larger than 8x10. My thoughts were to purchase archival quality album pages and we already have numerous three-ring binders.
I would organize the photos appropriately and store them in the binder for easy viewing with less wear and tear on the actual photo. What do you guys think? Can I put the photos back-to-back in the album sleeves, or is this not a good idea. I know people wouldn't be able to see anything written on the back of the photo, but I'm not sure how often people would need to access these.

Another option I considered was using archival file folders and filing the storage boxes (bankers boxes) this way with folders organized accordingly, but not in binders. I'm sure that each institutions needs to be flexible, but I'm not sure which direction to go with this. I just want to
make sure I'm creating an easy-to-use system while preserving the material.

Thanks for your patience, and I hope I'm not out of place here on the list-serv since I'm obviously a archivist fraud! Any assistance or advice would be very much appreciated!

Amy Regnier

Responses:

Amy,
I would go for the folder/box option with each folder labled with the content. Three ring binders are not the best for keeping archival materials physically stable over the long term. Also, people will want to access the data and will have to remove them from the sleeves to do so, so it really doesn't reduce the wear and tear. If you can afford it, I suggest you individually encapsulate the photos in archival quality sleeves available at most archival supply sites. If you write on the photographs use pencil. This way, the pictures will be physically stable and the information can be seen through the encapsulation.

There are lots of books and web-sites that can help you learn about best practices for processing and storing photographs. Check out the NEDCC's preservation leaflets at:
http://www.nedcc.org/resources/leaflets.list.php.
The Library of Congress also has a helpful Preservation Site:
http://www.loc.gov/preserv/care/photo.html.
Each of these resources also has bibliographies. The SAA publishes "Photographs: Archival Care and Management" by Ritzenthaler and O'Connor, which is a very helpful resource.

Hope this helps.

Melissa Eastin
*****

Hi Amy,
I am the Archives Advisor for the Archives Association of Ontario in Canada and just wanted to provide some additional resources. Our preservation consultant for the Archives Association of Ontario has written some article's about storing archival documents including photographs. Please visit our website at:
http://aao.fis.utoronto.ca/aa/portfolio.html for a list of articles that might be of help to you.

Regards,
Carolynn Bart-Riedstra, MA, AMCT
*****

I see an interesting theme appearing in this discussion - Library-associated archives versus "stand-alone" historical document repositories. One respondent aptly stated that a library's primary mission does not include providing such copies, hence a relatively high charge.
Whereas at our historical society providing such images is core to our mission, and I would argue that for us this leads to a case for lower charges.

Secondly, at our institution at least 80% of the work that goes into providing these images is done by skilled volunteers. So technically, the cost of labor for providing the images is minimal.

Peg Siciliano
*****

SAA, In the Loop for Tuesday, February 2, 2010

In the Loop is an electronic newsletter distributed via e-mail bi-weekly to=
provide members with an update on SAA activities. Please contact the SAA of=
fice at 866-SAA-7858 (toll-free) if you have any questions.

Upcoming Deadlines:
February 10: Deadline for petition to place additional members on election ballot
February 10: Early discount for Implementing More Product, Less Process workshop
February 11: Early discount for Understanding Photographs workshop
February 14: Early discount for Fundamentals of Acquisition & Appraisal workshop
February 19: Early discount for Project Management for Archivists workshop
February 28: Deadline for SAA award, scholarship, and Fellow nominations

Election 2010
Fourteen candidates vying for three different offices are slated on SAA's 2010 ballot. (Note: Any eligible SAA member can be placed on the ballot by submitting a petition signed by 50 individual members. Petitions must be received in the SAA office by February 10. Voters may also write in candidates on the ballot.) All individual members, student members, and primary contacts of institutional members who are in good standing on February 28, 2010, are able to vote. Casting your vote online is easier than ever by visiting SAA's home page between March 11 and April 11. Learn about the candidates here.

Preserving Archives and Manuscripts Is Here!
Be the first on your block to get the final volume in the Archival Fundamental Series II Preserving Archives and Manuscripts (2nd ed.) by Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler. The publication emphasizes integrating preservation and archival management and addresses storage, safe handling, and environmental issues.
Call toll-free 1-866-722-7858 to order your copy at a special promotional rate of $36!

SAA Council Meeting in D.C. This Week
The SAA Council is working its way through a hefty agenda including a joint session with the Council of State Archivists Board of Directors during its February 2-4 meeting at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. View the agenda and materials here. (Per Council action in 2009, all materials for Council meetings will be made available to members via the SAA website three days after they are sent to Council members.)

Haitian Archives Updates
The SAA Council will discuss the conditions of archives in Haiti at its meeting this week in Washington D.C. Maygene Daniels, SAA Fellow and past president, will represent SAA at a meeting of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield (a non-profit organization that protects cultural property around the world during armed conflicts and other emergencies) member organizations in Washington on Feb. 5. SAA is seeking the most effective ways that it can assist Haitian archives. Information from the Council's discussions and from the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield meeting will be distributed as soon as possible.To learn about the state of libraries, records, and those in the profession affected by the recent earthquake, visit the Digital Library of the Caribbean Facebook page.

Awards, Scholarship, and Fellow Nominations Wanted!
Do you know an individual or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the archives profession? Or promoted greater public awareness of archives? Have you published a groundbreaking book, written an outstanding article, or developed an innovative finding aid? SAA annually recognizes outstanding achievements in the archival profession through an awards competition and the naming of Fellows.

Would financial assistance to attend graduate school come in handy? Two recipients will be awarded the Mosaic Scholarship, which provides financial and mentoring support to minority students pursuing graduate education in archival science, encourages students to pursue a career as an archivist, and promotes the diversification of the American archives profession. The F. Gerald Ham Scholarship Fund offers financial support to two graduate students in their second year of archival studies.
For more details on selection criteria and nomination forms for SAA Fellows, awards, and scholarships, click here. Completed forms and supplementary materials must be postmarkedby February 28, 2010.

American Archivist Welcomes New Reviews Editors
SAA has appointed Amy Cooper Cary as reviews editor of American Archivist. Cary, director of the Archival Studies Program, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, assumes the three-year term immediately and will work with journal editor Mary Jo Pugh and with outgoing reviews editor Jeannette A. Bastian to commission review essays and to select books and other tools and products of archival activity for review. In addition, SAA also appointed Danna Bell-Russel as associate reviews editor, a new position. Bell-Russel, educational outreach specialist at the Library of Congress, will work with Cary to assemble reviews for the volumes to be published in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

NYU to Host Discussion Series
Just what is archival silence? Check out this topic and others at New York University Spring 2010. Discussing the Archive: Ideas, Practices, and Institutions series.

Emmett Leahy Award Nomination Deadline Feb. 25
If you or someone you know has had a major impact on the records and information management professions, recognize their contributions and accomplishments through the Emmett Leahy Award.

Plan for Preservation on March 18
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) will host its 24th Annual Preservation Conference, "Plan for Preservation: Assess, Prioritize and Manage," March 18, 2010, at the William G. McGowan Theater in Washington, D.C. Take a look at the event schedule that begins with an introduction by David S. Ferreiro, Archivist of the United States.

Continuing Education
We've added more workshops in the March/April/May time frame and more are in the pipeline! With so many topics to choose from, this is a great time to invest in your professional future with continuing education from SAA. Take a look at the complete calendar. Don=92t see the topic of your choice? Contact us to bring a workshop to your location.

March/April Workshops
Implementing More Product, Less Process
Understanding Photographs: Introduction to Archival Principles & Practices
Fundamentals of Acquisition and Appraisal
Project Management for Archivists
Visual Literacy for Photograph Collections
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Oral History: From Planning Preservation

Web Seminars
Register now for Basics of Managing Electronic Records: Getting You Started!, March 30 at 1:00 p.m. (US CT) with Geof Huth of the New York State Archives.
If you missed live presentations of SAA's topical Web seminars, they're now available Online On Demand. Access the Education Calendar under the Education and Events menu on the home page and register to gain access for two months. OR, if you'd rather have an audio CD to listen to while driving, go to the Publications Catalog and check for CDs.

Attention Job Seekers!
Check out the following career opportunities posted to SAA's Online Career Center:

• Archivist / SPACES - Saving & Preserving Arts & Cultl Envirnmts (Aptos, CA)
• Archivist/Records Manager / Legislative Council of Hong Kong SAR (Nationwide HKG)
• Assistant Head of SCUA / University Libraries - UNC at Greensboro (Greensboro, NC)
• Chief Archivist / John F. Kennedy Library & Museum (Boston, MA)
• Coordinator of Library and Information Services / Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square, PA)
• Director of Special Collections & Univ. Archivist / Wake Forest University (Winston Salem, NC)
• Director, Wittliff Collections / Alkek Library - Texas State University (San Marcos, TX)
• Documentary Editor / LDS Church History Department (Salt Lake City, UT)
• Director, Special Collections / The University of Arizona Libraries (Tucson, AZ)
• Project Archivist / Northern Michigan University (Marquette, MI)
• Project Coordinator / AstraZeneca (Wilmington, DE)
• Project Manager / AstraZeneca (Wilmington, DE)
• Quality Assurance Specialist / American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Inc. (New York, NY)
• University Archivist / Santa Clara University Library (Santa Clara, CA)
• webmaster / alanfreed.com (Santa Monica, CA)

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For more news of interest, see the SAA home page at www.archivists.org or SAA's Facebook page