Proposal Deadline Extended: SCAA 2023 Conference

Are you feeling inspired after attending recent national conferences? Did it Spark Ideas for you? We've extended the deadline for session proposals to Tuesday, August 15th from the SCAA 2023 Annual Conference. Visit the 2023 Annual Conference page for the details and submission form.

SCAA 2023 Conference: "Spark Ideas"

The South Carolina Archival Association Annual Conference is back, and it’s in person this year! After several years of meeting virtually, SCAA is happy to return to an in-person format at the University of South Carolina Upstate Library on Friday, October 20, 2023. This year’s conference theme is “Spark Ideas,” and it encompasses just about any topic you want to share. From your latest projects to new tools and ways to approach familiar workflows, or creative ways you’ve used outreach to grow collections or collaborate with others, we want to hear all about it! We’re also encouraging participation by students, whether MLIS candidates or undergraduates you’ve collaborated with on research, digital projects, or exhibits. Poster presentations will also be solicited, with a separate CFP going out in late August for posters.

The SCAA Board of Directors, which serves as the Annual Conference Planning Committee, invites you to submit proposals for presentations relating to the theme of “Spark Ideas," including but not limited to the following:

• Advocacy, diversity, and inclusion in archival research, education, training, and collections
• Case studies highlighting collections or resources within collections
• Creative approaches to funding, physical resources, and staffing
• Innovative strategies for outreach and community partnerships
• Making our collections accessible to a wider range of patrons and audiences
• Successful methodologies for creating and sustaining collections management policies
• Raising awareness of collections through events, exhibits, and publications

Additional details regarding presentation proposals:

• Presentations can be done solo or in groups of 2-3 presenters.
• Time slots are 50 minutes; allow approximately 30-40 minutes for your presentation with 10-20 minutes for Q&A and to “Spark Ideas.”
• Proposals are due by August 7, 2023.
• Submissions will be reviewed by the SCAA Board of Directors, and presenters will be notified by September 1, 2023.
• NOTE: Please limit your proposal to 250 words maximum.

Both SCAA members and non-members are encouraged to submit. To submit a proposal, complete the SCAA 2023 Conference Proposal Submission Form. A separate call for poster session proposals will go out in late August. 

New SAA-endorsed Inclusive Description External Standard

The SAA Council has endorsed "Archives for Black Lives in Philadelphia: Anti-Racist Description Resources" as an external description standard. With the support of SAA's Description Section, the External Standards Working Group collaborated with the Archives for Black Lives in Philadelphia Working Group to develop and submit this proposal in 2022. It was approved by Council in the fall. Find the new standard on the SAA website through the Standards Portal.

SCAA Unconference and Business Meeting coming up!

There is still time to register for the SCAA Unconference and Business Meeting! We are looking forward to a morning of casual conversation surrounding archival practices, activities, and events in our community over the past year. We will meet virtually on Friday, October 21, 2022 from 10:00am-1:00pm; the Unconference will take place from 10:00-12:00pm, followed by the Annual Business Meeting from 12:00-1:00pm. The Unconference and Annual Business Meeting will be hosted by USC Libraries virtually via Zoom (links below).

Our Unconference theme is “Advocacy Across the Aisle,” highlighting collaboration within the archival profession on a variety of topics and projects. In an increasingly connected world, archivists, librarians, public historians, and other information professionals must work together to advocate for their collections and communities they serve. Recent cultural and professional shifts have changed our ways of thinking about represented and underrepresented voices in our collections; what audiences we serve and who we need to serve; how we show up for our communities; and how we, as professionals, show up and advocate for one another on local, regional, and national levels.

The Padlet link yielded interesting topics to help steer our conversation. We took those topics and developed an outline for guiding our sessions. Below is the schedule for you to review. If any registrants have slides, images, materials, or even other topics, they would like to share, please email Erin Allsop (erin.allsop@cpcc.edu), Mae Howe (maeleebradford@gmail.com), or Ann Abney (aabney@mailbox.sc.edu). 

SCAA Unconference and Annual Business Meeting Schedule: 

Unconference Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/3BRwMeN ( Passcode 7*#S99 )

10:00-10:05am: Welcome and Introductions

10:05-10:15am - Unconference Discussion Topic 1: Diversity

·         What approaches are institutions using to collect material from and reach out to underrepresented communities? Who is involved in community archives activities?

10:15-10:30am - Unconference Discussion Topic 2: Outreach

·         Where are some places we can provide archival outreach, what kind of content would people be interested in hearing. 

10:30-10:45am : Unconference Discussion Topic 3: Reparative Description

·         What are your institutions doing about efforts around reparative description or reparative metadata? Have a controlled vocabulary you love for indigienous materials? Have you recently repatriated collections to tribal nations?

10:45-10:50am: Break

10:50-11:20am: Unconference Discussion Topic 4: SHRAB Regrant Program Update

·         The SC State Historical Records Advisory Board regrant program has awarded 12 institutions with funding from the NHPRC, including, historical societies, museums, universities, and rural/smaller SC towns representing traditionally underrepresented collections for this current grant cycle.  I would like to share information about these awarded collections as well as opportunities for future regrant awards.

11:20-11:50am: Continuing conversation about topics, resources, ideas, and updates.

11:50am-12:00pm: Preparation for Annual Business Meeting

12:00-1:00pm: SCAA Annual Business Meeting

·         Annual Business Meeting Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/3dQqBzF Passcode *@==.0

Similar to traditional conferences, an archives unconference brings together professionals to discuss important topics relevant to the archival profession. However, unlike traditional conferences, an archives unconference allows for attendees to contribute ideas and topic discussions relative to a theme that will help to develop a fluid outline for the gathering. We look forward to meeting with you all in this new capacity. For any questions or concerns, please contact us directly.

Sincerest Regards,

Erin Allsop, Second Year Director

Mae Howe, First Year Director

Ann Abney, SCAA President

Southeastern Archival Association Chats Live: Archives Month

On November 1, 2022 at 12:00 CST (1:00pm EST) the Southeastern Archival Association (SEAA) will hold its first live chat via Zoom.

Join SEAA for an informal virtual discussion about Archives Month. Talk about your successes, failures, and everything in between!

SEAA’s mission is "to provide an avenue for conversation and collaboration, to serve as an additional outlet for regional communication, and to support the archival community of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi." Membership is free and open to anyone, simply fill out the membership form. SEAA is a relatively new organization, but it has a listserv and is starting to do more programming.

Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/SEAAChatLive. Hope to see you at the chat!