SSA is continuing to participate in the formation of a group with Society of American Archivists, tentatively named the Regional Associations Group. There will be a meeting of group representatives at SAA in New Orleans, working on the structure and goals of the group.

As SSA's Immediate Past President, I will represent SSA, and I welcome your thoughts on this process.
Here is a summary of recent activity --

Recommendations from the 2012 SAA/Regionals Summit included establishing a listserv to ensure ongoing discussion and creating a formal group to take on information-sharing and advocacy initiatives. During the past year, a group of your colleagues, representing multi-state, state, and local regional archives organizations, has been collaborating with three SAA Council members to propose this formal Regional Associations Group. We are hoping that you will represent SSA and continue this conversation with us.

 

As a result of our work, we are proposing a draft statement of purpose, goals, and membership outline. If you have thoughts or concerns about this draft, please email your comments to me at afocke@rice.edu  by July 26.

 

Thank you!

Amanda Focke, CA

SSA Immediate Past President, May 2013- May 2014

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Statement of Purpose

The Regional Associations Group provides an official venue for information exchange amongst the leadership of regional archival organizations, and amongst the Regionals and the Society of American Archivists. The Group serves as a formal entity for fostering collaboration among the Regionals, and between the Regionals and SAA. It offers formal channels to coordinate efforts intra-state, interstate, and with SAA which facilitate streamlining actions, reducing costs, and increasing services to archivists around the nation. Such efforts include but are not limited to advocacy, public awareness, education, disaster planning/recovery, and grant development.

 

Membership composition

The membership of the committee includes one member from each of the regional organizations identified in the list below and two members of SAA. Regional organizations will select their representatives in whatever manner they choose. The SAA vice-president will appoint the SAA representatives. All initial members will be identified by August 1st, 2013. Members will serve two-year terms, except for the initial members, half of whom will serve 1 year terms. Members can only serve two consecutive terms.

 

Goals for initial year: (10/2013-9/2014):

• select leaders for 2013-2014;
• select and implement a communication structure for committee leadership, committee members, and their constituencies.
• develop a 3-year plan for implementing its purpose statement, report this plan to regional and SAA leadership, and compile regional and SAA member comments for use in implementing the plan;
• select at least one collaborative project to be completed and reported upon by July 1, 2014.

 

List of regional associations:

Multi-State

1.      Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists

2.      Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference

3.      Midwest Archives Conference

4.      New England Archivists

5.      Northwest Archivists, Inc.

6.      Society of Rocky Mountain Archivists

7.      Society of Southwest Archivists

 

Statewide

1.      Association of Hawaii Archivists

2.      Consortium of Iowa Archivists

3.      Delaware Valley Archivists Group (since it covers no entire state but multiple state)

4.      Kentucky Council on Archives

5.      Louisiana Archives and Manuscripts Association

6.      Maine Archives and Museums

7.      Miami Valley Archives Roundtable

8.      Michigan Archival Association

9.      New Hampshire Archives Group

10.      New York Archives Conference

11.      Society of Alabama Archivists

12.      Society of California Archivists

13.      Society of Florida Archivists

14.      Society of Georgia Archivists

15.      Society of Indiana Archivists

16.      Society of Mississippi Archivists

17.      Society of North Carolina Archivists

18.      Society of Ohio Archivists

19.      Society of Tennessee Archivists

20.      South Carolina Archival Association

 

Local (City or Regional within a State)

1.      Archivists of Central Texas

2.      Archivists of the Houston Area

3.      Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York, Inc.

4.      Association of St. Louis Area Archivists

5.      Capital Area Archivists of New York

6.      Charleston Archives, Libraries and Museum Council

7.      Chicago Area Archivists

8.      Cleveland Archival Roundtable

9.      Greater New Orleans Archivists

10.      Kansas City Area Archivists

11.      Saint Louis Area Religious Archivists

12.      Seattle Area Archivists

13.      Southeastern Wisconsin Archives Group

14.      Twin Cities Archives Round Table
15.        Central Oklahoma Archivists League