Society of Southwest Archivists News

[RAAC]: SAA's 250 for the 250th online exhibit seeking submissions

Max Prud'homme — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:53:57 GMT

In honor of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, SAA is developing an online exhibit that showcases the nationʻs rich, diverse, and challenging histories through the materials we care for in our repositories. We invite archival repositories across the states and territories to contribute one digital/digitized item to this exhibition. You can find more information about the initiative and the submission process on SAAʻs website.

Folks who responded to the survey SAA circulated in October should have received an email with a Preservica upload link and a link to a metadata form. If you did not respond to the survey (or didnʻt get the link) but still want to contribute an item, please email SAAAmerica250TaskForce@archivists.org.

Please share with your organization's membership and encourage them to share with their repositories. You do not have to be a member of SAA to participate.

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Courtney Bailey
Chair, Regional Archival Associations Consortium
NC Administrative Office of the Courts
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Edward Durell Stone’s Modernist Fine Arts Center Reopens After Restoration

Max Prud'homme — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 17:06:53 GMT

The $38 million restoration of Edward Durell Stone’s 1951 Fine Arts Center at the University of Arkansas revives a bold postwar experiment that once brought Picasso artwork to a college town and now reunites the landmark building with works from its groundbreaking debut.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas’ School of Art will officially reopen its historic Fine Arts Center on April 16, 2026, following a $38 million restoration.

The 1951 modernist landmark, designed by noted architect Edward Durell Stone, once brought works by major artists such as Pablo Picasso and Edward Hopper to, at the time, a relatively small college town in the Ozarks.

Stone, a native Arkansan, also co-designed the original Museum of Modern Art with Philip L. Goodwin, the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Fine Arts Center at Arkansas translated international modernism with its Bauhaus-inspired approach to unite art, architecture, theatre and music in one building through a transparent gallery spine and modular teaching spaces — decades before interdisciplinary arts centers became common on university campuses.

John Blakinger, endowed associate professor and program director of art history in the School of Art, explores that original moment in his essay, “Making Arkansas Modern: An Exhibition of Contemporary Art in Edward Durell Stone’s Fine Arts Center,” written for a digital exhibition that will accompany the reopening.

Blakinger describes the inaugural show — which featured Hopper’s famous work Nighthawks and loans from the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art — as a deliberate effort to introduce midcentury modernism to a state rarely included in standard accounts of modern art and design.

At a time when many midcentury buildings face demolition or drastic alteration, the University of Arkansas chose preservation over replacement. The restoration, led by New York–based TenBerke in collaboration with Arkansas firm Miller Boskus Lack, removed decades of interior alterations, reopened Stone’s original sightlines and restored the building’s defining modernist transparency while upgrading it for contemporary use.

The reopening celebration will include the physical exhibition “Fine Arts First Years”, on view in the center’s teaching gallery from April 8 to July 10, 2026. Organized in collaboration with the University of Arkansas Special Collections Division with curation by Catherine Wallack, Special Collections archivist, the exhibition will revisit the spirit of the center’s inaugural show and the culture the building fosters among all arts disciplines.

Objects on display will include the building’s original ticket booth, designed by Stone; a midcentury modern chaise longue designed by Stone and manufactured by Fulbright Industries; materials documenting the inaugural exhibition; rarely seen paintings and sculpture by early Arkansas art faculty; and original correspondence and wonders from the period.

The restoration of the Fine Arts Center marks a milestone in the School of Art’s expansion over the past decade. In 2017, the University of Arkansas transformed its Department of Art into the School of Art following a landmark $120 million gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation — the largest gift ever made to a school of art in the United States. The investment expanded faculty, facilities and national visibility. The restoration of the Fine Arts Center now anchors that growth in the building that first defined the university’s arts vision.

"Fulbright College is proud to champion all forms of creative expression. We strive to build bridges across cultures, disciplines, and generations, turning understanding into connection and curiosity into transformation," said Lia Uribe, Fulbright College associate dean for the arts and humanities. "None of this would be possible without the generous support of the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. We're forever grateful for their continued investment to expand access to fine arts education."

“The Fine Arts Center was conceived as a place where the arts could converge under one roof, and that exchange remains central to how we educate today,” said Rachel Debuque, director of the School of Art. “Our students and faculty collaborate across disciplines — from public art mural projects and research in the Arkansas prairies to immersive technologies developed with colleagues in the sciences. In this way, the School of Art advances the Fine Arts Center’s vision: that the arts enrich academic journeys and strengthen Arkansas’ cultural life.”

The restoration was made possible through the support of the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the University of Arkansas.

About the University of Arkansas Libraries: Located in the heart of campus, the David W. Mullins Library is the university’s main research library. Branch libraries include the Chemistry and Biochemistry Library, the Fine Arts Library, the Physics Library, and the Robert A. and Vivian Young Law Library. The Libraries provide access to more than 3.5 million volumes and more than 290,000 journals and offer research assistance, study spaces, printing and scanning, interlibrary loan and delivery services, and cultural exhibits and events. The Libraries’ Special Collections division acquires, preserves, and provides access to materials on Arkansas and the region, its customs and people, and its cultural, physical, and political climate. Visit the Libraries’ website at libraries.uark.edu to learn more about services and collections.

The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the academic heart and soul of the University of Arkansas — where discovery, creativity, and curiosity meet to create a transformational education. Encompassing three schools, 16 departments, and numerous programs and research centers, Fulbright College connects the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences to advance knowledge, discovery, and serve Arkansas and the world. Discover more at fulbright.uark.edu.

Housed in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, the University of Arkansas School of Art offers undergraduate degrees and tuition-free graduate programs in art education, art history, graphic design and studio art, including ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture. Formerly the Department of Art, the School of Art was established in 2017 following a transformative $120 million gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. With additional support from the Windgate Foundation, the School of Art developed the Windgate Art and Design District, providing state-of-the-art facilities and strong partnerships with regional arts institutions. Learn more at art.uark.edu.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.

CONTACTS:

Kayla Crenshaw
Director of Communications and Chief of Staff
School of Art
Kaylac@uark.edu

Elizabeth Muscari
Assistant Director of Communications
School of Art
479-575-5550
eamuscar@uark.edu

Call all Applicants! -- Racial Justice Honoraria Fund

Max Prud'homme — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 20:34:58 GMT

Calling all Applicants!

The New England Archivists’ Inclusion and Diversity Committee is looking for applicants for the Racial Justice Honoraria Fund (RJHF) (www.newenglandarchivists.org/Racial-Justice-Honoraria-Fund).

The RJHF is designed to compensate people of color involved in a broad range of professional activities including: writing articles for the NEA Newsletter; organizing trainings, workshops, or programs; conducting research; policy documentation review; consulting on project development; planning for racial justice initiatives; and other projects as evaluated by the fund committee.

To be eligible, one must be:

A self-identified person of color, regardless of NEA membership, who proposes a project related to racial justice and equity, archives, or cultural heritage (for instance, a research project to be presented at a meeting or a newsletter article), or:
A self-identified person of color, regardless of NEA membership, selected by an NEA committee to lead or advise programs or projects related to racial justice and equity, archives, or cultural heritage.

Award amounts are variable based on the specifics of the project, as outlined below

Articles for NEA newsletter - $150.00
Honoraria for trainings/program/workshop - Up to $575.00
Research projects - Up to $500.00
Other projects (evaluated by the committee) - Up to $500.00

Applications are accepted via this Google form. This application period closes May 15, 2026.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to diversity@newenglandarchivists.org.

Thank you!

Gladys García

Inclusion and Diversity Committee Vice Chair

New England Archivists

Western Archives Institute Returning in 2026!

Max Prud'homme — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 21:32:00 GMT

After a brief hiatus, the Western Archives Institute (WAI) will be returning in Summer 2026 as a fully online program hosted by the Society of California Archivists (SCA).

WAI is an intensive, two-week program that offers integrated instruction in basic archival practices. It is designed for individuals with diverse professional goals, including those whose roles require a foundational understanding of archival skills but who have little or no prior archival training; those assuming increased responsibility for archival materials; practicing archivists without formal archival education; and individuals committed to pursuing a career in archives.

The Institute features a diverse curriculum of synchronous sessions that include:

Introduction to the archival profession and core concepts
Starting and managing an Archives program
Principles of archival collection arrangement and description
Best practices for digitization, digital preservation, and born-digital content management
Outreach and public relations
Reference and access
Ethical, social, and legal issues in administering archival collections
Working with communities
Fundraising for an Archives program

Registration fees for WAI are $950 for the two-week program (exact dates in Summer 2026 are forthcoming). Visit our website to learn about the SCA WAI Scholarship that covers registration fees.

You can sign up for our mailing list if you’d like to receive updates about the 2026 program dates and deadlines.

For additional information please contact Marcella Lees, WAI Administrator, and Eric Milenkiewicz, WAI Associate Administrator, at wai@calarchivists.org.

Applications open for J. Franklin Jameson Archival Advocacy Award (SAA)

Max Prud'homme — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 17:09:14 GMT

The J. Franklin Jameson Archival Advocacy Award Subcommittee of the Society of American Archivists is asking you to submit a nomination for the J. Franklin Jameson Archival Advocacy Award!

Established in 1989, this award honors an individual, institution, or organization that promotes greater public awareness, appreciation, or support of archival activities or programs. The individual's or institution's contributions may take the form of advocacy, publicity, legislation, financial support, or a similar action that fosters archival work or raises public consciousness of the importance of archival work. Contributions should have broad, long-term impact at the regional level or beyond.

Eligibility: Nominees must be from outside the archives profession. Individuals directly involved in archival work, either as paid or volunteer staff, or institutions or organizations directly responsible for an archival program are not eligible for this award.

Nominations should be sent through the online submission system by February 28, 2026 at https://app.smarterselect.com/programs/45853-Society-Of-American-Archivists

Recent winners include:

2024: Dr. Elaine Carey
2023: The West Virginia Feminist Activist Collection Advisory Team
2020: Brad Pomerance, CJ Eastman AND Council of Independent Colleges' Humanities Research for the Public Good Program
2019: Tempestt Hazel AND The Kitchen Sisters (Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva)
2018: Yvonne Lewis Holley AND Brad Meltzer
2017: Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI)
2016: Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ron Chernow

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD: CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Max Prud'homme — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 22:32:35 GMT

Do you know someone who has made a significant contribution to the Society of Southwest Archivists (SSA) or to the wider archival profession? If so, you can nominate them for SSA’s Distinguished Service Award (DSA)! First awarded in 1977, the DSA is a wonderful way to honor colleagues, and it has been generously sponsored by Hollinger Metal Edge since 1996. The recipient is selected by the Executive Board based on the recommendations of the DSA Committee. You can find a list of past recipients on the SSA website.

To nominate someone, please submit a letter covering the nominee’s contributions to SSA and the profession. Letters of support are recommended to strengthen the nomination. Please send nominations to the chair of the Distinguished Service Award Committee (ipp@southwestarchivists.org) by February 13th, 2026.

The recipient of the Distinguished Service Award will be revealed at the Business Meeting held at the 2026 Annual Meeting. The DSA Committee looks forward to receiving your nomination packages. Let’s celebrate our colleagues!

Nominate a colleague (or yourself!) for SAA's Preservation Publication Award

Max Prud'homme — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 22:31:07 GMT

The Preservation Publication Award committee welcomes nominations of outstanding preservation-related works of relevance to the North American archives community that were published in 2025.

Nominated works may include articles, reports, chapters, or monographs in an audiovisual, digital, or print formats. Works may cover topics related to analog or digital preservation.

To learn more about this award, please visit https://www2.archivists.org/governance/handbook/section12-preservation.

Browse SAA's many opportunities for professional recognition and financial assistance. Then click on the award's application form for a preview and/or to create a profile, and follow the directions to complete your submission.

The deadline is February 28, 2026.

About the National Disaster Recovery Fund for Archives this late August

Max Prud'homme — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 15:34:19 GMT

Hello, Preservationists!

Are you planning to attend the ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2025 Annual Meeting in person? If yes, please consider volunteering to staff the tables for the Preservation Section's Silent Auction that supports the National Disaster Recovery Fund for Archives. The auction will take place on Monday and Tuesday, August 25th and 26th, at the Hilton Anaheim in Anaheim, California.

Monitoring the Silent Auction is easy and fun! Hundreds of SAA conference attendees stop by each year to look over the items, and working at the tables is a great way to network and to reconnect with friends and acquaintances. We know you're at the conference to attend sessions–but remember, most of the sessions are being recorded, so you can watch them later!

Please visit our SignUpGenius page (link below) to review the available time slots, and click on the "Sign Up" button to volunteer for one slot (or more).

Instructions

Click on link: NDRFA Silent Auction Tables Volunteering
Click on "Sign Up" for shift or shifts you want to take
Hit "Save and Continue" at bottom of page
On next page, hit "Sign Up Now"

Differing slightly depending on your shift, volunteer responsibilities include:

helping to set up (morning/opening shifts only) and pack up (late afternoon shifts only) the auction items and supplies,
helping to keep the tables of items and bid sheets neat and clear,
answering questions, handing out Auction FAQs sheets,
promoting the auction on social media,
and helping to contact winners and verify their donations when distributing their items (Tuesday afternoon only).

We'll be in touch by email in advance of the conference with a final schedule and basic instructions for everyone. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you in Anaheim!

Questions or problems? Contact Daria Labinsky at daria.labinsky@gmail.com.

Whether or not you're attending, there's still time to donate to the NDRFA Silent Auction! And if you've already donated, thanks!

SSA Statement on Dismissal of the Archivist of the United States

Perla Camacho-Cedillo — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 20:48:09 GMT

Greeting, SSA Members,

As you all know, the Archivist of the United States, Dr. Colleen J. Shogan, was removed from her position on Friday, February 7th. The reasons for her removal as head, among other things, of the National Archives and Records Administration are unclear. Such a removal requires an explicit statement communicating reasons for such a dismissal to both houses of Congress. No such explanation has been forthcoming.

The Officers and Board of the SSA are confident that our fellow SSA members join us in expressing our profession’s most cherished belief that, as our colleagues in the Society of American Archivists so elegantly state it, “archival records serve to strengthen collective memory and protect people’s rights, property, and identity.” The SSA’s own mission states that we promote sound principles and standards for preserving and administering records. Archives hinge upon the idea that information knows no boundaries; that freedom to access our documentary heritage is key to open discussion in a nation that has enshrined those ideals in its founding documents. Recent events, sadly, have seemed to contravene that.

Yet we are not powerless to address this. As we look toward the future, the SSA’s Officers and Board hope that you’ll join us in support of our colleagues at NARA. Contact your representatives in support of maintaining NARA’s funding, as well as the federal support that dozens of repositories within Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas—and our colleagues outside of the SSA—rely on to stay true to archives’ most fundamental principles. Continue your service to the SSA and the other archival, library, museum, or cultural heritage organizations that tirelessly work to support your fellow archivists and the historical record.

Keep making a difference.

Signed,

Officers of the Society of Southwest Archivists

Board of the Society of Southwest Archivists

Dr. Ciaran B. Trace, 1971-2024

Perla Camacho-Cedillo — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 16:45:41 GMT

It is with great sadness that we share the news that Professor Ciaran B. Trace has passed away. Dr. Trace joined The University of Texas at Austin School of Information (iSchool) in 2010 and was a passionate advocate for the archives and records management fields. She led the effort in establishing the iSchool’s partnership with the Institute of Certified Records Managers, allowing students to apply completed coursework toward examination credit for either the Certified Records Analyst (CRA) or the Certified Records Manager (CRM) designations.

To view the full post detailing Dr. Trace's professional achievements, visit here.

Professional Development Panel or Workshop Call for Proposals

Jaimi Parker — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 02:10:40 GMT

The Society of Southwest Archivists (SSA) Professional Development Committee (PDC) is accepting proposals for a virtual workshop series or panel presentation to be held starting early May 2023.**

**Please note that this call for proposal is not for the 2023 SSA Pre-Conference Workshop selection process.

Workshop/panel topics can cover any aspect of the archival enterprise (including analog, digital, and records management.) Such topics may include, but are not limited to:

Digital archives and applications of technology
GIS mapping
Environmental controls for archival materials
Rare books for archivists
Social Media and marketing in Archives
Project Management for archivists
Advocating for yourself in the workplace
Digital Humanities
Archival Management
Copyright in Archives
Diversity in the Profession
Oral histories

Workshops

Timeframe: 60 to 90 minutes

Should include: Objectives and learning outcomes for the session, target audience, technical requirements, prerequisite knowledge or experience, time expectation.

Panels Presentations

Timeframe: 60 minutes, including Q&A

The PDC is open to review any new and innovative initiatives and conceptual work (completed or under development) for training and professional development sessions with consideration to diversity and inclusion.

We strongly encourage panel/presentation sessions that address topics from multiple perspectives and institutions.

Proposals should address the target audience, an explanation of hands-on/interactive components, and the learning objectives and outcomes for attendees to come away with a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical skills that can be applied to the field of archives.

Proposals are due by midnight on Thursday, March 16, 2023, and must be submitted using the following form.

The PDC highly encourages co-presenters, first-time presenters, early-career professionals, lone arrangers, current graduate students, community members who work with archival (analog and digital) materials in less traditional or unconventional settings to apply.

For any questions, please contact the SSA Professional Development Committee at pdc@southwestarchivists.org.

Please submit proposals using the SSA Professional Development Call for Proposals form.

AHA/OHA Joint Statement

Perla Camacho-Cedillo — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 23:06:10 GMT

This past summer, Alexandra Levy, Communications Manager for the American Historical Association (AHA), reached out to me as SSA President regarding a jointly issued statement between AHA and the Organization of American Historians (OAH) in which they expressed their dismay concerning the US Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. Both organizations had provided the Supreme Court with an [amicus curiae] brief that included historical precedence supporting their argument that the "history" referred to in the court's majority opinion is inaccurate and a misrepresentation. According to their response, the Supreme Court “...adopted a flawed interpretation of abortion criminalization that has been pressed by anti-abortion advocates for more than thirty years. … These misrepresentations are now enshrined in a text that becomes authoritative for legal reference and citation in the future. The court’s decision erodes fundamental rights and has the potential to exacerbate historic injustices and deepen inequalities in our country.”

Given the historical implications (not political), the SSA Board reviewed the AHA/OHA joint statement and agreed to sign on as a supporter. I encourage you to read the [amitus curiae] brief to review the historical precedence supporting their argument. As a signatory, SSA shows our support with their statement, in particular: "The OAH and AHA consider it imperative that historical evidence and argument be presented according to high standards of historical scholarship. The court’s majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson does not meet those standards and has therefore established a flawed and troubling precedent."

SSA Encourages Archivists to Determine Eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

Jaimi Parker — Tue, 31 May 2022 17:19:35 GMT

The Executive Board of the Society of Southwest Archivists encourages archival employees with federal student loans to review their eligibility under the U.S. Department of Education’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and Temporary Expanded PSLF (TEPSLF) programs. If you were previously denied under PSLF rules, the limited one-year waiver under TEPSLF put in place by the Education Department may now qualify you for forgiveness. The deadline to submit necessary paperwork is October 31, 2022.

Under the PSLF program, federal student loan borrowers employed by government agencies and qualifying nonprofit organizations are eligible to have their federal student loan balance forgiven after making 10 years of qualifying loan payments. Many archival workers meet the employer eligibility criteria for the program.

To determine your eligibility for either program, visit https://studentaid.gov/pslf. You must apply to be considered.

In an era of staggering student loan debt, surging inflation, and stagnant wages, there should be no shame in seeking financial relief. To assist in determining what options may be available to you, the following non-profit organizations provide additional information:

PSLF Coalition https://pslfcoalition.org

Student Borrower Protection Center https://protectborrowers.org

Student Loan Borrower Assistance https://www.studentloanborrowerassistance.org

Please be aware of the numerous scams regarding student loan forgiveness and consolidation. These individuals and companies seek to defraud unsuspecting borrowers through “official” looking advertisements and websites. Avoid any entity that uses high-pressure sales tactics, promises fast debt cancellation, requires upfront fees, and that limits your options when engaging their services.

A Short History of "The Southwestern Archivist"

Perla Camacho-Cedillo — Wed, 11 May 2022 22:01:24 GMT

Krishna Shenoy, Librarian/Archivist and John Slate, City Archivist, Dallas Municipal Archives. This is the fourth installment of a series of articles that commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Society of Southwest Archivists.

A good newsletter has two uses - its immediate use to convey timely information and report on membership activities; and its later use as a historical snapshot of where we were, what we did, and how we did it. The past issues of The Southwestern Archivist area chronicle of the organization during good times and bad, a look at the past issues and concerns of the archives community, and a record of achievement among SSA?s members.

During the1970s, one of the significant accomplishments of SSA President A. Otis Hebert Jr. was the inception of a quarterly newsletter. Hebert produced the first issue in August 1973 and it was simply named- "The Newsletter". John M. Kinney, Texas State Archivist at the time, was named as Publisher. Upon his election as SSA President, Kinney chose Larry Sall of the University of Texas at Arlington as editor. Sall produced five issues and was succeeded by Chris LaPlante of the Texas State Archives. LaPlante served from the fall of 1976 through the summer of 1980. The familiar region logo makes it's appearance during this time.

Vicki Sullivan of the Oklahoma Historical Society served as editor during 1980-1981. She was succeeded by Lauren Brown of the Woodson Research Center at Rice University, who began her tenure as editor in 1981 and continued the post through the Spring of 1984. She was succeeded by David L. Chapman, university archivist at Texas A&M University, who served through the spring 1987 issue. Among other things, David introduced clip art and fajita recipes to the still untitled newsletter. During his editorship the Sterling C. Evans Library at Texas A&M graciously printed "The Newsletter" at no cost to SSA.

Michael Heskett of the Local Records Division of the Texas State Library and Archives assumed the editorship with the Summer 1987 issue and continued through the Winter 1989 issue. He changed the numbering system from a simple consecutive number to a volume and issue number. Dr. Frank de la Teja, then assistant archivist at the Texas General Land Grant Office, began to edit the newsletter with the Spring 1989 issue and continued to serve through the Winter 1991 issue.

Frank de la Teja was succeeded by Leon C. Miller of Tulane University, who made a lasting impact upon the look and content of the publication. His first issue appeared under the new and current title The Southwestern Archivist, a name approved by the executive board in May 1990. Lee introduced a number of new and exciting features into the newsletter including for the first time, identifying authors of articles.

Issues of The Southwestern Archivist were traditionally printed and mailed to members and institutions. Its look was greatly improved, and consistently generous advertising revenue ensured a professional, good looking product. Miller stepped down in 1996 and was succeeded by Barbara Rust of the National Archives Federal Records Center in Fort Worth; she was succeeded the following year by a series of editors with brief terms between 1997 and 2003, including Glenn McMullen, Casey Greene, Carol Roark, Sharon Perry Martin, John Slate, and Tara Z. Laver. In 2003, the first digital issue was introduced and recipients had the option of receiving both the print and/or digital version of the newsletter.

The newsletter covered local events, new exhibits, projects, and employment opportunities, but it also reported on national and international developments, archival publications, and notable changes in archival leadership across the region.

Amanda York Focke, Rice University, assumed the editor's mantle in 2003 and served through 2007. She was followed by Katie Salzmann and Kris Toma, both Texas State University, who co-edited through 2012. They were followed by Lauren Goodley (Texas State University) and Kate Blalack (Woody Guthrie Center), who co-edited through 2014. Lisa Cruces, University of Houston, served as editor 2014-2016. She was followed in by Amanda Norman, who served 2016-2019.

In mid-2018, the editorial team decided to transition the newsletter from the old program (InDesign) to LucidPress. Streamlined, and user-friendly LucidPress, made designing the newsletter easier and wouldn't require the same level of technical training for incoming Editors that InDesign demanded. The transition made a huge improvement on the aesthetic quality of the newsletter, as seen between the August 2018 issue and the November 2018 issue. In addition to new software, which ultimately reshaped the design and feel of the newsletter, a cover page was included, giving the newsletter more the appearance of a journal. Furthermore, the "Talk Of The Region" section was added to distinguish articles about individual repositories from those that covered a broader range of institutions or areas in the southwest.

In 2020, under the leadership of Editor Nicholas Wojcik, Scholarly Publishing Librarian at the University of Oklahoma Libraries, the newsletter went to a solely digital format, and the print version was discontinued. In keeping with the times, Wojcik and the Diversity and Outreach Committee began a bi-annual feature highlighting diverse collections and diverse voices in archives. The move to a digital only format allowed for more editorial and creative freedom, and under the editorship of Krishna Shenoy, Librarian/Archivist, the newsletter is now in color and not bound to traditional print layouts. This move to color, conveniently coincided with SSA's new branding scheme creating a more unified appearance across all of SSA's communication platforms, including the website, social media, and the newsletter. The newsletter continues to serve admirably as the principle means of communication to the membership about activities and actions of the Society.

Caption: Images in this blog post prior to 2003 are from the Society of Southwest Archivists Collection, Texas Collection and University Archives at Baylor University.

Honored Guests: Highlights of Keynote Speakers and VIPs at SSA Annual Meetings

Jaimi Parker — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 15:13:59 GMT

John Slate, 50th Anniversary Ad Hoc Committee Chair

This is the third installment of a series of articles that commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Society of Southwest Archivists.

In the past 50 years, SSA has welcomed speakers whose presentations encompass a variety of subjects, but ultimately express the importance of archives in the field of Humanities. A.M. Gibson was the featured speaker at SSA’s first annual meeting in 1973. A George L. Cross Research Professor of History at the University of Oklahoma, Gibson’s speech focused on how archives were used for his Oklahoma and New Mexico history research. The following year, the president of the Society of American Archivists, F. Gerald Ham, served as the keynote speaker.

Caption: SSA Annual Meeting 1988 at the University of Texas at Arlington. From left to right: university benefactor Jenkins Garrett; Archivist of the United States Don W. Wilson; University of Texas at Arlington Director of Libraries Charles B. Lowry; university benefactor Virginia Garrett; SAA Executive Director Donn C. Neal. Wilson and Neal were the featured speakers. (SSA Archives)

A few celebrity VIPs have attended the Annual Meetings, such as Lady Bird Johnson’s appearance at the Lyndon Johnson Library and Museum during the 1980 Austin meeting. Archives professionals joined the trend of invited speakers, such as the Archivist of the United States, Don W. Wilson, who discussed the National Archives’ future. Execute Director Donn Neal of the Society of American Archivists followed with a presentation about the future of the archival profession. The 2006 meeting invited L. Reynolds Cahoon, Senior Advisor on Electronic Records at the National Archives. His topic of discussion involved the challenges of email and electronic records preservation.

Caption: Dr. Matthew Whitaker, 2012 (photo by Jennifer Green)

Some keynote speakers discussed the impact of archival enterprise on regions part of SSA, such as SSA founding member Leon Metz speaking about the History of El Paso at the 1994 meeting. In 2006, historian and author David Dorado Romo presented “Exploring the Different Layers of Micro-History”, a speech about the use of archival resources to uncover El Paso and Juarez cultural history.

The trend of speakers has shifted to include a wider range of diverse backgrounds and experiences. Donald Harington, writer of “Ozark Surrealist”, spoke about how archives impacted his writing career at the 2000 meeting in Fayetteville. Brenda Toineeta Pipestem, chair of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian Board of Trustees, talked about repatriation at the 2016 Annual Meeting in Oklahoma City. In 2018, Dr. Tomás Ybarra-Frausto, a renowned scholar of Latina/o arts and culture, was invited to present at the San Antonio meeting.

Caption: Dr. Tomás Ybarra-Frausto, 2018 (photo by Melissa Gonzales)

Dr. Andrew Torget’s (University of North Texas) 2015 keynote made a strong impact when lighting struck the hotel the meeting was held at. Despite the venue’s loss of electricity that prevented his use of a digital presentation, a fitting example of a modern peril, Torget persevered with his speech on the “Promise and Perils of Digital Archives”.

Caption: Michelle Light, 2019 (former), Director of Special Collections and Archives at the University of Nevada , Las Vegas (photo by SSA member)

SLOTTO: Ham & History Since 1993

Jaimi Parker — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 15:25:14 GMT

Lilly Carrel, 50th Anniversary Ad Hoc Committee

This is the second installment of a series of articles that commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Society of Southwest Archivists.

What once began as a business meeting raffle during breakfast has transformed into the annual tradition known as SLOTTO. SLOTTO made its first mark in SSA’s history on May 20, 1993 with David Murrah hosting the raffle and raising $515 for the Herbert Scholarship.

Caption: Charles Schultz, SSA President 1978-1980, with his “Bluebirds of Happiness” at SLOTTO in Fayetteville, AR, 2000. Photo: Shelly Kelly.

The following year at SSA’s annual meeting in El Paso, Kim Allen Scott filled in as host, a role he would continue to undertake throughout the next decade. His weeks-long preparation served him well as he entertained attendees and helped drive up raffle ticket sales. Kim’s years in this role for the event would pay off in 2001 when he was presented the Distinguished Service Award. Since the beginning of SLOTTO in 1993 until 2001, up to $1,570 had been raised through the raffle.

Caption: Long-time host, Kim Allen Scott, and Gerri Schaad at SLOTTO in Austin, TX, 1999. Photo: Shelly Kelly.

SLOTTO’s tradition evolved as SSA leaders and members added prize runners, such as Mark Lambert who dressed up as Elvis Presley in 2002 to distribute winnings during the event. In the mid 2000s, John Slate, Robert Schaadt, and others took a turn at being hosts to introduce their own comedic talents to SLOTTO.

Caption: LBJ bust, recurring SLOTTO prize, “The Louisiana Years.” January 2021. Photo: Mark E Martin.

Caption: Buy SLOTTO Tickets! Bob Sloan, Tara Zachery Laver, and Cindy Smolovik. San Antonio, TX, 2004 SSA Annual Meeting. Photo: Shelly Kelly.

In the following decade, Melissa Gonzales took on the emcee role, wearing costume concepts such as “Jock Jams” in 2015 and “I Dream of ‘Wonder Woman Genie’” in 2019. During this year, $2,700 was raised at SLOTTO.

Caption: SLOTTO emcee, Melissa Gonzales, in “I Dream of ‘Wonder Woman’ Jeannie” costume, Tucson, AZ, 2019. Image courtesy of Melissa Gonzales.

The year 2020 with COVID-19 brought some abrupt changes in the cancellation of SSA’s annual meeting and SLOTTO raffle. Both returned in 2021 as members adapted to the virtual world of remote meetings. Melissa committed to her hosting responsibilities for the fundraiser while wearing a crafted Moulin Rouge tiger costume, successfully bringing a comedic sense of normalcy and hope to attendees through the computer screen.

SLOTTO returns to its roots in 2022 at SSA’s 50th anniversary annual meeting in Houston.

Let Us Hear From You – Celebrate SSA’s 50th Anniversary

What can you do to help? Send in your most memorable moments of SSA! Whether it took place this year, fifteen years ago, or fifty years ago, we want to know what memorable moments stand out when you think back over your SSA membership. Was there a particular session or workshop that changed the way you practiced Archives?

Did something memorable happen at the annual meeting? How did you meet your best SSA friend? Whether it’s funny or sad, poignant or boring; we want to know your most memorable moments in SSA. Send memorable moments to John Slate john.slate@dallascityhall.com.

SSA Elections 2022: Call for Nominations

Jaimi Parker — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 14:30:07 GMT

If you would like to serve, or know an ideal candidate, please submit your nominations for the following positions:

Vice-President/President Elect (three year term-one as VP, one as President, and one as Immediate Past President)

Executive Board (3 positions, two-year term)

Nominating Committee (1 position, two-year term)

Scholarship Committee (1 position, three-year term)

Secretary (two-year term)

The responsibilities of each position are outlined in the SSA Officer & Committee Procedures Manual.

To submit a nomination or nominate yourself, please fill out this form: 2022 Nominations Form

The deadline for submitted nominations is January 1, 2022.

Remember, if you are a Certified Archivist, or are planning to become certified, participating in the leadership of a professional organization such as SSA will earn you recertification credit.

SSA at 50: Snapshots From Five Decades

Jaimi Parker — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 14:31:22 GMT

John Slate, Chair, 50th Anniversary Ad Hoc Committee

This is the first installment of a series of articles that commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Society of Southwest Archivists.

Let’s begin at the beginning! On May 5, 1972 thirty-five archivists, librarians, and historians met at the University of Texas at Arlington to form the Society. The group drafted a constitution and bylaws. According to Charles Schultz’ institutional history of SSA, attendees sought most of all to foster and promote cooperation within the archival profession as well as among the several professions interested in archives and manuscripts as creators, collectors, preservers, and users. Next they sought to provide opportunities for educational development, not only for archivists, but also for users of archives. They also wanted to advance what today would be called “best practices.”

Caption: Clipping from the Arlington Daily News, Monday, May 8, 1972, courtesy of the SSA archives, Baylor University. “Historical Meeting – The first meeting of the Southwestern Archives Society was held recently at the University of Texas at Arlington. Among those in attendance were, left to right, Dr. Edwin A. Davis, Managing Editor of the “Louisiana Historian” at Louisiana State University; John M .Kinney, Director of the Texas State Archives; Samuel A. Sizer, Curator of Special Collections at the University of Arkansas; Robert L. Clark, Jr., Archivist for the State of Oklahoma, and Ivan D. Eyler, Regional Director of the National Archives and Records Service in Fort Worth.”

The first roster of elected officers of the Society reads like a who’s who of the archives and history community of the Southwest. A. Otis Hebert, Jr., director of the Louisiana Department of Archives and Records was named president. Dr. Sandra Swickard Myres, associate professor of history at the University of Texas at Arlington, was elected vice president. C. George Younkin, chief of the branch archives at the National Archives and Records Center at Fort Worth, was elected secretary – treasurer.

The first board was composed of a number of legendary heavy hitters in the archives community. Sister M. Claude Lane, archivist of the Catholic Archives of Texas, and Chester V. Kielman, university archivist of the University of Texas at Austin were elected to two-year terms on the executive board. Leon Metz, local historian, author, and archivist at the University of Texas at El Paso, and Bob Clark, state archivist of Oklahoma were elected to one-year terms. SSA sponsors and funds the Sister M. Claude Lane, O.P., Memorial Award, presented annually since1974 by the Society of American Archivists. It is the only SAA award sponsored by a regional organization. SSA has also sponsored and awarded the A. Otis Hebert, Jr. Continuing Education Scholarship since 1977. This led up to our first annual meeting, which was held at the University of Oklahoma in Norman on June 7th and 8th, 1973. At that first meeting, presentations and discussion revolved around copyright law, preservation and conservation, arrangement and description, reference topics, microfilming, and photographic collections preservation and access.

Let Us Hear From You – Celebrate SSA’s 50th Anniversary

SSA Statement in Response to the Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping

Jaimi Parker — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 15:33:23 GMT

On September 22, 2020, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order (13950) on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping. The Executive Order (EO) seeks to “combat offensive and anti-American race and sex stereotyping and scapegoating” and to end so-called “divisive concepts” such as “critical race theory,” “white privilege,” “intersectionality,” “systemic racism,” and “unconscious bias” covered in workplace trainings used by institutions receiving federal funding. The EO further establishes requirements aimed at “promoting unity in the Federal workforce,” by prohibiting messages in workplace trainings that imply “an individual, by virtue of their race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.”

The Society of Southwest Archivists (SSA) views this EO as a brazen effort to silence diversity, inclusion, and equity initiatives in the workplaces of our membership. Libraries and archives should not deny the lived experience of Black/Brown, Indigenous, and other people of color, nor cast aside scholarship and research into the history of race relations in the United States in order to receive critical federal funding. The archival records held by repositories across the American Southwest are frequently accessed to provide evidence of the formation and spread of institutionalized racism. This EO requires SSA archivists to ignore this reality and silence the past, thereby calling into question the relevance of maintaining historical records.

SSA is committed to the long-term work of dismantling structural racism through the continued processes of education, listening, and action. We cannot remain neutral regarding EO13950 and its toxic and ahistorical approach to our country’s past and the complexities of its culture. We are dedicated to an inclusive archival profession that respects our BIPOC colleagues and supports the care of diverse archival holdings. We oppose EO 13950 and its efforts to divide archival workplaces.

SSA’s Social Media Request Form is Live!

Jaimi Parker — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 15:39:26 GMT

Have you been following the Society of Southwest Archivists on Facebook and Twitter and wonder how you can suggest links or announcements of your own? Well, look no further, because the SSA Social Media Request Form is here for you!

Suggestions can include articles about archivists, archives, or cultural heritage issues in the region; announcements; calls for proposals; professional development opportunities; job postings; and more! Note that job post requests must include salary information, posts may be edited for length, and submitted posts will be posted at the discretion of the Internet Outreach Committee.

A permanent link to the form can be found on the Internet Outreach Committee page. Bookmark it now, and spread the word!

Questions, post ideas, and job post requests may also be sent directly to SSAInternetOutreach@gmail.com

SSA Elections 2021: Call for Nominations

Jaimi Parker — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 14:41:01 GMT

It’s time to submit nominations for SSA’s 2021 election! If you would like to serve, or know an ideal candidate, please submit your nomination via our web form on SSA’s home page. The deadline for submitted nominations is January 1, 2021.

The SSA Nominating Committee is seeking candidates for the following positions in 2021:

Vice-President/President Elect (three-year term-on as VP, one as President, and on as Immediate Past President)

Executive Board (3 positions, two-year term)

Nominating Committee (1 position, two-year term)

Scholarship Committee (1 position, three-year term)

Treasurer (two-year term)

The responsibilities of each position are outlined in the SSA Officer & Committee Procedures Manual.

To submit a nomination or nominate yourself, please fill out this form: 2021 Nomination Form

Remember, if you are a Certified Archivist, or are planning to become certified, participating in the leadership of a professional organization such as SSA will earn you recertification credit. Thank you for your interest in supporting SSA!

Dr. David B. Gracy II, 1941-2020

Jaimi Parker — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 14:42:09 GMT

Dr. David B. Gracy Faculty Profile photo

The Society of Southwest Archivists has lost a powerful advocate for archives. Dr. David B. Gracy II died peacefully in his home in the early morning of Saturday, September 26.

Dr. Gracy was many things to many people: an archives evangelist, a mentor, a teacher, a colleague, even a train conductor at times.

Last year, at the Society of American Archivists annual meeting, Dr. Gracy gave a presentation and recorded an interview.

The presentation he gave at SAA 2019, “Archival Perspectives – From Texas And Beyond” is, unfortunately only available to current SAA members.

If you aren’t a current SAA member, he was also interviewed that same week on the podcast “An Archivist’s Tale.”

Both recordings are filled with Dr. Gracy’s energy and signature quips. Hot Dog!

If you have access to JSTOR, there is an entire journal volume of Information & Culture devoted to Dr. Gracy’s career.

We encourage you to leave a remembrance wherever you feel comfortable, be it through his obituary website, SAA’s website, through social media, through an e-mail to a colleague, or just privately with a short moment of silence.

And should you feel inclined, you can pay tribute to Dr. Gracy by contributing to the student scholarship named for him.

Into the breach!

Endorsement of the Statement on the Risk to Research Collections at the Birmingham Public Library

Jaimi Parker — Mon, 31 Aug 2020 14:46:02 GMT

The Society of Southwest Archivists opposes budget cuts that threaten the access to the research collections of the Birmingham Public Library.

The Officers and Executive Board endorse the following letter of support. SSA will send our endorsement to the Mayor and City Council of Birmingham.

If you would like to send your own email to the Birmingham City Council:

Mayor Randall Woodfin https://www.birminghamal.gov/about/mayors-office/; Randall.Woodfin@birminghamal.gov
City Council https://www.birminghamalcitycouncil.org/
- District 1: Clinton Woods clinton.woods@birminghamal.gov
- District 2: Hunter Williams hunter.williams@birminghamal.gov
- District 3: Valerie Abbot valerie.abbott@birminghamal.gov
- District 4 and President William Parker william.parker@birminghamal.gov
- District 5 Darrell O’Quinn darrell.oquinn@birminghamal.gov
- District 6 Crystal Smitherman crystal.smitherman@birminghamal.gov
- District 7 Wardine Alexander wardine.alexander@birminghamal.gov
- District 8 Steven Hoyt steven.hoyt@birminghamal.gov
- District 9 John Hilliard john.hilliard@birminghamal.gov
Library Board http://www.bplonline.org/about/admin/Board.aspx
- Board President Eunice Rogers eejrogers@att.net
- James Sullivan, Immediate Past President Sullivanajames@gmail.com

Society of Southwest Archivists endorse the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials

Jaimi Parker — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 16:39:57 GMT

The Society of Southwest Archivists leadership is pleased to announce its endorsement of the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials. The Protocols for Native American Archival Materials were developed by archives professionals and Native American community stakeholders to promote best practices for preserving and providing access to Native American materials held by non-tribal institutions. The Protocols underscore the importance of consultation with Native Nations in policy decisions regarding Native American cultural materials, understanding Native American values and perspectives, rethinking public accessibility and use of some materials, and providing culturally responsive context for archival collections.

Learn more:

Society of Southwest Archivists Workshop: Protocols 101: How to Start the Conversion at Your Institution presented by Nicholas Wojcik with guest speaker Veronica Reyes-Escudero at the 2019 SSA Annual Conference in Tucson, Arizona. The content for this workshop was adapted from the Society of American Archivists Native American Archives Section and sponsored by the Society of Southwest Archivists, distributed under CC BY-NC-ND.

Society of American Archivists Native American Archives Section

Society of American Archivists Native American Archives Section Resources including webinars, implementation case studies, a Cultural Audit for Native American Collections, Inter-institutional Memorandum of Understanding Example, and Institutional Profiles and Scenarios.

SSA donates $5000 to the Archival Workers Emergency Fund

Jaimi Parker — Tue, 19 May 2020 16:42:52 GMT

The Society of Southwest Archivists board voted to donate $5,000 towards the Archival Workers Emergency Fund (the AWE Fund) to financially support archival workers impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic. We urge SSA members and archival workers in the region (including students) to apply for assistance if needed, spread the word to archival workers in their networks, and to donate to the fund or get involved with the AWE Fund Organizing Committee if interested. You do not need to be a member of SSA or SAA in order to apply for funding.

More information about the fund from the Organizing Committee:

The COVID-19 global pandemic has left many archival workers financially vulnerable as institutions shut their doors and contract work disappears. In response, an ad hoc group of concerned archivists, in partnership with the SAA Foundation, established the AWE Fund to provide immediate support to archival workers in the United States, particularly those in contingent positions, who are disproportionately affected by this crisis and its financial impact. By spreading the word through your network, on social media and through direct messaging, SSA can help us reach more archivists in need, and potential donors.

We have already raised over $80,000 thanks to a generous seed grant from the SAA Foundation and momentum from over 450 individual donors. This has allowed us to provide financial support to 77 archival workers with a concrete message that the archival community has one another’s backs. We want to ensure news about this fund reaches all corners of the profession. To learn more about the fund, please visit SAA, as well as on our informational brochure.

SSA endorses “Open Letter to Council on Job Postings Decision”

Jaimi Parker — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 16:43:56 GMT

The Society of Southwest Archivists has endorsed an open letter written by the Ad-Hoc working group on salary transparency, a working group of the Society of American Archivists.

The salary transparency working group advocates that Council require job postings to include a salary range.

“SAA leadership still remains obstinate against even the smallest changes to help protect the value of the profession. Per its mission, SAA ‘promotes the value and diversity of archives and archivists.’ Promotes the value of archivists. We find SAA to be negligent in its charge and we are at a collective loss as to why.”

Call for Proposals: 2020 SSA Annual Meeting (Denton, TX)

Jaimi Parker — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 16:45:02 GMT

Call for Program Proposals

Visionary Archives

2020 Society of Southwest Archivists Annual Meeting

Submission Deadline: November 15, 2019

The 2020 Program Committee invites submissions for 60 or 90-minute sessions. Proposals are welcome on any subject or skill relevant to the archives or records management professions. Proposals will be evaluated on the completeness of the description, diversity of the speakers, and the originality of the topic. Because the 2020 SSA conference will be held concurrently with the 2020 Open Access Symposium, topics with potential cross-over to a scholarly communications audience are encouraged. The deadline for submissions is November 15, 2019. Please submit session proposals using the online form.

More details available on the conference website here: https://2020.southwestarchivists.org/conference-program/

SSA Elections 2020: Call for Nominations

Jaimi Parker — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 16:46:40 GMT

If you would like to serve, or know an ideal candidate, please submit your nominations for the following positions:

Vice-President/President Elect (three year term-one as VP, one as President, and one as Immediate Past President)
Executive Board (3 positions, two-year term)
Nominating Committee (1 position, two-year term)
Scholarship Committee (1 position, three-year term)
Secretary (two-year term)

The responsibilities of each position are outlined in the SSA Officer & Committee Procedures Manual.

To submit a nomination or nominate yourself, please fill out this form: 2020 Nominations Form

The deadline for submitted nominations is January 1, 2020.

Remember, if you are a Certified Archivist, or are planning to become certified, participating in the leadership of a professional organization such as SSA will earn you recertification credit.

Archival Pay and SAA: Some Modest Proposals

Jaimi Parker — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 16:47:50 GMT

By Mark Lambert, SSA President, 2018-2019

The Southwestern Archivist, Vol. 42, No. 2 (May 2019): 5-6.

I am pleased that my recent articles on low pay in the archives field and the recent SSA Board resolution adopted requiring salaries or salary ranges in all SSA job advertisements have been so well received in the archival community, and that the SAA Council has also apparently taken notice.

However, more can be done in these areas. For example:

We need the SAA Council to pass a resolution to no longer accept job advertisements without a salary or salary range listed;
We need the SAA Council to set recommended minimums for archival pay by region, using financial figures for each region, such as those that list salary requirements for owning a home in a region;
We also need to have a Pop-Up Session at the SAA annual meeting in Austin to continue this important discussion, solicit more ideas on the subject, and so more voices can be heard (I am currently in the middle of drafting speakers and preparing the paperwork to propose such a session in Austin this August).
Also, annual dues to SAA are based on a sliding scale according to pay, with the scale topping out at $90,000/year. As I’ve found from my recent salary research, there are folks in the profession making much more than that. Right now SAA is giving those big earners a partial pass. SAA needs to push that sliding scale up to at least $250,000/year. I’ve already found a use for that extra money: funds to help provide better representation for all archivists on the SAA Council.
SAA claims to represent all archivists, but it is totally dominated by academic or other elite archivists. Looking at the current SAA Council list ( and ignoring SAA staffers), fully 8 of the 12 councilors are academic archivists or work in academia; two are from Presidential Libraries (which I call an elite archive due to their national prestige), another member is from the Rockefeller Archive Center (another elite archive, since it is one of the best funded foundations in the U.S.), and the final councilor is a vendor. In other words, 11 of the 12 councilors are from academic or elite archives, and there is also one vendor (for-profit) representative.

For SAA to validly represent all archivists in the U.S., and for all archivists to want to join SAA and continue to see value in their membership year-after-year, the SAA Council needs to better represent the great variety of archivists in the United States.

I propose seats on the council be divided up better between the several major types of archives in the U.S. For example: academic archives (public and private), private research library archives, federal govt. archives, state govt. archives, local govt. archives, museum archives, corporate archives, non-profit archives, religious archives, tribal archives, and vendors. (This list is just off the top-of-my head; please don’t consider it exhaustive, and feel free to suggest your own type of archive to SAA if its not represented in my list above. I also suspect if this better representation actually happened, archivist satisfaction and retention in SAA would also go up tremendously.)

An obvious question is why are there currently so many academic or elite archivists on the SAA Council, and why do academic archives dominate SAA annual meeting programming so heavily, if there are so many other types of archives in the U.S.? My best answer is one word: Funding.

While academic or elite archivists don’t necessarily make a lot of money, in one way they are usually head and shoulders above the rest of us: their travel and continuing education funding is usually at least partially provided by their institutions, since continuing education and tenure requirements in those types of archives are the strongest (i.e. as a legal and equity issue, your institution can’t really require you to do continuing education for job retention or advancement unless they at least partially pay for it).

SAA currently funds most of the work of its councilors. In order to get better representation on the SAA Council, SAA needs to more fully fund other types of archivists willing to serve on the SAA Council. Where would the money come from? I propose it come from those highly paid Archives Directors currently not paying their fair-share in SAA dues.

Finally, the regional archival organizations in the U.S. provide tremendous value to archivists in keeping their annual dues low (e.g. SSA’s is $25), by providing a newsletter, by providing scholarships for students and early-career archivists, by providing regional advocacy, and by staging relatively inexpensive regional annual meetings and workshops for archival training, socialization and comradery.

However, American archivists also desperately need our national organization, and all that it does, including providing socialization, comradery and training at annual meetings and workshops, by underwriting archival publications, by provide a professional journal for reporting new advances in the profession, and by representing us in Washington D.C. in both the federal agencies and the Halls of Congress and in the public sphere generally. We just need SAA to better represent all archivists in the U.S., not just the academic and elite archivists.

SSA Objection to a section of HB 1962, in relation to Texas State records

Jaimi Parker — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 16:48:57 GMT

Rep. Stan Lambert

Texas House, District 71 Room E2.814

P.O. Box 2910

Austin, Texas 78768

Dear Rep. Lambert:

The Society of Southwest Archivists (SSA) is a professional organization representing over 500 members in the six states of the American Southwest (TX, LA, AR, OK, NM, AZ) who work in or are interested in preserving our documentary heritage, or the essential evidence of our lives, commonly called archives. Approximately half of SSA’s 500 members are from Texas.

The Society of Southwest Archivists objects to Section 441.206 of Committee Substitute to HB 1962 (The Texas State Library and Archives Commission “Sunset Bill”) which fundamentally changes ownership rights of archival state legislative records. Changes inserted into this bill by committee will have a significant detrimental impact on TSLAC as well as the 24 Regional Historical Records Depositories (RHRD) across the state who house archival legislative records.

Commonly held archival practice assumes that archival repositories take ownership of archival records upon transfer. As archival records are unique, and irreplaceable in most circumstances, it is the duty of the archival repository to protect those records from loss. Sec. 441.206, as currently written, would allow legislative entities to retain ownership over archival materials, even after their transfer to TSLAC or an RHRD. Further, Section 441.206 provides legislative entities the ability to recall archival materials for legislative use.

TSLAC and RHRDs hold archival records in secure facilities and make those records freely available for use within the supervised reading rooms of their facilities. It would be a mistake to allow removal of these materials from the archive with no provision for their safety or security where archival records could easily be misplaced, lost or errantly destroyed.

Archival facilities are much different from records storage facilities. Record storage facilities store records for a limited term, and users may retrieve records at any time. Archival record facilities store records permanently, users consult records on-site, and professional archivists

keep records in accordance with stringent security and preservation protocols to endure their long-term preservation. Archival repositories make significant financial investments in the permanent preservation of archival records for which they own. The transfer of title of archival records is essential to the core function of the archive, which is to preserve and protect the authenticity of legislative records.

Not only does Sec. 441.206 place archival records in jeopardy of accidental loss, it places an undue financial burden on TSLAC and RHRDs throughout the state who house and preserve state records. Sec. 441.206 mandates TSLAC and RHRDs retrieve records from archival storage and transport them to legislative offices upon request. To do so would require significant additional work and creation of entirely new work procedures. Who will pay these additional costs? Texas colleges, universities and public libraries as far away as El Paso who serve as RHRDs receive no state funding and would have no means of transporting records to Austin. It is possible that Sec. 441.206 could cause RHRDs to reconsider their participation in the depository program, forcing TSLAC to incur all the costs to reabsorb these regional materials.

It makes sense for TSLAC to fulfill Public Information requests as the owners of archival records in their possession. However, Sec. 441.206 places an unfair burden on TSLAC to respond to Public Information requests for records they do not own, and which may be retrieved by a legislative body at any time.

In fact, a potentially unintended consequence of this bill as currently written could be for archival repositories to not accept legislative papers without legal title, thus removing a significant part of history from the archival record. Also, if repositories were required to accept the records without title, they would most likely not invest staff time and resources into processing the records and making them available to the public.

The Society of Southwest Archivists requests the removal of Sec 441.206 from HB 1962 to ensure the preservation of archival records of historical and cultural significance to the State of Texas.

Sincerely,

Joshua Youngblood

Mike Miller

Alexis Peregoy

Jennifer Green

Daniel Alonzo

Amanda Focke

Cordelia Hooee

Elizabeth Lisa Cruces

Morgan Gieringer

Molly Hults

Mark Lambert

Officers and Board Members of the Society of Southwest Archivists

Salary Information Now Required in Job Postings

Jaimi Parker — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 16:50:10 GMT

At its 8 March 2019 meeting, the SSA Board voted unanimously to immediately stop accepting job advertisements that do not list a salary or salary range. This applies to all SSA media including the website forums, Facebook, and Twitter.

Any request to post a job announcement that does not include salary information will be held while the requestor is contacted and asked to provide this information. Once salary information has been added to the announcement, the job advertisement will be posted.

Poor Pay in Archives: How Our National Organizations are Failing Us

Jaimi Parker — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 17:50:47 GMT

This is the second part of a two-part series.

By Mark Lambert, SSA President, 2018-2019

The Southwestern Archivist, Vol. 42, No. 1 (February 2019): 5-6.
See Part 1 of this column, “Top archives directors are failing the profession,” in the November 2018 issue of Southwestern Archivist.

Our two national professional organizations, the Society of American Archivists (SAA), and the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries Division of the American Library Association are also failing us, when they could be assisting on this issue so easily.

According to the SAA Mission: “SAA promotes the value and diversity of archives and archivists.” However, SAA does not require employers to list salaries on their website.

The RBMS Mission says: “It strives to represent and promote the interests of librarians, curators, and other specialists.” RBMS also does not require employers to list salaries.

Both organizations provide an easy platform for hundreds of employers to advertise jobs directly to thousands of archivists yearly, but set no pay minimums, or even require a salary to be listed at all.

Should I really have to apply for a job before I even find out what the expected salary or salary range is in the internet age, from two organizations that have as their core functions access to information and excellent customer service? NO, NO, NO…a thousand times NO!

These organizations will probably respond by saying “there are a multitude of factors that go into setting someone’s pay, and it can’t be reduced to a single number or range,” but that is total bunk. Every Archives prepares a yearly budget, and for each Archives there is either a set salary, or a set salary range, sitting in that budget, based on several factors like experience, education, benefits, etc. Why not advertise the job with a salary or salary range?

Not listing a salary or salary range give more power to the potential employer. Why would our professional organizations want to give power to our potential employers to underpay us? Possibly because our professional organizations are ethically compromised, since they are also taking money from these Archives to advertise for jobs, or in sponsorship money yearly. This should stop now.

Also, for “vagueness” in language in a profession that prides itself on precision, good writing, facts and essential evidence, these two phrases are award-winners: “competitive salary with benefits,” and “salary commensurate with experience.” These phrases have no fixed meaning and tell an applicant from across the country exactly zero. The use of these phrases should be stopped immediately.

Our professional organizations should require all advertisers and employers to list a salary or salary range, or not take their advertisement. It’s as simple as that.

In fact, it’s a little more work, but we should also advocate for setting minimum salaries for job advertisements by region. Surely national organizations with thousands of members can have one large, diverse committee that meets once a year to set minimum salaries per region. This should also be done.[1]

Our professional organizations need to stop trying to be advocates for Archives as well as Archivists. These are conflicting goals that allow Archives, our employers, to take advantage of Archivists. There are many other national organizations that can advocate for Archives, like COSA, NAGARA, NHA, NCH, AASLH, and the NCPH.

Archivists need their professional organizations to better advocate for them, or we can find someone else to advocate for us. We also need the top Directors in our profession to descend from their penthouse offices long enough to start paying their staffs better. Only when both things happen will salaries in the archives profession rise in general.

[1] If librarians can do it, why not archivists?

Calling All Quilters! (Signups extended to 3/5)

Jaimi Parker — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 17:55:28 GMT

Signups have been extended to Wednesday March 5

Howdy! It’s time for the 2019 SSA Scholarships (virtual) Quilt Bee! This year, we’ll be making the desert bloom with a Tussie Mussie quilt using some truly gorgeous Kaffe Fassett fabric. If you want to participate, please fill out the form and send in your participation fee by March 1st! Only 25 squares are available—First come, first serve!

The finished quilt will be sold in the Silent Auction at the Annual Meeting in Tucson, with the proceeds going to the Scholarships Fund.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Pre-cut fabric & instructions will be sent to participants by 3/13.
You’ll complete & return your (easy!) square by 4/5.
Jennifer Hecker will piece the top & Amanda Focke will back, bind, and quilt it.
Funds raised by auctioning the quilt at the annual meeting will go to SSA Scholarships.
Participating quilters are asked to contribute a $15 donation to offset the cost of fabric & postage.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Hecker at JenniferRaeHecker@gmail.com.

2019 Virtual SSA Quilt Bee (PDF)

Scholarships available!

Jaimi Parker — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 17:57:14 GMT

Don’t forget to submit your application for an SSA scholarship. Applications are due February 19 (or postmarked by February 15 if submitting by mail).

Four scholarships are available to support the continuing education and professional development of our members. These scholarships provide financial assistance to defray the costs of attending the annual meeting, student tuition and book fees, attendance at a professional workshop or other continuing education activity. An individual may apply for more than one scholarship but may not receive the same scholarship more than once. Descriptions and application guidelines for each scholarship can be found by following the links below.

Annual Meeting Scholarship

A. Otis Hebert, Jr. Continuing Education Scholarship

David B. Gracy II Student Scholarship

John Michael Caldwell Student Scholarship

Call for Student Posters

Jaimi Parker — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 17:59:10 GMT

The Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists (CIMA) and the Society of Southwest Archivists (SSA) invite graduate and undergraduate students to submit an abstract for a poster presentation at the 2019 Joint Annual Meeting taking place in Tucson, Arizona, on May 15-18, 2019.

Posters may describe applied or theoretical research that is completed or underway; discuss interesting archival collections with which students have worked; or report on archives and records projects in which students have participated (e.g., development of finding aids, public outreach, database construction, etc.). Submissions should focus on research or activity conducted within the previous academic year (Fall 2018-Spring 2019). Easel dimensions are: 36 inches by 48 inches (vertical format; clip at top to secure poster with shelf at bottom to stand poster. Poster can be mounted or unmounted).

Students will have the opportunity to discuss their poster with attendees for 30 minutes on Friday, May 17, at 3:00 pm in the conference hotel. Easels will be provided. Student poster presenters must register and secure institutional or personal funding to attend the Annual Meeting.

Abstracts will be accepted by email until Friday, March 29, 2019.

Include the following in your 1-page abstract:

Title

Author(s)

Purpose of project/research

Description of project/research

Conclusions/findings of project/research

Submit your abstract to robert.g.weaver@ttu.edu with “SSA Poster” as your subject line.

Call for Student Posters flyer (PDF)

SSA Elections: Call for Nominations

Jaimi Parker — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 18:03:02 GMT

Meet other archivists, gain valuable experience, help the archival community prosper, and earn the admiration of your colleagues by serving the most dynamic organization of archivists in the U.S.

The SSA Nominating Committee is seeking candidates for the following positions in 2019:

Vice-President/President Elect (three year term-one as VP, one as President, and one as Immediate Past President)
Executive Board (3 positions, two-year term)
Nominating Committee (1 position, two-year term)
Scholarship Committee (1 position, three-year term)
Treasurer (two-year term)

The responsibilities of each position are outlined in the SSA Officer & Committee Procedures Manual.

If you would like to serve, or know an ideal candidate, please contact a member of the Nominating Committee:

Rebecca Elder, rebecca@elderpreservation.com

Ann Hodges, ann.hodges@tamucc.edu

Molly Hults, molly.hults@austintexas.gov

The deadline for submitted nominations is January 1, 2019

Remember, if you are a Certified Archivist, or are planning to become certified, participating in the leadership of a professional organization such as SSA will earn you recertification credit.

Poor Pay in Archives: How Top Archives Directors and Our National Organizations Are Failing Us

Jaimi Parker — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 18:04:29 GMT

The top Archives directors are failing the profession.(1)

It appears nearly every day brings a new article contrasting national wage stagnation with the ever-climbing stock market.(2) Even before the great recession, archivists, who are highly degreed professionals comparable to lawyers, accountants, and IT professionals, were poorly paid.(3)

The reasons, both before and after the recession are, in large part, a failure of leadership by both those archivists at the head of management and the national organizations that claim to advocate for us.

Most of us have at least one “prestigious” archives in our state, either at the largest public university, the largest private university, a private research library, or a presidential library; they tend to pay well.

That is, they tend to pay one person very well: the director. The person at the ¹top of the organization chart should be a leader, yet sadly these de facto leaders of our profession, who have reaped so much, are failing our profession.(4) These “rock stars” are usually full professors from an academic department and the monkish world of terminal degrees, where individual achievements are rewarded, and not from a profession strongly focused on collaboration, customer service, public service, and outreach like Archives.

Directors often make two to three times more than the management team directly below them, the associate or assistant directors. Those folks keep those prestigious archives operating Monday through Friday, while the director sets the mission and vision, does a lot of public speaking and talks to the press, meets regularly with their dean or board (and their associate or assistant directors), and meets with any potential donors.

Here are two current examples in Austin of pay inequity, from two independent research centers at the largest public university in town, where the directors have lots of individual discretion over their budgets.(5) The information is obtained from a database of state government salaries maintained by the Texas Tribune, an independent news source based in Austin.(6) The Director of the Harry Huntt Ransom Humanities Research Center, or for short the HRC, makes $270,300.(7) The four associate directors listed make $96,900; $86,595; $79,707; and $71,420. Thus, the director makes more than double the highest paid associate director, and almost four times as much as the lowest paid associate director.(8)

The Director of the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, or the Briscoe Center, makes $220,239. The four assistant director salaries listed are: $88,990; $81,151; $76,404; and $70,411. Thus, the director makes over double what the highest paid assistant director makes, and triple what the lowest paid assistant director makes.

If you look at the pay scale for the rest of the professional positions at both institutions, they generally are stacked between the $40,000s to $90,000s. This is a pathetically narrow range, considering levels of experience probably exist between 0 years and 30+ years, and supervision duties probably range from none to several persons.

To be clear, I don’t begrudge these directors making good pay.(9) I only know them both by reputation, but they both have been in the profession a long time and are highly respected. However, they should think about their staffers more than they do promoting themselves.(10)

Perhaps these directors would say in response, “well there is only so much money to go around (in the budget), and there is so much to do in an Archives.” Personally, speaking as a director of a large archives, I would rather have less staff, but have them better paid, with better morale, than to have more staff that are poorly-paid, with poor morale.

Equitable salaries and higher morale will increase retention, as well, and if there is one thing archives benefit from, it’s institutional knowledge which we lose with high turnover. Some duties will probably never be done that formerly were done; that’s when you ask your boss for another “well-paid” position, not a poorly-paid one. I also realize all of this is relative, since no two archives are exactly alike, and at least partially based on geography; what is considered a good salary in Austin, Texas would probably be considered a poor salary in San Francisco, California. But we must start somewhere in better advocating for our staffers.

Here is a simple back-of-the-napkin example, using Austin-area salary ranges: you have $225,000 in your budget for processing collections by early to mid-career archivists (pay only, leaving aside benefits to make the math the simplest). I would rather have four archivists making $56,250 each than five archivists making $45,000 each.(11) Can we all at least agree on this concept?

I know we are all highly goal oriented, deeply care about great customer service, and hate to look at backlogs and unprocessed collections that could be used by our researchers, but if we don’t start better advocating for ourselves, we will have NO staff, as they leave our profession in droves soon to go do something else that pays better (like UX or records management).

I also ask that if your state has a website that lists public salaries, including Archives, inside the southwest region or anywhere in the U.S., please let me know, and we can start compiling this information on a page on the SSA website, and add salary envy and peer pressure to this vital issue.

Mark Lambert, current President of SSA.

This is part one of a 2-part series.

Endnotes

1. I am focusing on archives, since that is what I know best, but a lot of what I write could also possibly apply to our allied GLAM professions (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums.)

2. “The Recovery Threw the Middle-Class Dream Under a Benz,” New York Times, Sept. 12, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/ 2018/09/12/business/middle-class-financial-crisis.html; “Home affordability drops to lowest level in 10 years,” Houston Chronicle, Oct. 4, 2018, https://www.chron.com/business/ real-estate/article/Home-affordability-drops-to-lowest-level-in- 10-13280986.php.

3. Tanya Zanish-Belcher, “President’s Message: Aiming for Affordability,” Archival Outlook, July/August 2018, p. 2.

4. As we say in the military, “Lead, follow or get out of the way.”

5. I realize not all top archives directors have the large amount of individual discretion over their budgets of the two mentioned here, but many do.

6. https://salaries.texastribune.org/ The salary information was pulled from the database on 10/7/18. There does appear to be a few persons at each institution listed with higher salaries than the persons listed as associate or assistant director, but without inside knowledge of each archives, I will assume they are due to endowed positions which might or might not come with management duties.

7. My goal is not to embarrass individual archivists, so I am leaving individual names out of this article; you can look them up if you want to, using the sources mentioned here.

8. Since I don’t have any inside knowledge about this archives, I will assume the disparity in pay among the associate directors is related to the length of time in their respective positions.

9. And for the record, they are both men—you can look up their biographies yourself.

10. This recent Wall Street Journal article writes about corporations now looking for more bosses with humility (no joke!): https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-best-bosses-are-humble- bosses-1539092123

11. Currently, the Texas Library Association asks that librarians with a graduate degree and no professional experience start at a minimum salary of over $43,000. http://www.txla.org/jobline.

This article also appears in the Fall 2018 issue of the Southwestern Archivist.

UPDATE: SSA has created an opportunity to submit files to a crowd-sourced publicly available website, Archives Regional Salary Research

Submit Your Session Proposals!

Jaimi Parker — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 18:08:34 GMT

Don’t forget! The deadline to submit session proposals for “Crossing Borders, Blazing Trails,” the joint SSA/CIMA Annual Meeting is fast approaching. The conference will be in Tucson, Arizona, May 15-18, 2019 at the Tucson Marriot University Park Hotel. The deadline for submission is November 16, 2018.

Our friends with CIMA have invited participation in a “presenter connections” Google spreadsheet to facilitate collaboration and the creation of joint proposals. Please take a look and see what opportunities are out there.

The 2019 Program Committee invites submissions for 60 or 90-minute sessions. Proposals are welcome on any subject or skill relevant to the archives profession. Current issues and recently completed projects are also of interest. All aspects of archives and records management are encouraged. Submit your ideas using the online form or email to jcyoungb@uark.edu.

The Program Committee looks forward to seeing all your great proposals!

A Statement Regarding Indigenous Peoples in Texas

Jaimi Parker — Wed, 23 May 2018 17:09:38 GMT

The Society of Southwest Archivists’ Diversity Committee acknowledges with respect the indigenous peoples of Texas, their history, and their influence on this area. A common tradition holds that the origin of the Spanish word for Texas, Tejas (from “taysha”), is the Caddo word for “friend.”[1] In that hopeful spirit of understanding (which too often in history has been ignored), this information is offered to the attendees of this year’s conference in San Antonio.

Historically, seven linguistic groups have been identified as having lived in what is now Texas. Long before Texas was a state, indeed, before it was even Mexican or Spanish territory, there lived here indigenous groups such as the Tonkawa, Lipan Apache, Mescalero Apache, Comanche, Caddo, and Kickapoo. As for the San Antonio area itself, the various independent tribes who constituted the Coahuiltecan peoples lived here for thousands of years, including the Payaya, who were known to be living near here in the late 17th century. The San Antonio area also marked the southern limits of the territory ranged by the Wichita people. As the Spanish arrived in larger numbers in the area and began establishing missions and other permanent settlements, Native lives and folkways were profoundly affected – and often lost or deliberately destroyed – first by European colonization and later by United States expansion and settlement.

Native Americans continue to reside in the area today. The Pacuache Tilijaya Coahuiltecan Tribe of Texas still flourishes in an area they have occupied for hundreds of years, even after generations of their ancestors were assimilated – often forcibly – into mission life. Likewise, the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation, whose ancestral members were the original inhabitants of the San Antonio missions, continues to survive and to maintain its cultural traditions. In Texas at large, there are three Native American reservations: the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Tribe of Texas, the Tigua Indians of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo of El Paso, and the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas. As in the rest of the United States, the vast majority of Native Americans in Texas – of which there are some 278,000 – live and work outside the established reservations.

Learn more about the indigenous people of Texas:

American Indians in Texas. Texas Historical Association

https://texasalmanac.com/index.php?q=topics/culture/american-indian/american-indian

Individual Nations in Texas or With Historical Interests in Texas

Absentee Seminole Tribe of Texas

https://absenteeseminoletribe.org/

Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas

https://www.facebook.com/Alabama-Coushatta-Tribe-of-Texas-96256437610/

https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/history/traditional-societies/forgotten-american-indians-texas/

Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town

http://alabama-quassarte.org/

Apache Tribe of Oklahoma

http://www.apachetribe.org/

Caddo Nation

http://caddonation-nsn.gov/

Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas

http://carrizocomecrudonation.com/

Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma

http://www.cherokee.org/

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

https://www.choctawnation.com/

Comanche Nation

http://comanchenation.com/

Delaware Nation

http://delawarenation.com/

Jicarilla Apache Nation

https://www.newmexico.org/places-to-go/native-culture/jicarilla-apache-nation/

Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas

https://kickapootexas.org/

Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma

http://kickapootribeofoklahoma.com/

Kiowa Tribe

https://www.kiowatribe.org/

Lipan Apache Band of Texas

http://www.lipanapachebandoftexas.com/

Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas

http://www.lipanapache.org/

Mescalero Apache Tribe

https://mescaleroapachetribe.com/

Mount Tabor Indian Community

http://mounttaborcommunity.org/

Muscogee (Creek) Nation

http://www.mcn-nsn.gov/

Osage Nation

https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/

Seminole Nation of Oklahoma

http://www.sno-nsn.gov/

Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation

http://aitscm.org/

Texas Band of Yaqui Indians

http://www.yaquitribetexas.com/

Tonkawa Tribe of Oklahoma

http://www.tonkawatribe.com/

United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma

http://www.keetoowahcherokee.org/

Wichita and Affiliated Tribes

http://www.wichitatribe.com/

Ysleta del Sur Pueblo

http://www.ysletadelsurpueblo.org/

[1] Recent scholarship postulates that, in fact, the word “Texas” is derived from the Tejo (bald cypress) tree, so common to this area. http://www.academia.edu/30671180/Texas_The_false_origin_of_the_name_English_

The SSA Website Redesign

Jaimi Parker — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 17:14:51 GMT

What’s new?

The look and feel of the new site is based on the design elements of SSA logo and graphic design concept that was commissioned in 2009.
The site is fully responsive. Pages will resize automatically to your screen size including tablets and smart phones.
The menus were redesigned and expanded.
Side menus were incorporated onto pages with related information such as the Annual Meeting schedule, the About section, and the Committees pages.
Content restricted to active SSA members is denoted by a small lock symbol . Members can log in at any time via the login button at the top-right of the screen or on the page with restricted content.
The website is ADA-compliant, meaning that we have followed guidelines intended to help website designers build compliant websites. These changes include meeting a text contrast threshold, filling in the alt-text field for all images, removing all animation and autoplay carousels, providing close-captioning for audiovisual content, making keyboard-only navigation possible, as well as a slew of elements that fall under the banner of “common sense” and “good website design.”
Members with access can find the Wild Apricot admin link at the bottom of each page.
We hope to feature many more images of SSA member activities on the website going forward and include photos with blog posts and other content types. To this end, we will need member photo submissions! We set up a simple upload form on this page where members can simply and securely submit photos to SSA. All images will be credited and used for the sole purpose of further promoting SSA.

SSA Color Logos Side Menu Login Button

Footer Links

Wild Apricot Integration

Wild Apricot has created a plugin that allows members-only content (denoted by the symbol in the menu) to be integrated into the new website. These content features include:

Membership Directory
Membership Profile
Discussion Forums (Job Board, Professional Development, Let’s Talk Archives General Discussion Forum)
Workshop and Annual Meeting Registration

Why was the website redesigned?

Short answer: Aesthetics, sustainability, and mobile-friendly responsiveness.

Last year, the Ad Hoc Committee on Internet Resources was created and tasked with improving the SSA website. After a slow and methodical six months and after user studies and some experimentation, the committee came to the conclusion that a modern website would be best created by re-designing the site from scratch. The committee came to this conclusion for the following reasons:

There was no way to re-design the Wild Apricot (WA) site without disrupting service. Changes would be made in real time meaning that pages would temporarily disappear and reappear from day to day.
Wild Apricot’s website templates, while more responsive and colorful than the old website, were not responsive or modern enough. We didn’t want to put a lot of work into something that would only be a half measure.
The WA user interface makes hosting photo and video content more difficult than it should be.
Customizing the WA website is difficult. Font and style choices are limited. The learning curve is steep.

Once we decided to start over, we next chose to use the WordPress platform primarily because of the aforementioned plugin. Wordpress also has a much larger user base; you can google your way out of any problem, and the platform is much more flexible. Along the way we were fortunate to discover that the new website doesn’t cost the Society an additional funds. Our website hosting service, DreamHost, offers free hosting to non-profits.

Questions or Comments can be sent to southwestarchivists@gmail.com or by clicking on the (temporary) appeal at the top of each page.

Don't Forget to Vote!

Melissa Gottwald — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 23:01:22 GMT

Voting is underway for the 2018 SSA Elections!

Cast your votes for Vice President/President Elect, Secretary, Executive Board members, and for Nominating and Scholarship Committee representatives.

We are using Election Buddy, an online election system, to tabulate votes. Please use the unique link in the email you received from Election Buddy to access the ballot and read the candidate statements. If you did not receive an email with the link to the voting system, if you prefer to receive a paper ballot, or if you have any other questions, please contact Nominating Committee Chair Vince Lee at vinceedwinlee@gmail.com

Voting ends Thursday April 5 at 11:45 pm Central Time.

Attention students! Call for poster proposals

Melissa Gottwald — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 17:34:33 GMT

The Society of Southwest Archivists invites graduate and undergraduate students to submit an abstract for a poster presentation at the 2018 Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, May 23-26, 2018.

Posters may describe applied or theoretical research that is completed or underway; discuss interesting archival collections with which students have worked; or report on archives and records projects in which students have participated (e.g., development of finding aids, public outreach, database construction, etc.). Submissions should focus on research or activity conducted within the previous academic year (Fall 2017 - Spring 2018). Poster dimensions: 32 inches by 40 inches (may read vertically or horizontally).

Abstracts will be accepted by email until March 30, 2018

Include the following in your 1- page abstract:
Title
Author(s)
Purpose of project/research
Description of project/research
Conclusions/findings of project/research

Submit your abstract to sallysinor@hotmail.com with “SSA Poster” as your subject line.

Students will have the opportunity to discuss their poster with attendees for 30 minutes on Friday May 25 at 3:00 pm in the conference hotel. Easels will be provided. Student poster presenters must register and secure institutional or personal funding to attend the Annual Meeting.

Looking for a few good Archivists!

Melissa Gottwald — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 17:58:59 GMT

As we head into the holiday season, please take a brief moment to think of someone that you would like to nominate for the upcoming positions in SSA for 2018. We know that there are folks out their whose work, leadership, and service you all admire. Self-nominations are also welcomed.

The SSA Nominating Committee is seeking candidates for the following positions in 2018:

● Vice-President/President Elect (three year term-one as VP, one as President, and one as Immediate Past President)

● Executive Board (3 positions, two-year term)

● Nominating Committee ( 1 position, two-year term)

● Scholarship Committee ( 1 position, three-year term)

● Secretary (two-year term)

The responsibilities of each position are outlined in the SSA Officer & Committee Procedures Manual, available online at: https://societyofsouthwestarchivists.wildapricot.org/resources/Documents/Manuals-and-Forms/2017_Manual.pdf

If you would like to serve, or know an ideal candidate, please contact a member of the Nominating Committee:

Vince Lee, Chair, velee@uh.edu

Rebecca Elder, rebecca@elderpreservation.com

Adam Heien, aheien@nmsu.edu

The deadline for submitted nominations is January 1, 2018

Call for nominations: Sister M. Claude Lane, O.P., Memorial Award

Melissa Gottwald — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 22:17:42 GMT

The Society of American Archivists’ Awards Committee is seeking nominations for the Sister M. Claude Lane, O.P., Memorial Award. This award recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to the field of religious archives. Criteria for nomination include:

Involvement and work in the Archivists of Religious Collections Section (ARCS) of the Society of American Archivists.
Contributions to archival literature that relates to religious archives.
Participation and leadership in religious archives organizations.
Evidence of leadership in specific religious archives.

Only individual archivists are eligible for nomination. The award is sponsored by the Society of Southwest Archivists, in conjunction with Society of American Archivists. It is named in honor of Sister M. Claude Lane, the first professionally trained archivist at the Catholic Archives of Texas in Austin, who served there from 1960 until her death in 1974. The award finalist is recognized with a certificate from SAA and a $300 cash prize provided by the Society of Southwest Archivists at the annual Society of American Archivists meeting.

For more information on the Lane Award, including past winners, see: <http://www2.archivists.org/governance/handbook/section12-lane>

To nominate an archivist for the Lane Award please follow the guidelines provided in the Nomination Form via the link on that page.

All nominations shall be submitted to the Awards Committee by February 28, 2018. If you have any questions, please contact:

Jillian Ewalt Metadata Archivist

Special Collections and University Archives California State University, Sacramento

ewalt@csus.edu

Sister M. Claude Lane

Theresa Angela (Sister M. Claude) Lane (1915-1974) was a teacher, librarian, and archivist primarily associated with the Catholic Archives of Texas. A pioneer and supporter of religious special collections in Texas libraries, she has served as a model for archivists nationwide. The Society of American Archivists presents an annual award in her name to recognize significant contributions in the field of religious archives.

Call for Session Proposals for 2018 SSA annual meeting

Melissa Gottwald — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 21:23:01 GMT

The Program Committee invites submissions for 60 or 90-minute sessions for SSA’s next Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas May 23-26, 2018, at Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel. See the Call for Proposals for more information and how to submit.

SAA statement regarding events in Virginia

Jennifer Day — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 15:55:10 GMT

The Society of American Archivists Council has issued a statement regarding the racist acts committed in Virginia on August 12, 2017. You can read their statement on the SAA website. SAA Council Statement

The SSA Board and Diversity Committee support the work of the SAA Council working group and will continue to ensure that the SSA mission to promote sound principles and standards for preserving and administering records in our region is fulfilled.

NCH Annual Report FY18

Jennifer Day — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 15:21:42 GMT

The Society of American Archivists (SAA) Regional Archives Association Consortium, (RAAC) has initiated a sustaining membership in the National Coalition for History,(NCH) gaining a seat on the Policy Board in order to represent archival interests at NCH. As a member of RAAC, SSA made a contribution to the cost of this membership and therefore can connect our members to the NCH.

The attached report was issued at the SAA annual meeting and details federal funding approved for granting and records agencies for FY18.

RAAC-NCH_Report_Summer2017.pdf

SSA Board statement on Texas "Bathroom Bill"

Melissa Gottwald — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 18:51:35 GMT

As many of you are aware, the Texas State Legislature has called a special summer session and is considering a bill that would compel some people to use public restrooms that do not correspond to their gender identity. If the bill currently being discussed passes through the Texas legislature, it will prevent municipalities from passing anti-discrimination ordinances designed to protect transgender people. The SSA Board believes that this bill is discriminatory and contrary to the SSA Statement on Diversity and Inclusion (https://societyofsouthwestarchivists.wildapricot.org/SSA-Diversity-Statement).

The SSA board issued an official response that is being sent to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house stating the organization’s opposition to this piece of legislation. The response also states that should the bill become law, SSA will seriously reconsider holding future annual meetings in Texas. A copy of this letter is available on the SSA website and social media channels, and Texas members of SSA are welcome to use any or all the language contained in the response should they choose to contact their individual representatives.

We also wanted to assure membership that we are taking steps to make sure that the next annual meeting, scheduled to be held in San Antonio, TX in May 2018, will be as open, inclusive, and welcoming as possible, regardless of the fate of this legislation. We know that other organizations, such as the Society of American Archivists, are investigating moving future meetings out of the state. It is not possible for SSA to cancel or move the San Antonio meeting at this point. If SSA pulled out of the contract today, it would cost the organization $50,770.40, which is more than double SSA’s entire annual budget. In light of this, SSA will honor the contract and have the meeting as scheduled. Also, with more than half of the SSA membership comprised of archivists in Texas, it is not the intent or desire of SSA to abandon that part of the membership because of the ill-conceived legislation being considered in the Texas Legislature.

The Local Arrangements Committee, in cooperation with the Diversity Committee, is already planning alternative arrangements for those SSA members who may be negatively impacted by this legislation. They are also investigating different ideas to foster discussions about how we as individuals and as an organization can respond to discriminatory legislation that may arise in our region in the future.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the SSA Board through the “Contact” page on the SSA Website.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Day

President, Society of Southwest Archivists

Save the Date!: SSA 2018 in San Antonio

Kristy Sorensen — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 14:52:48 GMT

The 2018 SSA Annual Meeting will take place May 23-26, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas at the Hilton Palacio del Rio. The hotel rate will be extended through the 27th for anyone wanting to make it a long weekend. See you in San Antonio!

Call For Student Posters

Patricia A. Threatt — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 13:34:48 GMT

Calling all students! Do you have a research project you'd like to share with other archivists? SSA invites graduate and undergraduate students to submit an abstract for a poster presentation at the 2017 Annual Meeting in Fayetteville, Arkansas May 24 – 27, 2017.

More information about student posters
More information about the SSA 2017 annual meeting

Register for SSA 2017 in Fayetteville!

Melissa Gottwald — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 15:47:59 GMT

Registration is open for the annual meeting in Fayetteville, May 24-27.

Visit the annual meeting page to register, download the program, and find out more about what the annual meeting has in store for you!

Deadline Extended for 2017 Fayetteville Meeting Session Proposals!

Melissa Gottwald — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 17:27:04 GMT

The SSA Program Committee has extended the deadline for 2017 annual meeting proposal submissions!

Complete this online form http://bit.ly/2ehMjtU by December 16th and your session could be on the program in May. Please send any questions to Jennifer Day at jennifer.day@okc.gov

DAS Command Line Interface class--Rice University, October 7, 2016

Rebecca Russell — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 16:11:38 GMT

Rice University is hosting a SAA-DAS course on Command Line Interface on Friday, October 7, 2016.

For more information and to register, please visit http://saa.archivists.org/events/command-line-interface-1731/710/

Do you think working in the command line interface isn't for you?

If you need free, easy to install, trusted software tools that are robust and can help you confidently preserve and make accessible digital materials, then yes it IS for you!

Gain some great skills and get to know other archivists who are already using these tools.

In this course you will learn hands-on skills for working with digital archival objects at the most basic levels: files, data, and the computer operating systems in which they live. These basics establish manual and automated capacities for protecting the bits, automating/extracting metadata, and preparing for the next steps of building and managing digital archives.

This course is less about a specific processing approach and more about providing archivists with basic computing skills that will help them make use of any tools that come their way and will help them speak the native language of the computing environments in which files (archival objects) reside.

2017 Annual Meeting Call for Program Proposals!!

Patricia A. Threatt — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 14:54:17 GMT

Call for Program Proposals

2017 Annual Meeting

Fayetteville, Arkansas May 24-27 The Chancellor Hotel

The 2017 Program Committee invites submissions for 60 or 90 minute sessions. Proposals are welcome on any subject or skill relevant to the archives profession. Current issues and recently completed projects are also of interest. Proposals will be evaluated on the completeness of the description, diversity of speakers and topics. All aspects of archives and records management are encouraged. The deadline for submission is December 16, 2016. Submit your ideas using the online form, or email to jennifer.day@okc.gov

Specific areas of member interest include:

· Software specific how-to: Archives Space, Excel, etc.

· Encoded Archival Description in practice

· Donor Relations

· Community Outreach

· Government Records

· Legal Issues

· Skills Training: conservation, digital conversion, basic coding

If you have an idea you’d like to form a session around, use this spreadsheet to connect with other SSA members to present with! Post your issue, topic, or project and see what others are posting; then connect and collaborate to create your proposal!

Session formats may include, but are not limited to:

· Panel Discussion

A traditional session with three to five speakers, each giving 10-15 minute presentations on a single theory or perspective on a given topic, followed by time for questions. Prepared papers are not required, the Moderator/Chair is usually one of the speakers.

· Roundtable Discussion

Less formal than a Panel Discussion, a Roundtable session consists of one to three presentations of 10 minutes each that describe a theory, issue, or initiative followed by small group discussions where participants and speakers share ideas. A session Chair is not required.

· Lightning Talks

A large panel of eight to ten speakers that deliver 5 minute talks on a common theme or issue, keeping a lively pace and sharing relevant take-away ideas. A session Chair is required to compile presentation materials and maintain the time schedule.

· Skills Training

Are you a whiz at making phase boxes? Know how to use Excel like a pro? Have experience building exhibits of paper items? Share your skills with other members in a mini-workshop setting. Focus on one or two skills that can be shared in a 60 or 90 minute session. Skills Training sessions can have one or two speakers, and a moderator to assist with materials. Proposals should include details of the speaker’s relevant experience or training.

· Lunch meeting/discussion

Are you part of a state or local archival organization that would like to meet up at SSA? Use this form to let us know! Want to start a book club or a study group? Get your special interest on the program to reach more potential members.

Thank you from the 2017 Program Committee

Jennifer Day, Chair           The City of Oklahoma City, Office of City Clerk
Elizabeth Dunham            Archives & Special Collections, Arizona State University, Tempe
Lynn Gates                         Thomas C. Donnelly Library, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas
Michele King                     University Libraries University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Sarah Milligan                   Oklahoma Oral History Research Program, Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater
Timothy G. Nutt                Univ. of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Library, Little Rock

Michelle Riggs Archives & Central Louisiana Collections, Louisiana State Univ., Alexandria

Betty Shankle University & Labor Collections Archivist, Univ. of Texas, Arlington Libraries

John H. Slate Dallas Municipal Archives, City Secretary's Office, City of Dallas

Ann E. Smith Case Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans

Karin Strohbeck Texas A&M University School of Law, Fort Worth

Andy Taylor Knowledge Management Librarian, Tulsa Community College

Benna Vaughan The Texas Collection, Baylor University, Waco

Carolina Villarroel            Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage Project, University of Houston
Caitlin Wells                       Rio Grande Historical Collections, New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces
James Williamson             Central University Libraries, Southern Methodist University, Dallas

Early-bird registration for TCDL 2016 and the TxDHC Mini-Conference ends April 15th!

James Williamson — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 20:45:27 GMT

Register now for the 2016 Texas Conference on Digital Libraries (#tcdl2016) to get discounted early registration rates. Early-bird registration ends April 15th.

TCDL 2016 will be held May 24-26 at the Commons Learning Center on the J.J. Pickle Research Campus in Austin, Texas.

Immediately following TCDL is the Texas Digital Humanities Consortium (TxDHC) Mini-Conference, to be held May 27th at the Commons Learning Center.

Attendees of TCDL receive a discounted registration rate to the TxDHC Mini-Conference, but space is limited.

-------------------------

About TCDL 2016

The Texas Conference on Digital Libraries covers topics relevant to the creation, promotion, and preservation of research, scholarship, and cultural heritage digital materials.

The goal of TCDL is to bring together those working on digital projects -- including outreach librarians, repository managers, catalogers, faculty members, staff, students, and others -- in order to guild a practical, usable, and sustainable model for digital libraries.

Trevor Owens will serve as the keynote speaker for TCDL 2016. Trevor is the Senior Program Officer responsible for the development of the national digital platform portfolio for the Office of Library Services at IMLS. He steers an overall strategy of encompassing communications initiatives, in support of the development of national digital services and resources in libraries. In 2014, the Society of American Archivists gave him the Archival Innovator Award, an award granted annually to recognize the archivist, repository, or organization that best exemplifies the "ability to think outside the professional norm."

For more information about the event and program, please visit the TCDL 2016 conference website.

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Conference Hotel Rooms Available

TCDL 2016 has a limited number of hotel rooms available at the ALOFT Austin hotel in the Domain. The rooms will be available at a reduced rate of $169 per night through May 2, 2016. More details are available on the conference website.

Questions about the conference can be directed to info@tdl.org or 512-495-4358

Digital POWRR workshop

Patricia A. Threatt — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 14:32:44 GMT

Registration is open for Digital POWRR workshop

Register now for the free Digital POWRR workshop: http://digitalpowrr04222016.eventzilla.net

The workshop will be held Friday, April 22, at Arkansas Studies Institute, Little Rock, AR.

This full-day workshop is made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. The workshop was created as a result of an IMLS-funded study on identifying practical digital preservation solutions for small- and mid-sized libraries. We will not be addressing the “why” of digital preservation; rather, we are preparing for the “how.”...providing hands-on, practical experience. Attendees will practice the accession of a digital collection using a simple, open source tool; learn about several digital preservation tools and services; and create an institution-specific action plan for making progress towards digital preservation goals. (Digital POWRR, http://digitalpowrr.niu.edu/)

------------------------------
Digital POWRR is offering travel assistance to SSA members. Please submit your application to the SSA Scholarship Committee. Mailed applications must be postmarked February 19, 2016. Emailed applications February 21, 2016. http://societyofsouthwestarchivists.wildapricot.org/resources/Documents/Scholarship-forms/application-POWRR2016.docx

Registration is open for TCDL 2016 and the TxDHC Mini-Conference!

James Williamson — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 14:27:27 GMT

Register now for the 2016 Texas Conference on Digital Libraries (#tcdl2016) to get discounted early registration rates. Early-bird registration ends April 15th.

TCDL 2016 will be held May 24-26 at the Commons Learning Center on the J.J. Pickle Research Campus in Austin, Texas.

Immediately following TCDL is the Texas Digital Humanities Consortium (TxDHC) Mini-Conference, to be held May 27th at the Commons Learning Center. Attendees of TCDL receive a discounted registration rate to the TxDHC Mini-Conference, but space is limited.

-------------------------

About TCDL 2016

The Texas Conference on Digital Libraries covers topics relevant to the creation, promotion, and preservation of research, scholarship, and cultural heritage digital materials.

Trevor Owens (pictured above) will serve as the keynote speaker for TCDL 2016. Trevor is the Senior Program Officer responsible for the development of the national digital platform portfolio for the Office of Library Services at IMLS. He steers an overall strategy of encompassing communications initiatives, in support of the development of national digital services and resources in libraries. In 2014, the Society of American Archivists gave him the Archival Innovator Award, an award granted annually to recognize the archivist, repository, or organization that best exemplifies the "ability to think outside the professional norm."

For more information about the event and program, please visit the TCDL 2016 conference website.

--------------------------------

Deadline for Proposals is February 7th

The TCDL 2016 committee continues to accept proposals for presentations, panels, posters, and workshops through Friday, February 7th. See the fullCall for Proposals for more information about requirements and submission procedures.

The TxDHC Mini-Conference 2016 committee is seeking presentation proposals through February 7th. For more information, see the TxDHC Mini-Conference Call for Proposals.

-----------------------------------

Conference Hotel Rooms Available

Questions about the conference can be directed to info@tdl.org or 512-495-4358

Sister M. Claude Lane, O.P., Memorial Award

Patricia A. Threatt — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 15:27:14 GMT

The Society of American Archivists’ Awards Committee is seeking nominations for the Sister M. Claude Lane, O.P., Memorial Award. This award recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to the field of religious archives. Criteria for nomination include:

· Involvement and work in the Archivists of Religious Collections Section (ARCS) of the Society of American Archivists.

· Contributions to archival literature that relates to religious archives.

· Participation and leadership in religious archives organizations.

· Evidence of leadership in specific religious archives.

For more information on the Lane Award, including past winners, see:

http://www2.archivists.org/governance/handbook/section12-lane

To nominate an archivist for the Lane Award please follow the guidelines provided in the Nomination Form via the link on that page.

All nominations shall be submitted to the Awards Committee by February 28, 2016.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Emily Hughes Dominick, CA

Technical Services Archivist

Special Collections

University of Washington Libraries

Box 352900

Seattle, WA 98195-2900

206-543-7890

ehd5@uw.edu

Position Statement Regarding the Legal Dispute between the Texas GLO and the DRT

Patricia A. Threatt — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 14:41:32 GMT

Position Statement Regarding the Legal Dispute between the Texas General Land Office and Daughters of the Republic of Texas

The Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT) and Texas General Land Office (GLO) are in a legal dispute regarding the ownership of approximately 38,000 books, maps, flags, artwork, and manuscripts housed at the Alamo Research Center. Because employees of both institutions are members of the Society of Southwest Archivists (SSA) and this case will ultimately be settled in the courts, the SSA Executive Board will not advocate for either the GLO or the DRT regarding this dispute. However, SSA does urge both parties to seek a resolution to preserve and provide continued open access to these important research materials, both during the court process and after custody has been established. SSA also urges its fellow archives professionals and its membership to follow best practices regarding accessioning gifts.

The SSA Executive Board

SAA's Donald Peterson Student Travel Award

James Williamson — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 20:59:34 GMT

The Donald Peterson Student Travel Award Subcommittee invites applications from archival science students and recent graduates of archival programs. The award subsidizes travel to the SAA Annual Meeting for students presenting research or actively participating in an SAA-sponsored committee, section, or roundtable.

Award and application information follow below. The application deadline is February 28, 2016. If you have any questions regarding the award or the application process, please contact Rachel Howard, Donald Peterson Student Travel Award Committee Chair, at rachel.howard@louisville.edu.

Purpose and Criteria for Selection

Established in 2005, this award supports students and recent graduates from graduate archival programs within North America to attend SAA’s Annual Meeting. The goal of the scholarship is to stimulate greater participation in the activities of the Association by students and recent graduates. This participation must include either a presentation of research during the Annual Meeting or active participation in an SAA-sponsored committee, section, or roundtable.

Eligibility

Awarded to an SAA member in good standing who is currently enrolled in an archival education program or who graduated from an archival education program in the previous calendar year. Applications are evaluated based on the merits of the applicant’s essay and letters of recommendation.

Sponsor and Funding

The Society of American Archivists, in honor of Donald Peterson (1908-1999), New York lawyer and philatelist, whose deep appreciation of world history and preservation developed early through his stamp collecting and held true throughout his life.

Prize

Up to $1,000 in support of registration, travel, and accommodation expenses associated with the SAA Annual Meeting.

First Awarded

2006

Application Form and Documentation

Submit three copies of the following to the address on the application form:

A 500-word essay describing the applicant's career goals and potential impact on the archival profession.

Unofficial transcript to verify student status or copy of graduate diploma.
Two letters of recommendation from individuals having definite knowledge of the applicant's qualifications.
Application form.

Application Deadline

February 28, 2016

2016 Texas Conference on Digital Libraries Call for Proposals

James Williamson — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 15:59:35 GMT

Help to build the program for the 2016 Texas Conference on Digital Libraries!

The 2016 Texas Conference on Digital Libraries will be held May 24-26 at the J.J. Pickle Research Campus in Austin, TX. The Texas Conference on Digital Libraries is the premiere gathering of digital library and information professionals across Texas and beyond. This is your opportunity to be part of the program.

TCDL addresses a wide range of topics including creation, promotion, preservation and management of digital projects and assets, as well as the software and applications that drive the digital library world. Through a blend of interactive presentations, engaging speakers and informative workshops, TCDL 2016 will be a great place to network and experience the latest in all things digital.

What kind of broad areas would we hope to see covered at TCDL 2016? Here are some ideas!

Unexpected finds:

Present new ways to use existing technology or demonstrate a new piece of software that's really made an impact on your workflow.

Show off a new digital collection or project or present novel uses of your institution's collection material.

Unexplained gaps:

Present ways the larger digital library community can work together to solve problems;

Initiate dialogues to answer to difficult questions that have faced your institution; and

Suggest solutions you’d like to see offered at a state or national level.

Unexplored collaborations:

Discover ways to partner together to address an unmet collecting need,

Novel partnerships that produced interesting results or ideas for greater exposure for collaborative collections.

Whatever you choose to submit, topics explored can include project management, intellectual property issues, deep explorations of software applications ... the sky's the limit! Need more inspiration? Check out last year's successful programs to get your creative juices flowing: https://conferences.tdl.org/tcdl/index.php/TCDL/TCDL2015/schedConf/program.

How can you make an impact on our growing digital culture? Simple: submit a session proposal today. Sessions can take a number of forms, including:

Presentations: General presentations on practical work, theoretical or speculative issues, or ongoing or completed research.

Panels: Panel sessions should address a single topic from multiple perspectives and should engage the audience for a full 80-minute session.

24x7 Presentations (24 slides in 7 minutes): 7-minute presentations comprising no more than 24 slides.

Posters: Posters will be featured at the conference reception and through a “Minute Madness” session, during which presenters will give a 60-second summary of each poster.

Workshops, Tutorials & Demos, Birds of a Feather Sessions: These events provide venues for in-depth instruction in important areas of digital library practice (workshops), demonstrations of new or useful tools and technologies (tutorials), and gatherings of interested attendees to engage in discussion about a particular topic (birds-of-a-feather sessions). Events in this category can range from 1 to 4 hours.

HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL

More information and the Proposal Submission link can be found at the conference website.

Be a part of TCDL 2016 by submitting your session proposal now. Deadlines and other key dates are approaching quickly!

October 16: Call for Proposals

February 7: Deadline for all Conference Proposal Submissions

March 18: Notification of acceptance

Questions? Email us at support@tdl.org.

TEXAS’ ARCHIVES WARS: The Cannon Shot We Still Hear

Patricia A. Threatt — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 14:32:31 GMT

The Society of American Archivists - UT Student Chapter cordially invites you to "TEXAS’ ARCHIVES WARS: The Cannon Shot We Still Hear," a presentation by Governor Bill Daniel Professor Emeritus in Archival Enterprise Dr. David B. Gracy II in celebration of Archives Month.

Tuesday October 20, 2015, 6-8pm
Student Activities Center, South Ballroom 2.410

RSVP: davidgracy.eventbrite.com<http://davidgracy.eventbrite.com/>

SSA Call for Proposals

Patricia A. Threatt — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:16:54 GMT

Call for Proposals
SSA is now accepting proposals for the 2016 Annual Meeting. Please fill out this form and send to Claudia Rivers [crivers@utep.edu].

SSA 2015 Annual Meeting Presentations

Patricia A. Threatt — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 13:42:37 GMT

If you missed the Annual Meeting [or missed a presentation due to the power outage], you can still benefit from the wealth of SSA knowledge and insight! A handful of SSA 2015 presentations are available here: http://southwestarchivists.org/SSA15-Presentations .

Reminder to SSA 2015 presenters: Please share your slideshows, notes, links, etc. with Pati Threatt [pthreatt@mcneese.edu] for inclusion on the page. Thanks!

SLOTTO Time!

Patricia A. Threatt — Mon, 04 May 2015 20:06:03 GMT

The annual meeting in Arlington is almost upon us! Please remember to donate items to this year’s SLOTTO and silent auction. In keeping with our “Game On” theme, we would like to see sports-related items (and not just football). Since “Game On” is not 100% sports, we want other items as well – be they wacky, historical, goofy, or serious. Support your colleagues by supporting SSA scholarships! Bring donated items – including handmade and crafty items for the silent auction – to the registration desk at the Annual Meeting.

Contact scholarships committee chair Michelle Bogart at (979) 691-4032 or michelle.bogart@nara.gov for more information.

The SSA election is now live!

Patricia A. Threatt — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 16:29:24 GMT

The SSA election is now live!

An automated e-mail has been sent to your e-mail address listed in the SSA membership directory. Click on the link to go to the election software to vote in SSA's annual election.

If you do not see the e-mail, please check your junk mail, and also verify you have the proper e-mail address in the SSA membership directory before contacting us.

The election is being held Monday, March 16^th 8 am (central time) to Sunday, April 12^th at midnight (central time). Electronic ballots must be completed (or paper ballots received by mail at the address on the envelope) by Sunday, April 12^th at midnight.

Thanks in advance for voting! Election results will be announced at the SSA annual business meeting in Arlington on Saturday, May 23^rd.

See you in Arlington! Go SLOTTO!

If you experience any problems with voting, immediately contact (and try to get a screen grab of the issue if possible or describe it in detail):

SSA Nominating Committee, 2015

Mark Lambert, Chair mark.lambert@glo.texas.gov

Mike Miller mike.miller@austintexas.gov.

Emily E. Hyatt ehyatt@consolidated.net

SSA Election 2015

Patricia A. Threatt — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 22:08:53 GMT

SSA members:

The upcoming annual election will be held from March 16^thto April 12^th. If you have a valid e-mail address in your SSA profile online, you will be able to vote electronically. If you want to vote electronically, but do not have a valid e-mail address currently, please input one by March 1^st. Paper ballots will be mailed out to all members without a valid e-mail address in by March 1^st.

You must be a current member of SSA to vote in the election, so if your dues are currently in arrears, please also pay them by March 1^st. The election ballot will include biographies on all the candidates.

Results of the election will be announced at the annual business meeting on Saturday, May 23^rd in Arlington, TX and published in the August newsletter.

Vice-President (vote for 1)

Claudia Rivers (UTEP)

Morgan Gieringer (UNT)

Treasurer (vote for 1)

Kristy Sorensen (Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary)

Unopposed (Election needed to keep Treasurer and Secretary elections during alternating years)

Executive Board (vote for 3)

Trish Nugent (LoyolaUNO)

Lynn Whitfield (Texas Tech)

Brian Collins (Dallas Public Library)

Barry Cowan (LSU)

Michelle Riggs (LSU-Alexandria)

Howard Margot (Historic New Orleans Collection)

Stephanie Bayless (Butler Center for Arkansas Studies)

Scholarship Committee (vote for 1)

Holly Hasenfratz (National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum)

Amanda Norman (Baylor)

Amy Allen (UArkansas)

Nominating Committee (vote for 1)

Kate Blalack (Woody Guthrie Center)

Halley Grogan (TSLAC)

Joyce Martin (Arizona State)

Thank you to everyone who agreed to be on the ballot. See you in Arlington!

SSA Nominating Committee, 2015

Mark Lambert, Chair mark.lambert@glo.texas.gov

Mike Miller mike.miller@austintexas.gov.

Emily E. Hyatt ehyatt@consolidated.net

SAA workshop -Preserving Email in XML- rescheduled to June 27

Amanda York Focke — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:52:45 GMT

The SAA workshop -Preserving Email in XML- has been rescheduled for
Friday June 27, 2014, 8:15-5pm, at Rice University in Houston.

Early-Bird Registration Deadline: May 27, 2014

http://saa.archivists.org/events/achieving-email-account-preservation-with-xml-14a7/502/

Take advantage of this great SAA program in our region!

SAA workshop: Inreach and Outreach for Digital Archives

Patricia A. Threatt — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 19:19:28 GMT

Reminder: The Early-Bird Registration deadline for this workshop is April 28th!

Inreach and Outreach for Digital Archives. Wednesday, May 28, 2014, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
This course is offered by the Society of American Archivists and participants may register here. SSA members may use the code IROR25LA to receive $25 off the SAA non-member rate.
The course will provide the core components necessary to gather support, engage stakeholders, and enact the change necessary to be able to handle digital archives in your institution. Participants will learn techniques for engaging collection donors and technology staff in order to effectively collect and manage born-digital materials.

Pre-Conference Workshops

Patricia A. Threatt — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 14:59:43 GMT

Registration is now open for several workshops at the SSA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, La. and one webinar on April 22. To register for any of these workshops, click on the “Events” tab above.

Project Management for Archivists. Wednesday, May 28, 2014, 1:00-5:00 pm.
Whether you are processing a collection, implementing a new digital system, moving to a new facility, setting up a public program, or creating an award-winning exhibit, you are serving as a de facto project manager. Archivists spend a large amount of our time working with these types of assignments with little to no project management training in our repertoire. In this workshop, participants will learn practical project management skills and tips with real-world application possibilities. We will discuss the ins-and-outs of project planning, scheduling, communication, and system utilization. Participants will be invited to share their successes and challenges, as well as present current projects for group discussion and assistance.

A series of grant-writing workshops developed and offered by experienced professionals Ann Hodges and Danielle Plumer:

Grants 101: Becoming a Grant-Ready Institution. April 22, 2014, 2:00-3:00 pm.
Part one of the grant writing workshop series will be a one hour webinar, covering available sources of funding and basic information about grants, intended for those who are new to the enterprise.

Planning Fundable Grant Projects. Wednesday, May 28, 2014, 8:30 am-11:30 am.
Part two of the grant writing series is a three-hour in person workshop, covering grant planning and basic application information, intended for all audiences but especially people fairly new to grant writing.

Grant writing Clinic. Wednesday, May 28, 2014, 1:30-5:00 pm.
Part three of the grant writing series is a three-hour, in person grant writing clinic, intended for experienced grant writers. Attendees will be asked to submit an application before registering.

SAA DAS workshop on email preservation - in HOUSTON

Amanda York Focke — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 20:33:43 GMT

DAS workshop in HOUSTON!
Take advantage of this great opportunity in our SSA region!
April 7, 2014

We all need e-mail preservation know-how!

** More registrants are needed to ensure this workshop "makes" so sign up NOW!**
Thanks!

Achieving Email Account Preservation with XML #14A7

Upcoming 2014 SSA Elections

Patricia A. Threatt — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 18:55:12 GMT

Voting for the 2014 SSA elections will be conducted electronically from March 4th (Tuesday) to April 4th (Friday). To be eligible to vote please pay your 2014 membership dues by February 28^th. Electronic ballots will be emailed to eligible voters. To receive a paper ballot contact Lynn Whitfield at lynn.whitfield@ttu.edu.

Grant Writing Workshops Offered

Lauren Goodley — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 16:03:31 GMT

The Professional Development Committee is excited to announce a three-part workshop on grant writing this spring. These workshops are being developed and offered by experienced professionals Ann Hodges and Danielle Plumer, who have given a great deal of thought to the best way to prepare people to write grants that get funded.

Part one of the grant writing workshop series will be a one hour webinar, covering available sources of funding and basic information about grants, intended for those who are new to the enterprise.

· Title: Grants 101: Becoming a Grant-Ready Institution

· Date: April 22, 2014

Part two of the grant writing series is a three-hour in person workshop, covering grant planning and basic application information, intended for all audiences but especially people fairly new to grant writing.

· Title: Planning Fundable Grant Projects

· Date and Time: Wednesday, May 28, 2014, 8:30-12:30

Part three of the grant writing series is a three-hour, in person grant writing clinic, intended for experienced grant writers. Attendees will be asked to submit an application.

· Title: Grant writing Clinic

· Date and Time: Wednesday, May 28, 2014, 1:30-5:00

These last two in-person workshops will be offered on the Wednesday before the

Annual Meeting in New Orleans. More information and how to register will be

available on the Annual Meeting page. You may contact Professional Development Committee Chair Felicia

Williamson for more information at fxt004@shsu.edu.

2014 Harold T. Pinkett Minority Student Award

Patricia A. Threatt — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 15:55:25 GMT

The application period for the 2014 Harold T. Pinkett Minority Student Award is now open!

The Pinkett Award was established in 1993 and recognizes and acknowledges minority graduate students, such as those of African, Asian, Latino or Native American descent, who, through scholastic and personal achievement, manifest an interest in becoming professional archivists and active members of the Society of American Archivists.
The recipients of the award will receive full complimentary registration to the SAA Annual Meeting and related expenses for hotel and travel for attending the Joint Annual Meeting of CoSA, NAGARA, and SAA in Washington, D.C. in August 2014. In addition, each recipient receives a complimentary one-year membership in SAA.

Eligibility: The Pinkett is awarded to minority students, with preference given to full-time students possessing a minimum scholastic grade point average of 3.5 while enrolled in a graduate program focusing on archival management during the academic year proceeding the date on which the award is given.

For more details or to download the application form please visit:
http://www2.archivists.org/governance/handbook/section12-pinkett

The deadline to apply is February 28, 2014.

We wish you the best of luck!

Sincerely,

The Harold T. Pinkett Minority Student Award Committee

SLOTTO!!!

Patricia A. Threatt — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 18:55:17 GMT

SLOTTO!!
SLOTTO!!
SLOTTO!!

That’s right, Folks! It is time again to donate items for the wonderful, wacky, wildness that is SLOTTO!!

Please consider donating items to SLOTTO 2014 in New Orleans. The proceeds from SLOTTO raffle tickets support scholarships for archivists and archival students, which in turn provides an investment from our organization to future archivists and the archive profession.

We accept items that are regifted, rejected, and refused (can you say unwanted gifts?)! Wow us with your wonderful donations intended to delight, mystify, and entice even the most seasoned SLOTTO player. Bring new items, old items; even antique items, if you dare…the possibilities are limitless.

Be creative, be bold, bring some really awesome things…but don’t bring back that ceramic chicken!

Please bring or send items to the registration desk at the Annual Meeting in New Orleans. If you would like to donate any items to the silent auction, please contact Benna Vaughan at Benna_Vaughan@baylor.edu

Deadline tomorrow Jan. 10 for Distinguished Service Award nominations!

Amanda York Focke — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 16:58:18 GMT

Deadline TOMORROW Jan 10, 2014 for SSA's Distinguished Service Award nominations!

Who would you like to see honored for their service to the Society of Southwest Archivists and the wider archival profession?

The Distinguished Service Award Committee is seeking nominations for SSA’s Distinguished Service Award sponsored by Hollinger Metal Edge.

Nominations should be made in writing and include a brief statement of the contributions and achievements of the nominee to SSA and the profession. Letters in support of the nomination are encouraged.

All nomination materials should be received by the chair no later than Friday January 10, 2014.

Send nominations to:

Amanda Focke
Rice University
Fondren Library, MS-44
6100 Main St.
Houston, TX 77005

Or email them to afocke@rice.edu

The recipient is selected by the Executive Board based on the recommendation of the DSA Committee.

Committee members this year are:
Amanda Focke (chair),
Gerri Schaad, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Center, and
Diane Worrell, University of Arkansas Libraries.

Thank you!!

Distinguished Service Award nominations due January 10, 2014

Amanda York Focke — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 15:32:09 GMT

Who would you like to see honored for their service to the Society of Southwest Archivists and the wider archival profession?

The Distinguished Service Award Committee is seeking nominations for SSA’s Distinguished Service Award sponsored by Hollinger Metal Edge.

Nominations should be made in writing and include a brief statement of the contributions and achievements of the nominee to SSA and the profession. Letters in support of the nomination are encouraged.

All nomination materials should be received by the chair no later than Friday January 10, 2014.

Send nominations to:

Amanda Focke
Rice University
Fondren Library, MS-44
6100 Main St.
Houston, TX 77005

Or email them to afocke@rice.edu

The recipient is selected by the Executive Board based on the recommendation of the DSA Committee.

Committee members this year are:
Amanda Focke (chair),
Gerri Schaad, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Center, and
Diane Worrell, University of Arkansas Libraries.

Thank you!!

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Patricia A. Threatt — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 18:17:41 GMT

The Nominating Committee is looking for candidates for following positions:

Vice-President/President elect

Executive Board (3 positions, 2 year terms)

Treasurer (2 year term)

Nominating Committee (2 year term)

Scholarship Committee (3 year term)

The responsibilities of each position can be found in the SSA’s Committee and Procedures Manual at http://www.southwestarchivists.org/Resources/Documents/Manuals/Manual2012.pdf

If you would like to serve or feel you know who the perfect candidate would be, please contact members of the Nominating Committee - Lynn Whitfield, at lynn.whitfield@ttu.edu; Mark Lambert, at mlambert727@gmail.com; and Emily E. Hyatt, at ehyatt@consolidated.net. The deadline for submitting nominations is November 22, 2013.

Progress update on formation of SAA/Regional Associations Group

Amanda York Focke — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 16:22:18 GMT

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

_________________________________________________________________

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

urgent help advocating for NHPRC and TSLAC funding

Amanda York Focke — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:24:31 GMT

Dear SSA members,

Both the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) are calling upon the archival community to lobby our state and federal legislatures for continued funding of their programs.

TSLAC is seeking funding of its Exceptional Budget Request for its e-records program, that will serve as a much-needed model for archival repositories in the state and that will provide on-going access to records that fall under the Texas Public Information Act or otherwise document our rights, property and heritage.

For TSLAC please call the following numbers: Texas Senator and Finance Committee Chair, Tommy Williams at 512-463-0104, and

Texas Representative and Appropriations Chair, Jim Pitt at 512-463-0516.

Follow the protocol below:

1. State your name, residence, and the organization that you represent.

2. Ask to speak with the given representative or their legislative and budgetary liaison.

3. Then tell that individual that: “State agencies are creating records in electronic formats that must be retained permanently for legal, administrative and historical reasons. Right now, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission has no means of transferring and preserving these records. TSLAC needs the exceptional item funding of $450,000 to begin developing a digital archive in order to transfer, manage, preserve and provide access to those records in accordance with state law.”

4. Thank them for their time and kindly ask that your comments be passed along the representatives on the budget conference committee for their consideration.

SSA member Paul Scott’s message copied below contains additional information. (Thank you, Paul, for again sounding the alarm.)

NHPRC:

In the White House budget proposed for FY14, funding for the NHPRC has been cut approximately 40%, from almost 5 million dollars to 3 million. The next step is for Congress to accept and/or modify the President’s proposed budget, which will begin with the Financial Services sub-committee, then move to the House Appropriations Committee before a full House vote. Unfortunately, there are no longer any Texans on the Financial Services Sub-committee, but Representative John Culberson is on the House Appropriations Committee. He is a history buff and has been supportive of funding for the NHPRC in the past. I will propose a letter on behalf of SSA, but if you would also like to express support for level funding for the NHPRC, please contact his office at Phone: (713) 682-8828/Fax: (713) 680-8070/Phone: (202) 225-2571/Fax: (202) 225-4381.

From SSA member Paul Scott:

“I am in receipt of an e-mail and the attached letter from Monte Monroe, the Chair of the Texas State Historical Association’s Archives Committee, requesting our assistance in making two key members of the State Legislature aware of the necessity to provide the funds in this biennium’s budget to begin the collection and preservation of electronic records of permanent value. Repeatedly the State Archives has requested this funding, repeatedly the State Legislature has deferred, and it is ready to do so again. Let me emphasize that we should make phone calls as e-mails are easy to ignore. It is appropriate to follow-up with an e-mail, but if you do so, mark it urgent as time is growing short. I thank you for the support you provided on SB 881 and hope that you will also help again.”

Thank you!!

Amanda Focke

SSA President, May 2012-May 2013

SSA has a Twitter account!

Patricia A. Threatt — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 14:49:49 GMT

You can follow @SWarchivists and connect with fellow SSAers who follow SSA by using the hashtag #SWarchivists. Enjoy! If you're going to SAA this would be a great way to communicate!