PAST WORKSHOPS

Preserving Digital Collections

JUNE 13, 2024

Description: This webinar will review the basics of digital preservation, introduce key principles to guide archivists' decisions and actions, and outline practical advice for stewarding digital content. Topics include the building blocks of digital information, threats to digital content, digital preservation standards and models, common preservation methods and activities, and considerations at each stage of collection development and management. Archivists just beginning to collect or preserve digital content will improve their foundational knowledge and gain a clearer sense of next steps. Those with more digital archives experience or more mature digital preservation programs will be able to clarify their preservation goals, evaluate the current state of their collections, and identify ways to improve. Participants are encouraged but not required to participate in a poll-based activity and share experiences and observations from their work with digital archives. The webinar will include time for Q&A.

Instructor: Katherine Fisher, Emory University Libraries

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies Reading Group

MARCH 27, 2024

Description: Join New England Archivists to explore critical archival practice while discussing Claudia Mallea’s article, “Using Metadata to Mitigate the Risks of Digitizing Archival Photographs of Violence and Oppression,” in The Journal for Contemporary Archival Studies. Attendees are invited to join in an open discussion of this article, where they can hear more from Mallea, pose questions to the group, and collaborate on how this discussion reflects or informs their own work.

Article link: Using Metadata To Mitigate The Risks Of Digitizing Archival Photographs Of Violence And Oppression

Instructor: Claudia Mallea

Engaging Students in Deeper Learning

MARCH 14, 2024

Description: In this interactive webinar, educator and author Jay McTighe will address important questions as he explores ideas from the award-winning book, Teaching For Deeper Learning: Tools to Engage Students in Meaning Making (ASCD, 2020). What is deeper learning? What kind of instruction is needed to help students learn deeply? Jay will present a set of practical and proven strategies and associated tools to actively engage students in making meaning.

Instructor: Jay McTighe

How Learners Learn

MARCH 14, 2024

Description: This interactive, hands-on workshop will give attendees a basic yet powerful tour through some of the fundamental research principles of effective learning, with personal reflection and practical considerations for teaching, presenting, and all forms of educating.

Instructor: Ronit Carter

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Celebrating with Collections

OCTOBER 27, 2023

Description: When your community (or your nation) is celebrating a major anniversary, the public and press will be interested in archival collections related to that time period. Before you bring out your most precious items, you'll want to attend this workshop to learn the basics about how to protect them during handling, scanning, and exhibition. The instructor will also explain how you can collaborate with other local organizations to save time and money as you engage the public in your community's history. It's never too early to begin planning!

Instructor: Jesse Keel, NEDCC

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies Reading Group

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

Description: Join New England Archivists to explore critical archival practice while discussing Deborah Gurt’s article “Community Oral History to widen the path: The Jewish Mobile Oral History Project” in The Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies. Attendees are invited to join in an open discussion of this article, where they can hear more from Gurt, pose questions to the group, and collaborate on how this discussion reflects or informs their own work.

Article link: Community Oral History to widen the path: The Jewish Mobile Oral History Project

Instructor: Deborah Gurt, University of South Alabama

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies Reading Group

JUNE 8, 2023

Description: Join New England Archivists to explore critical archival practice while discussing Jamillah R. Gabriel’s article “Archiving Blackness: Reimagining and Recreating the Archive(s) as Literary and Information Wake Work” in The Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies. Attendees are invited to join in an open discussion of this topic, where they can hear more from Gabriel, pose questions to the group, and even collaborate on how this discussion reflects or informs their own work.

Article link: Archiving Blackness: Reimagining and Recreating the Archive(s) as Literary and Information Wake Work

Instructor: Jamillah R. Gabriel, Harvard University

Surface Cleaning Techniques for Paper-Based Materials

MARCH 30, 2023

Description: Please join New England Archivists for this hands-on workshop, taught by NEDCC's Director of Book Conversation Bexx Caswell-Olson, where participants will learn about various surface cleaning methods that can be safely used to clean books and paper. Using a combination of lecture and live demonstration, the pros and cons and appropriate applications of each method will be discussed. Each participant will receive a supply kit and will have the opportunity to participate in a unique hands-on experience. This class is appropriate for anyone charged with the care of paper-based collections – no previous conservation experience is necessary.

Instructor: Bexx Caswell-Olson, NEDCC (Northeast Document Conservation Center)

Accessibility 202: Accessible Presentations, Exhibitions, and Audio/Visual Resources

MARCH 30, 2023

Description: Please join New England Archivists for Accessibility 202: Accessible Presentations, Exhibitions and Audio/Visual Resources, a virtual workshop taught by the Research Library and Archives team at Perkins School for the Blind. This workshop, a follow up to Accessibility 101 held in 2022, will cover strategies for making presentations, exhibitions, and audio and visual resources accessible. Participants will learn approaches and best practices that will help ensure that these types of materials are inclusive. There will be an opportunity to ask focused questions on each topic, and helpful resources and examples will be provided.

Instructors: Jennifer Arnott, Susanna Coit, and Jen Hale, Perkins School for the Blind

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Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies Reading Group

NOVEMBER 10, 2022

Description: Join New England Archivists to explore ethical and access considerations when digitizing yearbooks with April K. Anderson-Zorn and Dallas Long. A recent project to create digital collections out of yearbooks, particularly to serve as an alumni engagement tool, led Anderson-Zorn and Long to closely examine how this work can be done while respecting student privacy and legal restrictions. Attendees are invited to join in an open discussion of this topic, where they can hear more from Anderson-Zorn and Long, pose questions to the group, and even share about how they have encountered or tackled these same considerations in their own work.

Article link: Digitize Your Yearbooks: Creating Digital Access While Considering Student Privacy and Other Legal Issues

Instructors: April K. Anderson-Zorn, University Archivist of Illinois State University and Dallas Long, Dean of Milner Library at Illinois State University

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies Reading Group

APRIL 20, 2022

Description: Join New England Archivists for a discussion and Q&A with Jessica Dame, author of “Web Archiving in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad During COVID-19.” The article details the work of Dame and the Special Collections and University Archives team to archive pandemic related updates and content from both their institution and the surrounding community through web crawling, preserving this pivotal time without placing the onus on the community to submit content.

Article link: Web Archiving in North Carolina's Piedmont Triad During COVID-19

Instructor: Jessica Dame, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Accessibility 101: Print, Photo, and Social Media Tips

APRIL 5, 2022

Description: Please join NEA for a webinar taught by the Research Library and Archives team at Perkins School for the Blind. The webinar will highlight top accessibility issues related to text, photographs, and social media. Participants will learn approaches for inclusive everyday practices as well as options for making resources accessible on-demand. Instructors will lead activities where participants can try out some of these methods firsthand. There will be an opportunity to ask focused questions about each topic, and helpful resources and examples will also be provided.

Instructors: Jennifer Arnott, Susanna Coit, and Jen Hale, Perkins School for the Blind

The Processing Manual as a Tool for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

FEBRUARY 24, 2022

Description: Are you currently working on integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) best practices into processing at your institution, or wondering how to do it and where to start? Are you interested in hearing more about the topic? Please join us for this special knowledge share event and learn how archivists at one New England institution developed a processing manual with a DEI framework.

Can standardized processing workflows encapsulate today’s minimal and extensible processing methods while simultaneously implementing DEI best practices? This was our central question when developing the first processing manual at Brandeis University, published in December 2021. The manual includes a processing level matrix, and covers accessioning, surveying, and workflows for five different levels of processing, restrictions, and access determination. The manual also solidifies new workflows which aim to balance the use of extensible archival practices to increase access to collections with the need to address DEI concerns through transparency, care for content creators and subjects, thoughtful treatment of provenance, and mitigation of harm. This session will discuss the goals and challenges involved in developing our manual and engage the audience in considering the use of a processing manual as a tool for DEI action.

Instructors: Maggie McNeely and Kate McNally, Brandeis University

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Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies Reading Group

OCTOBER 5, 2021

Description: Join us to discuss the article “What’s Wrong with Digital Stewardship: Evaluating the Organization of Digital Preservation Programs from Practitioners’ Perspectives.”

Article link: What’s Wrong with Digital Stewardship: Evaluating the Organization of Digital Preservation Programs from Practitioners’ Perspectives

Preservation in a Pinch

JUNE 29, 2021

Description: In this virtual workshop we will review the basics of book and paper preservation including handling, storage, and general care. We will look at ways we can apply this foundational knowledge creatively while working within budgets, time constraints, and limits of available space or resources. Attendees will learn practical tips and tricks to help extend the life of their collection.

Instructors: Nichole Speciale, Brandeis University

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies Reading Group

APRIL 19, 2021

Description: Join New England Archivists to discuss the article “MPLP: From Practice to Theory” with author Kyna Herzinger.

Article link: MPLP: From Practice to Theory

Instructor: Kyna Herzinger, University of Louisville

Collections-Based Online Learning in the Digital Archive

MARCH 25, 2021

Description: In this webinar about teaching and learning in the digital archive, Amy Barlow will discuss teaching an online first-year seminar that uses collections-based learning as an approach for developing coursework and learning outcomes. The program will describe how students in the course developed academic skills and acquired subject knowledge through the sustained study of a digitized manuscript from the Papers of Dr. Carl Russell Gross (1888-1971), a physician and chronicler of Rhode Island’s Black professional community during the first half of the twentieth century. Participants will gain theoretical and practical knowledge of collections-based learning with digital materials, which may be adapted to various instructional settings both online and face-to-face.

Instructors: Amy Barlow, Rhode Island College

Your Guess is Worse Than Mine: How to Estimate Work and Make Decisions

MARCH 25, 2021

Description: Have you ever been asked, "When will this be done?" and not known how to answer? This webinar will provide participants with practical tools to increase their confidence in forecasting project timelines. Participants will learn techniques in project estimation, ways to track their work, and tips for collaborating in ways that reduce churn and create alignment within teams.

Instructors: Rachel Macasek

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Approaching Transition And Grief In Acquisitions Work 

APRIL 30, 2019

Description: Archival acquisitions often occur at times of difficult transition. A holistic understanding of a donor’s transition will aid archivists and other staff with acquisitions responsibilities in managing successful donor interactions. Techniques to handle difficult situations will lead to better outcomes for archivists and stewards of cultural heritage.

For the last three years, Mumford, Hayes and Ilacqua have explored the topics of transition, grief, and loss through interviews with professionals including palliative care workers, ombudspersons, and members of the clergy, as well as extensive research on medical perspectives of loss and grief.

Instructors: Heather Mumford, Carolyn Hayes, and Joan Ilacqua , Harvard Medical School

Oral History: Approaches, Technology, Preservation

APRIL 4, 2019

Description: Taught by Andy Kolovos, Associate Director and Archivist of the Vermont Folklife Center, this workshop will explore the fundamentals of an ethnographic approach to oral history research, including interviewing, audio recording and audio equipment basics, and will provide an overview of archival considerations and digital preservation best practices for oral history materials. The workshop includes a demonstration interview and hands-on time for participants to practice interviewing and recording in small groups.

Andy Kolovos holds a PhD in Folklore and Ethnomusicology and an MLS, both from Indiana University. He is co-coordinator of the American Folklore Society’s National Folklore Archives Initiative and member of the Society of American Archivists Oral History Section Steering Committee. He presents and consults widely on oral history and community ethnography, audio recording for ethnography and archival concerns in relation to these materials.

Instructor: Andy Kovolos, Vermont Folklife Center

Caring for Historical Records

APRIL 4, 2019

Description: Geared toward those responsible for the care of historical records or those interested in developing a historical records collection, this workshop will be especially useful for staff and volunteers working in libraries, museums, historical societies, or municipal governments who have little or no formal training. Through a combination of lecture, group discussion, and exercises, participants will get an overview of the fundamentals of archival organization, including the basic principles and practices of identification, acquisition, preservation, arrangement, and description of historical records. Topics of access, reference, outreach, and policy-making will also be explored.

Instructor: Rachel Onuf, Vermont State Archives

Salary Negotiation for Archivists: An Online Workshop

March 23, 2019

Description: Looking for a job, or seeking a promotion, is tough and stressful—and getting that offer is something to be proud of! Now it’s time to negotiate your salary. Salary negotiations may be high stakes, but you already have all the skills you need to get results you want. Covering basic negotiation theory and advice, techniques for preparing and executing salary negotiations, and resources to help you become a more confident negotiator, this workshop is for any entry-level or mid-level librarians who may have a job search or salary negotiation in their future.

Instructor: Beth Ashmore

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Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies Reading Group

December 11, 2018

Description: Meghan R. Rinn of the Barnum Museum will join us to discuss her article “Nineteenth-Century Depictions of Disabilities and Modern Metadata: A Consideration of Material in the P.T.Barnum Digital Collection.” Read the article and join us to discuss the issues of description and disability in archival collections. Article link: https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/jcas/vol5/iss1/1/

Instructor: Meghan Rinn, Barnum Museum

Deconstructing Whiteness

AUGUST 6, 2018

Description: This workshop is designed for archives professionals who want to critically and constructively examine how dynamics of whiteness affect their work. Participants will reflect upon critical conversations in the archival profession, including #ArchivesSoWhite, M. Ramirez’s 2015 article “Being Assumed Not to Be: A Critique of Whiteness as an Archival Imperative,” and outcomes of the 2017 Liberatory Archives Forum in Portland, OR. Following an introduction to key concepts and definitions, trained facilitators will lead attendees in a series of participatory dialogues and exercises designed to unify theory and practice.

Instructor: Samantha Winn, Virginia Tech

Principled Archivists: How To Make The New Dacs Principles Work For You And Your Users

July 27, 2018

Description: The newly revised DACS principles provide an updated framework for archival description. In this workshop, participants will test the revised DACS principles against real-world researcher needs. This workshop provides a chance for archivists to learn more about the revision process and the rationale for revision and, most important, determine how to implement these principles to structure a descriptive program.

Instructors: Adrien Hilton, Harvard University And Maureen Callahan, Smith College

Documenting Dissent: How LIS Professionals Can Support Community Archives

June 23, 2018

Description: For the past several decades, community archives such at the Lesbian Herstory Archives, Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project, and the Freedom Archives have been important sites of self-determination, memory, and inspiration for historically disenfranchised communities. In recent years, archivists and information workers have become increasingly interested in using their professional skills to support these projects. This workshop will discuss what community archives are and why they are important. We will consider some of the ethical considerations for professionals interested in supporting community-based projects. We will cover topics including record-keeping for activists, community archives and digital security, and the benefits and pitfalls of institutional partnerships. A variety of low-cost and practical tools will be introduced. Participants will leave the workshop with a theoretical grounding in the current activist and professional conversations around community archives and actionable knowledge about how LIS professionals can support this work.

Instructors: Maggie Schreiner, New York University Libraries and Marie Lascu, XFR Collective

You're Hired! How to Navigate the Job Application Process

MARCH 22, 2018 

Description:  Whether you're new to the job market or returning after a hiatus, join Peter Carini, College Archivist at Dartmouth College, as he demystifies the job-seeking process by breaking it down into manageable parts. In this hands-on workshop, you'll learn about all aspects of the application process, from reading and assessing a job advertisement to navigating an interview and presenting yourself in a competent and professional manner. After reviewing and discussing ads, resumes, and cover letters, you'll have the opportunity to write a model cover letter and gain feedback from the instructor and the group, and to participate in (or observe) a mock interview.

Instructor: Peter Carini, Dartmouth College

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Funding for Archives Work

March 23, 2017  |  full day

Location: The Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis | 35 Scudder Avenue, Hyannis, MA 02601

Description: This grants workshop will provide attendees with a detailed look to the competitive archival grant programs at the National Archives and Records Administration, which are made through the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). The primary emphasis of this workshop will be on the Access to Historical Records grant program. Executive Director Williams will give participants an understanding of the grant application process, including the components of a good project summary, narrative, budget, and supplemental materials. The instructor also will discuss the review process, the response phase, and Commission recommendations. Attendees will have the opportunity to read and comment on two sample applications as part of the peer review process. They also will learn general tips that successful applicants have used to strengthen their applications.

The workshop also will offer attendees the opportunity to start designing their own project and application package: defining project scope, devising a budget, developing a work plan, and preparing an application.

Instructor: Kathleen Williams, National Historical Publication & Records Commission

Born Digital Access Bootcamp: A Collaborative Learning Forum

March 23, 2017  |  full day

Location: The Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis | 35 Scudder Avenue, Hyannis, MA 02601

Description: This workshop will focus on building strategies to providing access to born-digital material.

Designed as an opportunity for practitioners and beginners to learn from one another, the workshop will take a collaborative approach with a morning of group discussions on relevant topics guided by workshop facilitators, following by a hands-on afternoon with demonstrations of born-digital access systems and breakout discussion sessions.

Topics will be selected through surveying workshop participants and through forum discussion, but will ultimately address how policies, copyright/risk assessment, user needs, reference interactions, processing workflows, donor relations, advocacy, and other archival functions affect how, when, and what we provide access to, with an emphasis on user-driven access throughout.

Instructors: Alison Clemens, Yale University & Jessica Farrell, Harvard University

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Records Management in the Round: Re-purposing Your Archival Expertise to Start a Program

June 7, 2016  |  full day

Location: New England Historic Genealogical Society  |  Boston, MA

Description: As archivists, we're very familiar with one part of the "records lifecycle" – how can we leverage our knowledge to make records management happen? This workshop will help you to use your expertise and skills to fill in gaps. You will leave knowing how to analyze active records and records-keeping systems to help ensure that what should come to the archives actually arrives, and what doesn't need to be kept is disposed of appropriately by the right people, at the right time. Can you carry out risk mitigation that keeps senior management informed and supportive? Do you have a disaster plan not just for vital records, but for vital systems? Are you protecting privacy and intellectual property rights while making information available and useful? You will after this workshop!

Instructors: Sarah R. Demb, Harvard University Archives; Sarah A. Polirer, Cigna Corporation (Connecticut)

Planning Your Digitization Project: Getting the Most out of your Time, Resources, and Collections

May 5, 2016  |  half day
June 30, 2016 | half day

Location: National Archives at Boston  |  Waltham, MA

Description: This half day workshop will give participants an overview of the basics of digitization project planning—including determining project scope and budget, mapping intellectual goals to physical workflow, and planning for technology and staffing requirements—to get the most out of your newly-created digital assets. Strategies and resources for long-term digital asset management will be discussed to cover the entire life cycle of digital assets created as a result of digitization projects.

Participants will also walk through an “if/then” decision tree considering the essential questions of digitization hopes and needs, which can then be used in the development of a concrete, personalized plan.

Instructor: Maureen Jennings, Safdie Architects

Archivists & Active Learning: Fostering Student Engagement and Learning Opportunities in Archives

March 31, 2016  |  full day

Location: NEA Spring 2016 Meeting | By the Bay Conference Center  |  Portland, ME

Description: Archives and archivists can play a vital role in education across grade levels—from primary school to graduate programs. But simply placing students in a reading room with primary sources or showcasing “cool stuff” to a class does not necessarily facilitate student learning. Pedagogical design does. This full-day workshop will help you maximize your interactions with students, adapt your information literacy approaches, and develop mutually beneficial, collaborative relationships between archives and educational institutions. What skills and concepts do educators hope to cultivate in their students and how can working with archival materials help further pedagogical goals? How can archivists assess the effectiveness of these interactions? How do you develop relationships with educators and administrators that encourage deeper engagement with archival materials?

We will discuss emerging and innovative ideas and practices related to engaging students with archival materials, both in and outside of class assignments and how these archival activities should align with curriculum frameworks. Models of innovative projects will be presented as well as practical tips on building cross discipline collaborations between archivists, educators, artists and humanists. Participants in this workshop will have time to design an adaptable lesson plan based on a collection in their archive and should leave the workshop feeling confident in implementing this plan.

Instructors: Marilyn Morgan, University of Massachusetts, Boston; Marta Crilly, Boston City Archives; James Moran, American Antiquarian Society; Suzy Taraba, Wesleyan University

Oral History: Approaches, Technology, Preservation

March 31, 2016  |  full day

Location: NEA Spring 2016 Meeting | By the Bay Conference Center  |  Portland, ME

Description:  For over 30 years the Vermont Folklife Center has conducted ethnographic and oral history research in Vermont. At the heart of our work resides the oral interview—-a process rooted in empathy, respect and engaged, passionate listening. The morning and early afternoon will focus on the fundamentals of an ethnographic approach to oral history work, including theory, methods and ethics. The workshop begins with a demonstration interview and group discussion of the ethnographic interview process. Following our discussion, attendees will next break into groups and conduct interviews with one another using provided digital audio recording equipment. The first part of the workshop will conclude with reflection on interviewing and a discussion of project ideas.

For the remainder of the day will explore the theory, technology and methods of digital audio recording for interviews, including the fundamentals of digital audio, microphones for field recording, and options for audio recorders. We will conclude the day with an overview and discussion of fundamentals of digital preservation for oral history researchers.

Instructor: Andy Kolovos, Vermont Folklife Center

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AV: 101

October 22, 2015  |  full day

Location: Massachusetts Historical Society | Boston, MA

Description:  In the 2015 NEA membership survey, one-third of NEA members indicated a desire to gain skills and expertise necessary to effectively manage, preserve, and provide access to their audiovisual collections. We’re excited to offer a day-long workshop focusing on the basics of moving image and recorded sound collections, taught by staff from the WGBH Media Library and Archives and Harvard Library’s Weissman Preservation Center. This workshop will cover the following topics: identification of analog and digital formats, basic care and handling, storage of analog and digital AV collections, inventorying analog collections, metadata for audiovisual materials, digitization best practices, characteristics of digital audiovisual files, rights and access, and digital repositories. Attendees will leave the workshop with confidence, knowledge and resources to ensure the preservation and access of the cultural heritage documented in their audiovisual collections.

Instructors: Casey E. Davis, Rebecca Fraimow and Elizabeth Walters

Career Development Strategies for Early Career Professionals

September 12, 2015  |  full day

Location: Simmons College | Boston, MA

Description:  This workshop aims to help new archivists navigate the job market, improve their prospects, and provide support during what can be a stressful and confusing experience. Whether you are just starting out, are trying to climb the ladder, or are transitioning career tracks, this workshop will try to give you tools to make these processes a little easier. Some of the topics we will cover include post-graduate career planning, tailoring your education, internships, and entry-level or part-time positions to further your goals, networking and finding mentors, and affordable methods of professional development.

This workshop is co-sponsored by the Simmons College Student Chapter of the Society of American Archivists (SCoSAA).

Instructors: Annalisa Moretti and Silvia Mejia

Caring For Historical Records

August 24, 2015  |  full day

Location: Historic Northampton | Northampton, MA

Description:  This workshop is for those responsible for the care of historical records or those interested in developing a historical records collection. It is especially useful for staff and volunteers working in libraries, museums, historical societies, or municipal governments who have responsibility for archival materials but no formal training in archival practice. Through a combination of lecture, group discussion, and exercises, participants will get an overview of the fundamentals of archival organization, including the basic principles and practices of identification, acquisition, preservation, arrangement and description of historical records. The topics of access, reference and outreach will also be explored. This workshop will help participants develop policies, forms, and procedures to manage archival collections.

NEA thanks University Products, Inc. for its support of this workshop.

Instructor: Anne Ostendarp, Consulting and Project Archivist

Becoming a Better Manager

June 3, 2015  |  full day

Location: Trinity College | Hartford, CT

Description:  Designed for the new manager, this workshop will focus on the management of people and problems. We’ll talk about the role of the manager, managing up as well as down, hiring, performance management, evaluation, letting someone go, and managing yourself. The workshop will also cover methods for dealing with non-personnel problems. Please come to the workshop with your questions, and be ready to share scenarios and experiences with the best and worst bosses you’ve had, observed or heard about. Often discussing real life examples leads to solutions for others!

Instructor: Maria Bernier, Connecticut State Library

Arrangement and Description

March 19, 2015  |  full day

Location: NEA Spring 2015 Meeting | Park Plaza Hotel | Boston, MA

Description:  Intended for those with some archival training, this workshop will focus on day-to-day decisions one faces in arranging and describing archival manuscript collections that have minimal order. Topics covered include finding aid design, elements of finding aids, guidelines for establishing series and sub-series, basic conservation practices, and handling problem materials, with an emphasis on creating access to collections. Participants are encouraged to bring their questions about processing collections.

Instructor: Barbara Austin, Connecticut Historical Society

Caring for Historical Records: An Introduction

March 19, 2015  |  full day

Location: NEA Spring 2015 Meeting | Park Plaza Hotel | Boston, MA

Description:  Geared toward those responsible for the care of historical records or those interested in developing a historical records collection, this workshop will be especially useful for staff and volunteers working in libraries, museums, historical societies, or municipal governments who have little or no formal training. Through a combination of lecture, group discussion, and exercises, participants will get an overview of the fundamentals of archival organization, including the basic principles and practices of identification, acquisition, preservation, arrangement, and description of historical records. Topics of access, reference, outreach, and policymaking will also be explored.

Instructor: Anne Ostendarp, Consulting and Project Archivist

Project Management for Archival Processing

March 19, 2015  |  full day

Location: NEA Spring 2015 Meeting | Park Plaza Hotel | Boston, MA

Description:  In This workshop offers archivists introductory techniques and common tools for project management, focusing particularly on strengthening prioritization skills and workflow planning for processing projects. The workshop will also address interpretive projects such as exhibitions and digital initiatives. Attendees from any size repository, including lone arrangers, will learn how to define project goals and objectives, compose project objective statements, establish work breakdown structures, estimate project budgets, create project and communication plans, schedule and track tasks using Gantt Charts, and conduct a post-project evaluation. The workshop will show how standard project management terminology can be applied to common archives tasks, as well as give an overview of Earned Value Assessment.

Instructor: Vincent Novara, University of Maryland

Copyright Fundamentals for Archivists and Librarians

March 19, 2015  |  full day

Location: NEA Spring 2015 Meeting | Park Plaza Hotel | Boston, MA

Description:  In many institutions, the uncertain copyright status of some archival and special collection materials can make archivists and librarians uncomfortable. As repositories think about making more material available on the web, anxiety about possible copyright infringement increases. This workshop will explore what strategies special collections can follow to minimize the risks when reproducing and distributing unique and/or unpublished material. Topics covered will include an introduction to basic copyright law and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act; exceptions to copyright restrictions, such as fair use and the specific exemptions for libraries and archives; methods for assessing the copyright status of materials; and issues associated with particular formats. Attendees will gain a better understanding of how to work with senior administrators to address institutional risk.

Instructor: Peter Hirtle, Harvard University

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Being Resourceful: DIY supports and enclosures

November 11, 2014  |  half day

Location: Providence Public Library | Providence, RI

Description:  Are you a Do-It-Yourselfer at home? Want to bring some of that resourcefulness to your library or archive? Learn from a preservation professional about some tricks of the trade.

“Being Resourceful: DIY Supports and Enclosures” will discuss basic tools, tips and techniques on how to create many of the supports and enclosures needed in your repository and save your organization money on buying off the shelf items. You’ll learn what tools you’ll need in order to create a variety of supports and enclosures and gain some tips on how to pull those together from non-traditional library sources. Topics covered will include making custom wrappers and enclosures, sewing book cushions, covering bricks, measuring sticks, making weighted cubes and snake weights, sewing encapsulation and more. You will also craft a simple enclosure that can be adapted to a range of sizes and materials.

Instructor: Erica Saladino, Book Repair and Conservation Technician, Brown University Libraries

Introduction to Records Management

March 20, 2014  |  full day

Location: NEA Spring 2014 Meeting | Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel | Portsmouth, NH

Description:  The focus of this workshop is on the concepts and techniques of records management programs. Participants will receive a general overview of best practices, current developments in the field, and special topics relating to the dual functions of archives and records management. This workshop is intended for students interested in learning about the elements of records management and professionals looking to direct or establish a records management program at their institution. This program will provide basic knowledge of the principles and practices of RM. Special emphasis will be given to the records of government offices, particularly municipalities, as well as to agencies tasked with developing their own schedules and procedures.

Instructor: Daniel McCormack, Town of Burlington, Massachusetts

Day of Mindfulness

March 20, 2014  |  half day

Location: NEA Spring 2014 Meeting | Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel | Portsmouth, NH

Description:  Mindfulness can be defined as awareness of our experience in the present moment. Some would add without judgment. So often we approach ourselves from a place of criticism, lack and negativity that getting to the place of non judgment and self acceptance is a practice. This practice benefits everyone – some people come to the practice to transform habits of anxiety and depression, others to deal with chronic pain, others to unlock their creative potential and still others to engage in a spiritual practice. Please join us for an overview of Mindfulness and a morning steeped with practices. You will walk away with both a cognitive knowledge of Mindfulness and the experience of how this practice benefits you in all aspects of your life.

Instructor: Patricia Howard

Metrics for Special Collections

March 20, 2014  |  half day

Location: NEA Spring 2014 Meeting | Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel | Portsmouth, NH

Description:  What is the difference between an output and an outcome? What do granting agencies mean by demonstrating effective change through evaluation? How can we foster and embed a culture of assessment in our repositories, regardless of the types of collections we hold or number of staff? How can we demonstrate the effective use of project staffing and funds? And what kind of data should we be trying to capture anyway?

This half-day workshop is designed to introduce participants to the national metrics conversation: why archivists need to think beyond user statistics; how assessment can improve project management and practice; and the value of metrics not only as a reporting mechanism for management, but as a way to advocate for staff and dynamically change workflow and patron interaction. At the end of this course, you will understand key metrics-related terminology and avenues for evaluation, and discover what tools and models are available to archivists to facilitate data collection.

Instructors: Kathryn Hammond Baker and Emily Novak Gustainis, Center for the History of Medicine, Countway Library, Harvard Medical School; and, Adrienne Pruitt, John J. Burns Library, Boston College

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