Introduction to the Focus Issue: Natural History Collections Come in from the Cold Consuelo Sendino, Svetlana Nikolaeva
Fragments of Frankliniana: The Conservation of Arctic Exploration-Related Paper Amanda Gould
Collections of Arctic Plants, Lichens, and Fungi in the Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Norway Charlotte Sletten Bjorå, Mika Bendiksby, Bjørn Petter Løfall, Lars Erik Johannesen, Einar Timdal
Digitization of the Greenland Vascular Plant Herbarium as a Unique Research Infrastructure to Study Arctic Climate Change and Inform Nature Management Natalie Iwanycki Ahlstrand
The GEUS Palynology, Nannofossil, and Microfossil Arctic Slide Collection Henrik Nøhr-Hansen, Stefan Piasecki, Kasia K. Śliwińska, Sofie Lindström, Emma Sheldon, Karen Dybkjær, Annette Ryge, Charlotte Olsen, Peter Alsen, John Boserup
A Taxonomic Baseline to Monitor Retreating Arctic Biota: The Marine Invertebrate Collection of the Icelandic Institute of Natural History (IINH) Gudmundur Gudmundsson
Mollusks from Arctic Region at the National Museum of Natural Sciences Collections (MNCN-CSIC, Madrid, Spain) Mª Dolores Bragado Álvarez, Javier de Andrés Cobeta
Arctic Specimens in the Zoological Collections at the Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Norway (NHMO) Lars Erik Johannessen, Arild Johnsen, Thore Koppetsch, Jan Terje Lifjeld, Michael Matschiner, Geir E. E. Søli, Kjetil Lysne Voje
A Short Research Guide on Arctic Historical Bryozoan Collections and a Few Associated Biocoenosis at the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences Valentina I. Gontar
Fossils From the Arctic in the Collections of the Natural History Museum in Oslo, Norway Hans Arne Nakrem, Franz-Josef Lindemann, Jørn Harald Hurum, Øyvind Hammer
The Arctic Paleontological Collections in the V.I. Vernadsky State Geological Museum (Moscow, Russia) Iraida Alexandrovna Starodubtseva, Irina Leonidovna Soroka
Subfossil Insect Collections From the Arctic of Northeast Asia and Northwest North America Svetlana Kuzmina
Arctic Quaternary Mammal Collections in the Museums of Yakutsk (Yakutia, East Siberia, Russia) Gennady Boeskorov, Marina Shchelchkova
Paleontological Aspects of Austrian Arctic Endeavors Mathias Harzhauser, Anna E. Weinmann, Martin Krenn, Oleg Mandic
Submit to Year Two of Intergenerational Conversations This year, the American Archivist Reviews Portal initiated its new series, Intergenerational Conversations, to foster an ongoing dialogue between new voices in the archives profession and authors whose work shaped the literature years ago. The second year will revisit select SAA presidential addresses. Editors Rose Buchanan and Stephanie Luke are actively seeking authors to contribute to the second year of the series. To apply, fill out this Google form by November 22. Reach out to reviewseditor@archivists.org with any questions.
The last three years have seen substantial changes in the world—a global pandemic, calls for social justice, climate change, economic uncertainty, and political division. Changes that are often beyond our control but affect our work and work life. We must consider the lasting impact of these changes—and ones still to come—as we look to the future of our profession.
Rather than offer a theme to focus the conference around, the Program Committee seeks a multitude of opinions and perspectives from a wide variety of regions and institutions about the state of the field and its future. For those looking for somewhere to start, the Program Committee suggests thinking about the following concepts:
Artificial intelligence and its impacts and opportunities
The future of archival work
Fundraising
Community building and engagement
Public programming and exhibits
Supporting professional growth and leadership
Embedding the archives mindset into the DNA of your organization
Navigating political uncertainty
We are also open to proposals on other topics related to archives and archival work.
Proposal Evaluation
The Program Committee invites submissions for 60–75 minute sessions (live and/or hybrid) and poster presentations. This year, we are introducing one new proposal format and one new session format, which are described below. Proposals are welcome on any aspect of archives, records, and information management—local, state or territorial, national, and international—especially their intersections with other professions and domains. Each proposal will be evaluated on its completeness and the strength of the 150-word abstract. Proposals should incorporate one or more of the following:
Statement of potential impact on archives, records, and information management;
Diversity of presenters, including but not limited to racial diversity, gender diversity, experiential or professional diversity, institutional diversity, diversity of ability, and/or geographic diversity;
Relevance of the topic for SAA members and other interested attendees; and/or
A plan for, or description of, how the session will incorporate interaction and engagement with session attendees.
We expect program sessions to reflect SAA’s commitments to a diverse and inclusive program and profession. Each session should include individuals and/or organizations with varied personal and professional experiences, perspectives, and identities. Please indicate—in a summative way—how your proposal reflects individual, organizational, or geographic diversity and/or supports the development, inclusion, and stewardship of a diverse profession or cultural record. This could include positionality statements that reflect on the unique identities of the panelists in relation to the work they will discuss, a recognition of dominant positionality inherent in your identity or organization, or the ways in which privilege and power manifest in the session and how you will use or respond to it.
Session Formats
The Program Committee encourages submission of proposals that may include, but are not limited to, the following formats:
NEW in 2024!Bring Your Own Breakfast (BYOB). To foster more connection for in-person attendees, we are introducing “Bring Your Own Breakfast” sessions in the morning, before the convening of the main conference. These informal sessions are an opportunity to gather archivists interested in similar topics, particularly emerging areas (like Artificial Intelligence) for connection and collaboration. By proposing a BYOB session, you are committing to facilitating discussion amongst attendees. Similar proposals may be combined.
NEW in 2024! Mix and Match. “Mix and Match” is a new proposal format that will allow individuals to propose an individual talk, rather than a full session. We hope this option will encourage individuals who have not previously submitted a proposal to do so and to provide an opportunity to connect archivists who might not have otherwise met one another. We will accept proposals for 5 or 20-minute presentations.
Lightning Talks. Session consisting of eight to ten lively and informative 5-minute talks. The session chair secures commitments from speakers and compiles all presentation slides into one single presentation to ensure timely speaker transitions.
Panel Presentation. Session consisting of a panel of three to five individuals discussing or presenting theories or perspectives on a given topic. Session may consist of a series of prepared presentations or a moderated discussion, and should include time for audience feedback. If giving prepared presentations, presentation titles should be provided and will be printed in the program. A moderator is required (this role may be performed by the chair); a commentator is optional.
Poster Presentation. Report in which information is summarized using brief written statements and graphic materials, such as photographs, charts, graphs, and/or diagrams mounted on poster board (if in person) or in a PDF document (if virtual). Presenters will be assigned a specific time at which they must be with their poster to discuss it with attendees, if presenting in-person.
Alternative Format. Don’t feel confined by the prescribed formats—suggest an alternative or create your own! Alternative format sessions may take a variety of forms. Examples include world café and fishbowl discussions. Propose a moderated debate offering opposing points of view, or an “experiential” format involving simulation, role play, or games to convey key principles and learning objectives. We welcome your creative ideas about how your topic might best be addressed! Proposals in this category must: 1) specify the format and session facilitator and 2) describe briefly how the format will enhance the presentation of the material. You may suggest up to four presenters for the session.
Your format choice will not affect the Program Committee’s decision. The Committee may, however, recommend that the proposed format be changed if it believes that a different format may better serve the session’s learning objectives or desired audience.
Submit Proposal
Proposals for the 2024 Annual Meeting are due on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. CT. The Program Committee will not consider proposals received after the deadline.
Submission form will be available by November 20, 2023.
The 2024 Program Committee has created a Google spreadsheet to be used as an informal tool to connect individuals who are seeking ideas and/or collaboration on session proposals for the 2024 Annual Meeting. It is not monitored by SAA or the Program Committee and is not part of the official submission process.
Questions? Contact the Conference Office at conference@archivists.org.
The Society of California Archivists (SCA) invites submissions of session proposals for our second all-virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) which will be held from April 15-19, 2024.
The Program Committee welcomes proposals, particularly those based on next year’s theme of Pivoting: Responding to Changes in the Archives. The theme can be broadly interpreted to address how we respond to changes in the field, in the workplace, or how personal pivots affect our careers. We aim to include a broad and diverse range of sessions and topics including, but not limited to:
Career transitions
Disaster planning and recovery
Changes in institutional partnerships
Space renovations
Moving physical collections
Migrating digital collections
Pandemic-specific pivots
Institutional reorganizations
New approaches to processing/collection management
Please note that proposals do not have to fit into the theme to be included. Other aspects of archival practice and research are also welcomed.
First-time presenters, current graduate students, early-career professionals, solo archivists, community members, and other individuals who work with archival materials in less traditional or unconventional roles are encouraged to submit a proposal. We welcome proposals from archivists and memory workers at all stages of their career.
Or if you have a session topic in mind and want to reach out to possible co-presenters, feel free to use thisAGM Session Idea Sheet to help make connections.
The deadline for proposals is Monday, December 4, 2023 (11:59p PT).
We look forward to your proposals and thanks for helping us make the 2024 AGM a successful one!
2024 Northwest Archivists Annual Meeting — Spokane, WA
May 8 – 10, 2024
Seeking Balance: Sustainability and Adaptation
Northwest Archivists’ 2024 Annual Meeting will be held in Spokane, Washington, from May 8-10. In 2024, the Spokane community will observe and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Expo ‘74, Spokane’s World’s Fair, the first such exposition to focus on the environment. Taking inspiration from the Fair, our theme is Seeking Balance: Sustainability and Adaptation. This theme invites consideration of how issues related to the environment, sustainability and adaptation intersect with archives and allied professions. While we seek balance, we are frequently required to adapt and react to changing circumstances. We must also be responsive to the changing climate, to different resource allocations, to new staffing models, and much, much more.
Call For Proposals:
Session proposals for the NWA 2024 Annual Meeting are due on Friday, December 8 by 11:59pm Pacific Time. Acceptances will be communicated to presenters in January 2024. Submission Form. See the full Call for Proposals HERE
American Archivist Editor Amy Cooper Cary is Head of Special Collections and University Archives at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has served as Editor of Archival Issues, Reviews Editor for RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts and Cultural Heritage and American Archivist, and has been a member of the Editorial Board for Journal of Archival Organization. Outside of her editorial work and writing about archives, she has published various nonfiction articles, encyclopedia contributions, translation from French, and original poetry. She is a Fellow of the Society of American Archivists.
Maksin, M. and Bucher, D.J. (2023), Revealing the archive, reckoning with the past: Inclusive approaches to institutional history. Reference Services Review. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-04-2023-0043
The cloud, the public square, and digital public archival infrastructure Tom Nesmith
Narrating the preservation of a film school archive – Re-configuring the hero’s journey across the nexus of conservation and film production Donna LyonRobyn Sloggett
Emotional responses in archival work Cheryl Regehr, Wendy Duff, … Henria Aton
The archival scene in early modern Norway Torkel Thime
Records of neglect: the significance of archives in redress processes Ida Grönroos
Keeping the archives above water: preserving regional heritage in times of accelerated climate change Adele WessellClare Thorpe
A metadata model for authenticity in digital archival descriptions André PachecoCarlos Guardado Da SilvaMaria Cristina Vieira De Freitas
Call for Papers Date: September 18, 2023 – November 28, 2023 Location: Finland
The new history of experience seeks to comprehend the complex, multidimensional relationships between history and experience. As a burgeoning field of study, it is self-reflective and dynamic, with scholars constantly refining their approaches, and indeed reassessing the notion of experience itself. To develop the history of experience into a robust historical approach, scholars continually ask probing questions regarding sources, concepts, methods, and methodologies. In this vein, the organisers of the sixth annual HEX conference have chosen to interrogate the concepts of memory and temporality as modes of experience. This thematic focus aims to encourage scholars to reflect on experience beyond its external traces, and to mine the more elusive spheres of the internal, the cognitive, and the unconscious. We are looking for panels and papers that consider how, or even if, memory and temporality are complicit in processes of experiencing; that is, how memory and temporality might influence, nurture, define, or disrupt individual and group experiences.
This theme will provoke some important and challenging questions, for example:
how might experience influence ephemeral concepts such as memory and temporality?
how might structures and understandings of time and memory shape experience?
how does experience, or remembered experience, change over time and what conditions impact on the changes?
how might one experience memory and temporality (materially, visually, physically, psychologically, emotionally, collectively, individually, institutionally – the list could go on) and what evidence can historians effectively use to capture this?
what is the impact of situated contexts on what is remembered (or deemed worth remembering)?
what role does historical consciousness have in selective memory, challenges to memory or experiences of the past?
how might temporality affect ways of remembering and the experience of what is remembered (including forgetfulness, situated trauma, silence, repression, and lying or truth telling)?
what methodologies are best suited to exploring the intersection of experience, memory, and temporality?
Panel Proposals and Individual Paper Proposals
The organisers invite scholars working both within the history of experiences (ancient, mediaeval, modern, from all regions of the world) to submit proposals. Contributions from disciplines other than history are warmly welcome, as long as they take a view on historical experience. We anticipate that a diversity of perspectives will be most effective in broadening our current conceptions of experience, gaining insight into the broader processes that impact it and expanding the pool of source materials deemed effective in the pursuit of historical experience. We encourage proposals for both coherent panels comprising three to four papers, or individual paper proposals.
Please submit your proposal by 28 November 2023via this link according to the following instructions. All proposals MUST address the concept of experience in addition to memory and/or temporality. The conference will take place in person only.
For complete panels, send a joint 400-word abstract, together with brief bios and paper titles for each proposed speaker.
For individual papers, send a 250-word abstract together with a brief bio.
Online Video Poster Competition
We also invite submissions for an online video poster session and competition. We especially encourage submissions from doctoral students and early career researchers who cannot make it to Finland but who would like both to share their ideas and to discuss them with scholars working in the field. As per the conference theme, posters must directly engage with the concept of experience along with memory and/or temporality. The posters will be strictly 5 minutes maximum in length. Posters that fit the criteria will be uploaded to the HEX website before the conference where an associated discussion board will be available for commentary and critical discussion. A selection of posters will be chosen by a committee for a hybrid screening and discussion session at the conference. €To participate in the poster video competition, please send an email to hexconference@tuni.fi. We will send you detailed information on how to make and submit the video. The deadline for video posters is 1 February 2024.
A one-day symposium sponsored by Historic Deerfield, and the Grace Slack McNeil Program for Studies in American Art at Wellesley College
Date: Saturday, March 9, 2024
CFP Deadline: December 11, 2023
Location: Historic Deerfield, Deerfield, MA
This symposium will explore the textual, visual, and material cultures of queer New England from the time of European settlement to the present. Conceptions of sex, gender, and sexuality changed dramatically from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries, and scholars continue to assess the consequences of those changes for diverse historical subjects. Ideas about sex operated in tandem with ideas about race and class and these perceptions shaped the ways some New Englanders created queer spaces and places by blurring normative boundaries. The symposium will address echoes of queerness where it was expressed explicitly and implicitly and consider the implications of locating queer pasts among more traditional narratives of America’s history, art, literature, and built environment.
We invite paper proposals that evaluate some of the terminological and methodological challenges inherent in scholarly approaches to determining queer expressions in the past. Is it fruitful to question the apparent shift from conceiving of same-sex eroticism as based in acts as opposed to individual identities? What comprised queerness in visual and literary sources, and how did that differ from its resonance in design, architecture, and social spaces? How did New Englanders’ race, class, ethnicity, or disability factor into conceptions and expressions of queerness? How did New Englanders leverage notions of queerness both to restrict and to amplify individuals’ self-expression? How should twenty-first-century museums and historical sites interpret queer pasts for public audiences?
The symposium aims to attract scholars from various disciplines and those working in public-facing cultural organizations who are undertaking work on topics as varied as the New England resonances of particular queer identities (such as indigenous two-spirit people), intersections between queer artists, authors, and architects and their creative work (such as same-sex relationships and the Colonial Revival), and ways in which New Englanders imbued landscapes and social spaces with queer meanings (as in queer resort towns).
Papers should be theoretical or analytical in nature rather than descriptive and should be approximately 20 minutes long. All proposals will be peer-reviewed. Speakers invited to present papers will receive overnight accommodation and are expected to participate fully in the in-person symposium program on site.
Please submit via email a 250-word proposal and a two-page c.v. to Erika Gasser egasser@historic-deerfield.org and Martha McNamara mmcnamar@wellesley.edu. Proposals should include the title of the paper and the presenter’s name. The deadline for submissions is December 11, 2023.
Publishing in the Archives Profession 