The Society of American Archivists is in search of excellence! Do you know of an individual or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the archives profession? Or promoted greater public awareness of archives? Have you published a groundbreaking book, written an outstanding article, or developed an innovative finding aid? Click on the links below to learn more about the below awards and nominate a deserving colleague—or yourself! Please consult the specific award for submission requirements and nomination form. Note that you can apply or be nominated for multiple awards in a single cycle, but may only receive one. The deadline for nominations is February 28.
C.F.W. Coker Award (for finding aids, tools or projects that involve innovative development in archival description)
Waldo Gifford Leland Award (for writing of superior excellence and usefulness in the field of archival history, theory, or practice)
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 – Saturday, August 1, 2026
New Orleans, Louisiana
We are living in a period of momentous change for the archives, records management, and cultural heritage professions. These changes have affected everything from workflows to community engagement, and from personnel issues to sustainability. Different types of repositories have experienced these political, technological, cultural, and environmental forces in diverse ways. ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2026 gives us an opportunity to take stock, to explore innovative solutions to the problems we are encountering, and to assess our professions’ history, practices, assumptions, and training.
The Program Committee seeks perspectives from across our profession that help us strengthen our professions’ diversity, our institutions, and our people. We encourage proposals that demonstrate the amazing variety of ways to be an archivist and to participate in the archives profession. The Committee recognizes that creating a sustainable and bright future for our profession involves creating a diverse program in which participants can freely choose the topic they wish to share. Therefore, instead of specific topic suggestions, we pose the following questions to hopefully prompt some ideas for your session proposals.
How can the histories of our professions inform our current situation?
What are the impactful practices you have implemented in appraisal, processing, access, community engagement, preservation, or management in response to recent changes?
What types of technological changes have you implemented at your institution, and how were you successfully able to advocate for those improvements?
How do you appraise, gather, store and provide access to data, and how do you determine whether your practices are ethical?
How does archival training and professional development need to change to adapt to changes in our professions?
How can workplaces be more responsive to the needs of employees, including such issues as disability and trauma?
We welcome proposals on all topics related to archives and archival work.
Proposal Evaluation
The Program Committee invites submissions for 60- to 75-minute sessions (live and/or hybrid) and poster presentations. 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 and other statements. 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 core values as well as their commitment 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:
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 included in the program. A moderator is required (this role may be performed by the chair); a commentator is optional.
Professional 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 during which they must be with their poster to discuss it with attendees if presenting in-person.
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.
Mix and Match. “Mix and Match” allows individuals to propose an individual talk rather than a full session. Similar or complementary proposals will then be combined into one session. We hope this option will encourage individuals who have not previously submitted a proposal to do so, as well as provide an opportunity to connect archivists who might not have otherwise met one another. We will accept proposals for 5 or 20-minute presentations.
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 the proposed format be changed if it believes that a different format may better serve the session’s learning objectives or desired audience.
We are bringing back Pop-Ups! A separate call for Pop-Up proposals will be issued in the spring of 2026. Do not use the session proposal form for Pop-Ups.
Reminder for Proposal Submitters and Session Participants
Archivists and records administrators who participate in the program (including in Pop-Up sessions) must register and secure institutional or personal funding. Participants whose employment does not involve performing, teaching, or managing any aspect of the archival or records administration function, or who are from outside the United States and Canada, may be eligible for complimentary registration upon request. SAA cannot provide funding for speakers, whether they are international, non-archivists, non-records administrators, members, or nonmembers.
Proposal Submition
Proposals for the 2026 Annual Meeting are due on Friday, December 5, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CT. The Program Committee will not consider proposals received after the deadline.
Submission Form will be available by mid-November.
Review the submission form questions (PDF) before submitting your proposal. Note: Submissions will only be received through the online submission form not the PDF.
The 2026 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 2026 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.
In issue 88.1 of American Archivist, Helen Wong Smith urges the profession to increase collaboration in her Presidential Address from the 2024 Annual Meeting; Megan K. Friedel offers pathways for archivists to apply reparative description practices to disability histories; and Alexandra Chassanoff, Eliscia Kinder, and Elliott Kuecker share experiences teaching MLIS students to use regional primary sources to construct digital history exhibits. Also in this issue, discover six excellent reviews on recent archives publications.
This issue also features a Special Section on Accessioning edited by Rosemary K. J. Davis, Audra Eagle Yun, and Rachel Searcy. The section contains five articles on a diverse range of topics, including a case study confronting the challenges of accessioning in a repository with limited resources, a case study detailing the process of starting a born-digital archival accessioning program and designing workflows scalable for a small institution, excerpts from the National Best Practices for Archival Accessioning Working Group’s Archival Accessioning Best Practices, and an introduction from the co-editors of this special section.
On the Cover: Accessioning-themed embroidery art created by guest editor Rachel Searcy. Based on the iconic “Mom Heart” tattoo motif from the American traditional tattoo style, the banner reads “Accession.” Leaves and flowers around the heart symbolize the growth of accessioning practice in recent years, and the bird represents its flight to new heights. Created by hand with needle and thread, this piece demonstrates the craft of accessioning and highlights the labor required to do accessioning work. Read this issue’s Special Section on Accessioning starting on page 10. Photo courtesy of Rachel Searcy.
American Archivist 88.1 (Spring/Summer 2025) Table of Contents
The Teaching with Primary Sources subcommittee of RAO would like to invite you to attend our next article discussion, held in conjunction with TPS Fest 2025. Join us for a discussion of the article “Teaching with Archival Materials Using a Trauma-Informed Framework” by Jennifer Follen, 2025 (click here for a free copy https://doi.org/10.29173/cais1924). We ask that you read the freely accessible article before this session and come ready to discuss this article. We will provide questions and prompts for you to think about, but we welcome any insights and discussions this may lead to. All practitioners of TPS are welcome! Register for Session R3c HERE
MAY 2 DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS FOR THE SAA RESEARCH FORUM
On behalf of the 2025 Research Forum Committee, we invite you to submit abstracts (of 300 words or fewer) for either 10-minute platform presentations or 5-minute lightning talks. Topics may address research on, or innovations in, any aspect of archives practice or records management in government, corporate, academic, scientific, or other settings.
The 2025 Research Forum will be conducted as two Zoom-based virtual sessions, each four hours long, on July 23 from 12:00 – 4:00 pm CT and July 30, 12:00 – 4:00 pm CT.
The 2025 Research Forum will be made up of 10-minute platform presentations and 5-minute lightning talks, extended from 3 minutes. A limited number of presentations will be accepted to allow for longer presentation times, extended Q&A periods, and opportunities for discussion between attendees. An abstract submission rubric will be used by the Committee to evaluate submissions. The 2025 Research Forum webpage provides additional information about the schedule and links to past Forum proceedings.
We invite presentations on research results that may have emerged since the 2024 Joint Annual Meeting Call for Proposals deadline, as well as reports on research completed within the past three years that are relevant and valuable for discussion as defined by the rubric. On the submission form, please indicate whether you intend a platform presentation or a lightning talk. See the full call here: https://www2.archivists.org/am2025/research-forum-2025.
The Research Forum Committee and CORDA encourage submissions on a range of topics, which may include:
Global challenges and their implications for archives and archivists, such as climate change, armed conflicts, environmental disaster, and human rights;
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (EDISJ) as a core value for archives and archivists;
Collaborating across domains-archives, libraries, galleries, and museums;
Repository-level data: how archives measure their output, outcomes, and activities over time;
Centering users in the design of archival systems for discovery; and/or,
Building audiences to increase the impact of archives on society.
Abstracts will be evaluated by the 2025 Research Forum Committee convened by Chris Marino (Stanford University) and Emily Lapworth (Kennedy Presidential Library).
Deadline for submission of abstracts: May 2, 2025. You will be notified of the Committee’s decision by June 2, 2025.
The 2025 Student Program Subcommittee is accepting proposals for two special sessions dedicated to student scholarship during the 2025 Annual Meeting in August. Work from both master’s and doctoral students will be considered. This call encompasses proposals for sessions to be presented either in-person or virtually during the hybrid Annual Meeting.
Graduate Student Presentation
The work of three current archives students and/or SAA student chapters will be selected for presentation. Each speaker will be allotted fifteen minutes to present a paper. Be creative! Proposals from individual students as well as SAA student chapter groups will be considered. Proposals may relate to the student’s applied or theoretical research, research about the archives profession itself, or even practical/internship experiences. Student chapters may consider presenting on projects or initiatives conducted in the current term (Fall 2024 through Summer 2025). Participant selection will be based on the quality of proposals submitted. This session will be held in-person.
Graduate Student Poster
The 25th annual Graduate Student Poster Session will showcase the work of both individual students and SAA Student Chapters. All posters will be presented in-person and virtually in PDF format. More information about preparing posters will be shared upon acceptance. Posters will be available to all meeting attendees throughout the week of the conference and on the virtual platform.
Individual posters may describe applied or theoretical research that is completed or underway; discuss interesting 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 2024 to Summer 2025).
Student chapter posters may describe chapter activities, events, and/or other involvement with the archives and records professions. A single representative should coordinate the submission of each Student Chapter proposal.
Submission Instructions and Deadline
The submission form will be available by February 14. To submit a paper or poster proposal, please complete the proposal formno later than March 24. (Proposals received after this date will not be considered.) Emailed submissions or submissions in any other format will not be accepted.
SAA encourages broad participation in the ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2025. All presenters—including speakers, session chairs, commentators, and poster presenters—are limited to participation in one session. Please alert the 2025 Student Program Subcommittee if you have agreed to participate in another accepted session.
If presenters wish to attend any portion of the 2025 Annual Meeting, they will need to secure institutional or personal funding to register for the conference. SAA is not able to consider complimentary registration for student presenters.
Proposals for posters and presentations for the 2025 Annual Meeting are due Monday, March 24. Proposals received after this date will not be considered.
The Case Studies on Teaching With Primary Sources series sponsored by the Reference, Access, and Outreach (RAO) Section of SAA seeks individuals who conduct instruction work in archives and special collections to serve as peer reviewers for its open-ended series of case studies. Single-blind peer review is conducted using a rubric to evaluate and share feedback on submissions.
To volunteer to become a peer reviewer, please complete our sign up form by March 15, 2025. A member of the editorial team will reach out to you after the deadline with more information.
Sponsored by the Reference, Access, and Outreach (RAO) Section of SAA, this open-ended series of case studies is designed to illustrate the application of the Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy. The guidelines were developed by a joint task force charged by SAA and the Association of College and Research Libraries’ (ACRL) Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS).
I am pleased to share a call for proposals for the upcoming SAA Records Management Section Colloquium. This colloquium is a great way to share your records management expertise and connect with your colleagues! We are seeking proposals for short presentations (6-12 minutes) on records management topics. The colloquium will be held virtually and is scheduled for Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 3-4:30 PM ET.
If you are interested in presenting, please complete the following proposal form no later than Friday,February 14, 2025. We will review proposals and notify presenters by the end of February.
The Description Committee is thrilled to announce a call for panelists for an exciting event: a panel of lightning talks on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in archival description, to be held in Spring 2025.
We’re seeking individuals and/or teams who have explored or implemented AI solutions in their archival workflows. Whether you’ve run experimental projects, tackled quality assurance challenges, or discovered unexpected insights, we’d love for you to share your experiences, lessons, and reflections with the community. We are also interested in hearing how you might have handled the ethical and environmental considerations of integrating generative AI into your work.
Topics might include (but are not limited to):
Use cases for AI in archival description
Challenges or successes with implementing AI-assisted descriptive workflows
Quality assurance processes
Findings from experimental projects or pilots
Scaling AI descriptive solutions
Addressing biases in AI-generated metadata
User experiences (both archivists and end-users of AI-assisted description)
Techniques for prompt engineering or metadata management using AI tools
Why participate?
Share your expertise and contribute to the evolving conversation about AI in archives.
Hold an open and nuanced conversation about the challenges of working with AI in archives.
Network with peers who are also navigating this transformative technology.
Gain visibility for your innovative work.
Interested in joining us as a panelist? Please contact [specific contact person here] at [email address] by [deadline]. We will set a date for the event, to be held on Zoom, once we have our panelists lined up!
We can’t wait to hear your stories and insights! Let’s explore how AI can shape the future of archival description together.
Publishing in the Archives Profession 