The Western Archives Institute (WAI) returns July 20-31, 2026 for an intensive, two-week online program that offers integrated instruction in basic archival practices through a diverse curriculum of synchronous sessions that will be led by the principal faculty member, Dr. Christopher (Chris) Prom. Dr. Prom currently serves as the Coordinator of Sponsored Research Development and Acting Head of the History, Philosophy, and Newspaper Library at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He has extensive experience in archives, has taught several courses for the Society of American Archivists (SAA), and was recognized as an SAA Fellow in 2010 for his contributions to the organization and archives profession.
Apply for WAI Here! (Application Deadline is April 10, 2026)
Visit our website for further details about the program and to sign up for an upcoming WAI Information Session.
For any questions about the application, applicant qualifications, or the review process, please contact the WAI Administrator, Marcella Lees, at wai@calarchivists.org.
Welcome to the 2026 SCA election! We have four offices to fill from our slate of candidates. Each candidate has provided a brief bio, statement, and responded to a specific question related to the office for which they are running. Below is a brief description of each position on the ballot this year.
Roles & Responsibilities:
The elected candidate serves the first year as the Vice-president and as the program chair for the Society's annual general meeting, and assists or substitutes as the President, as needed. The Vice-president is President-elect, and automatically becomes President on the expiration of the President's term. This is a three-year commitment.
The Treasurer is responsible for all financial transactions of SCA, for keeping an accurate record of those transactions, and reporting to the Board of Directors and the general membership on the financial condition of the organization. The work of collecting, disbursing, and accounting for funds may be delegated by the Treasurer; however, the Treasurer is responsible for ensuring that the delegated activities are properly carried out and the reports are accurate. This is a two-year commitment.
The Director-at-Large attends quarterly meetings of the Board of Directors, serves as a liaison to the WAI Joint Management Committee, and actively participates in the work of the Society and its committees. Additional duties and responsibilities may be assigned by the President. This is a two-year commitment.
The Nominating Committee solicits candidates for the SCA Board of Directors and prepares a slate of candidates for offices falling vacant within a given year. The three member committee is chaired by the Immediate Past President. This is a two-year commitment.
Eligibility and Voting Guidelines
Contact the Election Committee at elections@calarchivists.org with any questions.
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.
The deadline for nominations for the four SCA awards given at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) is fast approaching: Monday, February 2nd! Please consider honoring a colleague with a nomination for the Career Achievement Award or the Archival Award of Excellence, or recognizing service to SCA over a twelve-year period with a Sustained Service Award. Sponsored by Hollinger Metal Edge, Inc., the Archives Appreciation Award recognizes an agency, organization or institution that has provided extraordinary support for archival programs of all sorts. The same deadline (Monday, February 2nd) also applies to the AGM- related scholarship for graduate students in archival studies: the
Advancing Equity: Graduate Education Scholarship supports students of color in their pursuit of graduate archival education. Please see the Awards & Scholarships page on the SCA website for awards nomination and scholarship application forms, and feel free to reach out to the committee at awards@calarchivists.org if you have any questions.
Ever wondered how SCA elections actually work? Or how you can get involved behind the scenes? Grab your favorite mug and join the SCA Elections Committee for a relaxed Coffee Chat! We’ll spill the beans on what the committee does, how elections run, and how you can help make it all happen.
Thursday, November 20th 1:00 p.m. PST https://northeastern.zoom.us/j/99296085007
Bring your questions, curiosity, and coffee—we can’t wait to chat with you!
#calarchivists #SCAElections #SCAEvents #CoffeeWithSCA
The Society of California Archivists' Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations and self-nominations for the following positions (click on the links for more detailed descriptions of these positions in the SCA handbook):
Vice President / President Elect* (3-year term)
This position assists and substitutes for the SCA President as needed. They serve the important role of Chair of the Program Committee, which plans and presents the Annual General Meeting each spring. In this role, they are supported by the Junior Director at Large, who serves as Vice Chair of the Program Committee. This is a three year term position on the Board beginning as Vice President in 2026, President in 2027, and then as Immediate Past President in 2028.
Treasurer* (2-year term)
The Treasurer is responsible for all financial transactions of SCA, keeping an accurate record of those transactions, and reporting to the Board of Directors and the general membership on the financial condition of the organization. They also file yearly tax-exempt reports to the IRS, and reimburse the Board of Directors and other members for approved expenditures.
Director at Large* (2-year term)
There are two Directors who represent the membership at large on the SCA Board. The junior Director serves as Vice Chair of the Program Committee and Records Retention Coordinator. In their second year as senior Director, they serve as an advisory member and Board liaison to the Local Arrangements Committee. Each Director serves staggered two year terms.
Nominating Committee member (2-year term)
The Nominating Committee is made up of two elected members, serving staggered two year terms, and chaired by the Immediate Past President. They solicit candidates for all SCA elected positions including the SCA Board of Directors and prepare a slate of candidates for offices falling vacant within a given year.
*Board positions:
● Membership fees are waived for Board members during their terms.
● The SCA Board meets quarterly with at least one in-person meeting per year (sometimes two, depending on whether the AGM is in person or virtual that year).
● Board members are reimbursed for travel and lodging costs incurred in attending Board meetings.
● For the Board meeting held in conjunction with an in-person AGM travel is not reimbursed, but one night of lodging at the conference hotel rate may be reimbursed.
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Please complete the SCA 2026 Candidate Nominating Form with your own name or the name of a colleague that you think would make a good candidate for service in SCA.
SCA is a volunteer-run organization that relies greatly on its members to not only operate as an organization but also to remain relevant and useful to archives professionals throughout the state of California. Serving on the SCA Board or on the Nominating Committee is an excellent way to both become more familiar with the archival profession in California and to have an impact on SCA’s future and the future of its members. It's also a great chance to work with a team of wonderful archival colleagues from around the state, while developing your own professional strengths.
Please submit all nominations by Monday, December 1, 2025.
2025-2026 SCA Nominating Committee:
Nicole Shibata, SCA Immediate Past-President (Chair)
Marlayna Christensen
Hilary Swett
Save the date! Join us for the 2026 Virtual AGM from April 14-17, 2026. This year’s theme is Shifting Ground: Preserving Memory Amid Upheaval, and we are now accepting session proposals. The deadline for proposals is Friday, October 3, 2025, at 11:59 pm PT.
Conference sessions will run from Tuesday, April 14 through Friday, April 17, with two pre-conference workshops offered on Monday, April 13. Dates for the annual SCA Leadership and Board Meetings will be announced soon. For more information on the call for proposals, please visit https://calarchivists.org/2026-virtual-agm
After two years of listening, learning, and engaging with members of the Society of California Archivists, the SCA Strategic Planning Task Force is pleased to announce the release of our final report, now available online:
June 2025 Final Report of the Strategic Planning Task Force
After conducting a membership survey, focus group interviews, and gathering additional member feedback at the 2025 Annual General Meeting, the Task Force summarized findings and made six overall recommendations:
We encourage SCA members to read the full report and share their feedback with the SCA Board of Directors. The Task Force deeply appreciates the members for their ongoing support of SCA and we hope these recommendations help chart a future for its next decade and beyond.
Alix Norton and Leilani Marshall, co-chairs on behalf of the SCA Strategic Planning Task Forcestrategicplanning@calarchivists.org
The summer newsletter is now online.
Thank you to all those who submitted articles and news items for this issue. Another issue will be coming out this summer, so please consider submitting an article or some news about your work.
Happy reading!
Sue Tyson, Andrew Kopp, Richelle Mackenzie, and Rebecca Vasquez
SCA Newsletter Team
newsletter@calarchivists.org
The Board of Directors of the Society of California Archivists echoes the American Library Association’s disappointment in the firing of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden by President Trump.
As ALA President Cindy Hohl stated on May 9th, "Dr. Hayden’s abrupt and unjust dismissal is an insult to the scope and breadth of work Dr. Hayden has undertaken in her role leading the Library of Congress.”1 As per the New York Times, “Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said the administration believed Dr. Hayden ‘did not fit the needs of the American people,’ and that her firing resulted from ‘quite concerning things that she had done at the Library of Congress in the pursuit of D.E.I.’”2 SCA is, at its core, an organization that develops, supports, and promotes archival education to all individuals regardless of national origin, race, orientation, or religion, making it fundamentally in disagreement with the Trump Administration’s anti-DEI efforts.
California’s archival community includes people of color, members of the LGBTQI community, immigrants, religious clergy, and people with disabilities. The records we hold document the historical past, transform communities, and promote unity and understanding. We value diversity in all its manifestations.
In solidarity,
The Board of Directors of the Society of California Archivists
1. “ALA Praises Service of Dr. Carla Hayden, Decries ‘Unjust Dismissal’ of Librarian of Congress | ALA,” accessed May 12, 2025.
2. Erica L. Green, “Trump Fired Librarian of Congress Over D.E.I.,” The New York Times, May 9, 2025, sec. U.S., https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/09/us/politics/hayden-library-of-congress-dei.html.
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