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Announcing the 2025 AGM!

The Society of California Archivists 2025 AGM will be held, in-person, at

The Garland

Los Angeles, April 2-4, 2025

The SCA Local Arrangements Committee is thrilled to announce that the 2025 AGM will be held at The Garland Hotel in North Hollywood on April 2-4.

This iconic Los Angeles institution was founded in 1970 by actress Beverly Garland and her husband, Filmore Crank. It was designed to offer a hideaway to LA's hippest crowd. Now owned and operated by Beverly's son, James, the newly renovated hotel has become an award winning destination for food and fun. 

Help us kick off the countdown to AGM 2025 by checking out all The Garland has to offer:

The Garland

The Garland Events Schedule

The Garland Gallery


Stay tuned for registration and booking information

Get ready to let the #goodtimes roll!


Sincerely,

The 2025 SCA Local Arrangements Committee

Kelsey Knox

Alanna Quan



2024 California Archives Month Poster Submission

We’re now calling on all institutions interested in submitting images for the 2024 California Archives Month poster! This year’s theme, “Great Ideas Start Here,” will be showcased on California’s fully-virtual poster. 

Instructions

  • Please select up to three images that you feel best represent this theme and send them to outreach@calarchivists.org by 11:59 pm on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, for a chance to be featured on the poster.
  • Image files must be in the TIFF (.tif) format captured at 300 ppi or higher, if possible. There is a 25 Mb limit for attachments sent to the above Gmail address, so you may need to send multiple submissions if you are sending multiple images in order to stay under the cap. 
  • Include in each submission email: 1) the name of the holding organization, 2) File name, and 3) a description of the image that includes the subject, location (if known), and date (or approximation).
  • If you have any questions about the poster or image submission, you can contact SCA’s Communications & Outreach Committee at outreach@calarchivists.org.

Summer 2024 SCA Newsletter!

July 10, 2024 8:21 PM | SCA Admin

The Summer 2024 SCA Newsletter is now available online at http://www.calarchivists.org/Publications/SCANewsletter!

Thank you to all those who submitted articles and news items for this issue. Another issue will be coming out this fall, so please consider submitting an article or some news about your work. A call for submissions will go out shortly.

Happy reading!

newsletter@calarchivists.org


Congratulations Audra Eagle Yun and Polina E. Ilieva

July 10, 2024 8:11 PM | SCA Admin

This August at the SAA Annual Meeting in Chicago, Society of California Archivists members, Audra Eagle Yun and Polina E. Ilieva, will be inducted as Fellows of the Society of American Archivists. This is the highest honor bestowed on individuals by SAA and is awarded for outstanding contributions to the archives profession. 

Bravo Audra and Polina!

More information about this prestigious award and this year's recipients here: https://www2.archivists.org/2024-Fellows-and-Award-Recipients


Committee Vacancies

March 18, 2024 11:18 PM | SCA Admin

The Society of California Archivists depends on its members to help the organization function at its best. In advance of the SCA AGM 2024 on April 15th, members are invited to consider becoming a volunteer with any of our committees.

Below is a list of committees that have announced vacancies for the coming year. You can learn more about these and all of our committees at our SCA Standing Committees page. You will find contacts listed at the bottom of each committee page.

We sincerely thank all our 2023-2024 committee members for generously volunteering their time and skills. We could not do SCA’s work without you!

Please consider volunteering to join or chair a committee.

Many thanks,

Lisa Mix

SCA President


Communications and Outreach (contact committee)

Disseminates information about the archival profession and about SCA activities to allied organizations and professions and the public. Also designs, maintains and updates the SCA website, and SCA social media sites, to facilitate communication among SCA members and others.

Open chairs: 2 Co-Chairs

Members needed: New members welcome

Development (contact committee)

Fundraises to support SCA's activities and programs, through both member gifts and outside funding sources.

Open chairs: 1 Co-Chair

Members needed: None

Election (contact committee)

Conducts annual elections for SCA Board member positions.

Open chairs: None

Members needed: 1 (one of our two members will leave after this election cycle)

Labor, Advocacy and Public Policy (contact committee)

Responsible for promoting advocacy in response to key issues that may impact archives, diversity, and the role of archives and archivists within society.

Open chairs: None

Members needed: No members needed, but always open to interested volunteers

Local Arrangements (AGM) (contact committee)

Manages all physical arrangements of the Annual General Meeting (hotel, event venues, catering, travel, etc).

Open chairs: Junior chair

Members needed: New members welcome

Publications (contact committee)

Develops, produces and markets SCA’s publications: SCA Newsletter, Directory of Archival and Manuscript Repositories in California, and other publications.

Open chairs: None

Members needed: 3 (two assistant editors; 1 layout editor)


Make Your Voice Heard to Guide SCA’s Future: Take The Membership Survey!

March 11, 2024 2:30 PM | SCA Task Force on Strategic Planning

The Strategic Planning Task Force invites you to participate in a survey on your experience with the Society of California Archivists. Your responses are important to us and will be used to guide  recommendations to the SCA Board for directing the resources and activities of SCA in the coming years. You do not need to be a current member to participate in this survey.

Access the membership survey at this link: bit.ly/sca-survey-2024 

The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. All responses to this survey will be anonymous. Answers to some questions are required in order to complete the survey and are marked with a red asterisk (*). Some multiple-choice questions have an option to explain your answer more fully in writing, and we encourage you to do so when you feel you have more to share. There are two questions on demographics at the end of the survey, which are optional.

The survey will close on May 31, 2024.

In addition to this membership survey, the SCA Strategic Planning Task Force will be conducting Zoom interviews with focus groups in Spring 2024 to get more information on the experiences of archives workers in California. 

If you are interested in learning more about participating in the SCA focus groups, or if you have any questions about this survey or about the strategic planning process, please email us at strategicplanning@calarchivists.org.

Thank you for participating!

Sincerely,

SCA Strategic Planning Task Force
Alix Norton and Leilani Marshall, co-chairs
Melissa Haley
Anne Hall
Ellen Jarosz

Eric Milenkiewicz
Penelope Neder-Muro
Mattie Taormina

Pre-Conference Workshops - Register by April 11

April 03, 2024 9:26 PM | SCA Communications and Outreach

SCA Education Committee will be hosting 2 virtual workshops on Friday, April 12th as we gear up for AGM! Check out the information below and click to register.

The cost for each workshop is $20 for SCA members; $5 for student members; $30 for non-members; and $5 for unemployed or precariously employed individuals. 

Please forward any questions or comments to Sandy Enriquez and Emily Homolka at educationcommittee@calarchivists.org. 

Registration is open until April 11. Online payment is required. 

Event Details:

Re-framing Organizations: Managing Change As You Move Your Organization Forward

Friday, April 12, 2024

9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (Pacific Standard Time)

This pre-conference workshop for the 2024 SCA AGM is presented by Dr. Rita Mukherjee Hoffstadt and hosted by the SCA Education Committee. 

Webinar Description: 

What does transformational change in an organization look like? In this workshop you will be given tools to help you study what is needed, make a plan, and adjust along the way. In this workshop you will learn about the changes that Folsom History, formerly known as Folsom Historical Society, implemented to become more relevant in their community. Small breakout groups will allow you to discuss ideas and steps for you to implement changes in your own organization. A final group reflection will allow for discussion on critical issues to address when transforming an organization or department. 

Registration is limited to 50 attendees

Presenter:

Dr. Rita Mukherjee Hoffstadt is the Executive Director of Folsom History, with over 23 years of experience developing programs and exhibits for museums and science centers. Her work focuses on making powerful and complex ideas accessible and relevant to audiences of all ages. 

Register here

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

Event Details:

Unlocking Learning Landscapes: Leveraging Places in Archival Instructional Programming

Friday, April 12, 2024

1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time)

This pre-conference workshop for the 2024 SCA AGM is presented by Autumn M. Johnson, Erin K. Patterson, and Dawn "Nikki" Canon-Rech and hosted by the SCA Education Committee. 

Webinar Description: 

Game-based instructional programs, especially through escape experiences, are innovative ways to teach with archival, primary sources to a more engaged and diverse audience. For three years, Georgia Southern University's Special Collections has successfully developed game-based programs that have come to be a highlight of October's Archives Month. In exploring how this program series might be continuously improved, they most recently partnered with their local Botanical Gardens. The recent program was thematically centered around t he Garden's rich natural and cultural history and, more critically, was offered on-site to participants. In addition to building on common values between the two institutions to offer historically driven opportunities that connect learners with the cultural heritage of the region, the program saw a dramatic increase in attendance and patron engagement. 

In this interactive workshop, presenters will explore the impact of providing programs outside of the archive and how place-based initiatives can effectively immerse participants in a conducive learning environment for success. The benefits of applying principles of place-based education will be explored as well as how archivists can play a more active role in creating these types of immersive learning experiences. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with game components as well as develop game scenarios utilizing archival and primary sources, alongside a specific setting. 

Session Format: Zoom utilizing Breakout rooms and real-time worksheets for group engagement. 

Presenters: 

Autumn M. Johnson serves as the Special Collections Librarian and Assistant Professor at Georgia Southern University, where she oversees instruction, outreach, and reference efforts for the Zach S. Henderson Library's Special Collections. Johnson previously held positions as the Information Literacy Coordinator at Savannah State University and User Engagement Librarian at Augusta University. With research interests centered on game-based learning in archives and teaching with primary sources, she has presented on these topics both nationally and internationally. She earned her Master’s of Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina in 2011 and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Georgia Southern University (Armstrong) in 2009.


Erin K. Patterson is the Gretsch Project Archivist at Georgia Southern University. As a part of the Special Collections unit at Zach S. Henderson Library, she is in charge of the processing and discoverability of the Gretsch Archival Collections along with supporting other Special Collections projects when needed. She earned her MLIS from the University of South Carolina focusing on Archives and Preservation in 2016 and a B.A. in History from Mercer University in 2012.

Dawn “Nikki” Canon-Rech is the Sustainability Librarian and liaison to the College of Science and Mathematics at Georgia Southern University. In this role, she works to integrate information literacy skills into campus life through instruction and outreach programs. Nikki is also the University’s Library Coordinator for Georgia’s statewide Affordable Learning Georgia (ALG) initiative where she coordinates efforts to help faculty with the adoption, creation, and use of Open Educational Resources, as well as other alternatives for affordable learning.

Register here


Call for Organizers: In-Person Meet-ups for the SCA AGM!

January 29, 2024 5:59 AM SCA Communications and Outreach (Administrator)


When you attend a virtual conference, are you bummed to not see fellow archivists face-to-face? Well, let's fix that together! The Society of California Archivists Program Committee is seeking local volunteers to organize informal, no-host, in-person meet-ups the week of our Annual General Meeting, Pivoting: Responding to Changes in the Archives, from April 15th-19th, 2024.

If interested, please fill out the form here, and we'll be in touch soon!

Sincerely,

Mallory Furnier

SCA AGM Program Committee Vice Chair, 2024


Reminder: Society of California Archivists 2024 Elections Close March 22

March 18, 2024 11:13 PM | SCA Admin

This is a reminder to all Society of California Archivists Members: 

If you have not already voted, please submit your vote for the Society of California Archivists 2024 Election. Polling will close at 11:45pm on Friday, March 22. Ballots were sent via email from invitations@mail.electionbuddy.com and candidate statements are available through your personalized voting link and on the SCA website.

Election Committee


UPDATE! Welcome to the 2024 SCA election!

February 07, 2024 5:54 AM | SCA Communications and Outreach

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:

Vice-President/President Elect

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.

Candidate Statement

Treasurer

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.

Candidate Statement

Director-At-Large

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.

Candidate Statement

Nominating Committee

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.

Candidate Statement

Eligibility and Voting Guidelines

All members in good standing before February 12, 2024, will be eligible to vote. Members who join or renew while the election is open (February 12, 2024, through March 22, 2024), will be sent a personalized link to participate in the election. See the SCA website for membership information.

Contact the chair of the Election Committee, Rebecca Leung, at elections@calarchivists.org with any questions.


Call for Submissions, Spring 2024 Newsletter

January 29, 2024 5:41 AM | SCA Communications and Outreach


Dear Colleagues,

The SCA newsletter is seeking articles and notices about your activities and accomplishments for the Spring issue. The newsletter relies entirely on submissions from community members, so please share your news with the California archives community. We all enjoy reading what members of our community are up to. Submissions on any topics of interest to the California archives community are welcome. We would love to have short news and events items from repositories and archivists throughout the state.

Please review all submission guidelines online. 

The deadline for submissions is Sunday, February 25, 2024. Email your submissions to newsletter@calarchivists.org. Be sure to include your repository name, location, and contact information.

For more information, please contact the newsletter editors at newsletter@calarchivists.org.

Thank you for sharing!

Best,

The SCA Newsletter team


SCA Winter 2024 Newsletter is Online!

January 12, 2024 6:12 AM | SCA Communications and Outreach

CORRECTION:

In David Keller's article, "Tom Connors - An Appreciation," published in the Winter 2024 SCA Newsletter, there was an error on page 6. Michelle Dolbec is the archivist who worked for Hydro Quebec and then with the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC, not Tom Connors.

Please see http://www.calarchivists.org/Publications/SCANewsletter for the corrected version of this article.

We are excited to announce the publication of the Winter 2022 SCA Newsletter!

It is now online at http://www.calarchivists.org/Publications/SCANewsletter.

Thank you to all those who submitted articles and news items for this issue. Another issue will be coming out this spring, so please consider submitting an article or some news about your work. A call for submissions will go out shortly.

Happy reading!
Marissa Friedman, Sue Luftschein, Kelli Roisman, Shaula Stephenson, Sue Tyson and Alison Quirion

SCA Newsletter Team


AGM proposal deadline EXTENDED!

December 06, 2023 7:16 PM | SCA Communications and Outreach

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 proposal deadline is extended until December 19, 2023!

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.

Submit your proposal here: https://forms.gle/Gv1FEzmmWdQ3xvDZ9 

Or if you have a session topic in mind and want to reach out to possible co-presenters, feel free to use this AGM Session Idea Sheet to help make connections. 

The deadline for proposals is Tuesday, December 19, 2023 (11:59p PT). 

We look forward to your proposals and thanks for helping us make the 2024 AGM a successful one!

Sincerely,

The 2024 SCA-AGM Program Committee


Call for Proposals SCA AGM 2023

November 02, 2023 6:25 AM | SCA Communications and Outreach

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.

Submit your proposal here: https://forms.gle/Gv1FEzmmWdQ3xvDZ9 

Or if you have a session topic in mind and want to reach out to possible co-presenters, feel free to use this AGM 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!

Sincerely,

The 2024 SCA-AGM Program Committee

Call for Submissions, Winter 2024 Newsletter

October 18, 2023 6:43 PM | SCA Communications and Outreach

The SCA newsletter is seeking articles and notices about your activities and accomplishments for the Winter issue. The newsletter relies entirely on submissions from community members, so please share your news with the California archives community. We all enjoy reading what members of our community are up to.

How about an article on newly processed collections, new acquisitions, your institution's response to the challenging budget environment, grants received, or an ongoing project? Or you might consider a short notice on upcoming events, exhibit openings, new hires, student activities, internship opportunities, or workshops? Have you read a great book that other archivists might find interesting? How about submitting a short review of it? Submissions on any topics of interest to the California archives community are welcome. We would love to have short news and events items from repositories and archivists throughout the state.

Format for submissions: All articles and items submitted for consideration should be delivered via email attachment. Be sure to include the author's name, repository name, location, and contact information at the end of your article. Please attach any images separately as JPG or PDF files and include the caption for each image in the article document file.

Please review all submission guidelines online. 

The deadline for submissions is Friday, November 24, 2023. Email your submissions to newsletter@calarchivists.org. Be sure to include your repository name, location, and contact information.

For more information, please contact the newsletter editors at newsletter@calarchivists.org.

Thank you for sharing!

Best,

The SCA Newsletter team

Sue Luftschein

Marissa Friedman

Sue Tyson

Shaula Stephenson

Editors, SCA Newsletter

newsletter@calarchivists.org


Nominating Committee Now Accepting Nominations
October 08, 2023 8:24 AM | SCA Admin

The Society of California Archivists' Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations and self-nominations for the following positions on the SCA Board as well as a position on next year’s Nominating Committee:

• Vice President / President Elect (3-year term)

• Director at Large (aka Member at Large) (2-year term)

• Nominating Committee member (2-year term)

• Treasurer (2-year term)

Please consider serving or nominating a colleague. SCA Board service is a great way to have an impact on the archival profession in California. It provides opportunities to engage with colleagues while sharing, learning, and developing leadership skills.

Furthermore, it's a chance to work with a team of wonderful archival colleagues from around the state.

Submit your name or the name of a colleague by completing the SCA 2023 Candidate Nominating Form.

More information about each of these positions and their responsibilities can be found in the SCA Handbook, sections 2-3, 2-4, 2-7, 2-8 and 3-12

http://www.calarchivists.org/About_SCA/Handbook_Bylaws

All nominations must be received by December 1, 2023.

Thank you,

SCA Nominating Committee

Liza Posas (Chair)

Aza Babayan

Hanna Ahn


Come blog with us!

January 17, 2023 9:18 AM | SCA Admin

The Society of California Archivists is opening this Blog space to its members. Initially, the Communications and Outreach (C&O) Committee would like to post a blog from a Society-member guest blogger once a month. We’re open to a variety of topics, from announcements to tools & techniques.

We are working with the Publications Committee to facilitate cross-publication content. Blogs should be short-form, 500-600 words. They may be followed up by longer pieces in the SCA Newsletter per Publications Committee approval. Likewise, Blog posts may be updates to pieces previously published in the newsletter. All posts will be shared via SCA social media.

If you’re interested in blogging with SCA, please see the Guidelines for SCA Bloggers, where you will find details regarding topics, tone, copyright, how to submit your topic, and more.

C&O is looking forward to working more closely with the SCA membership!

Please direct questions and/or comments to outreach@calarchivists.org.


2023 California Archives Month Poster Now Available

October 01, 2023 10:26 PM | SCA Admin

Dear colleagues,

October is Archives Month. I am delighted to kick it off by announcing that the 2023 California Archives Month poster is now available for download on the California State Archives website. 

In California, SCA works with the California State Archives and NARA to produce a poster to promote and celebrate our collections. Thank you to everyone who contributed images for this year’s theme, Connected California -- Community Connections.

This year's poster features 7 images from a diverse group of repositories throughout the state. Please make sure to print a poster to display at your repository, at home, or anyplace that you want to celebrate archives in California.

Also, please mark your calendars for October 11, this year’s #AskAnArchivistDay. It's a day to engage on social media to ask questions, answer questions, and join conversations between archivists and the public.

If you are involved with any Archives Month events, I encourage you to reach out to SCA’s Communication and Outreach Committee about promoting it through the SCA website and social media platforms at outreach@calarchivist.org.

I look forward to learning about everyone's activities surrounding this month!

Sincerely,

Lisa Mix

SCA President, 2023-2024


2023 California Archives Month Poster Submission

August 07, 2023 7:32 PM | SCA Admin

We’re now calling on all institutions interested in submitting images for the 2023 California Archives Month poster! This year’s theme, “Connected California – Community Connections,” will be showcased on California’s fully-virtual poster.

Instructions

  • Please select up to three images that you feel best represent this theme and send them to outreach@calarchivists.org by 11:59 pm on Thursday, August 31, 2023, for a chance to be featured on the poster.
  •  Image files must be in the TIFF (.tif) format captured at 300 ppi or higher, if possible. There is a 25 Mb limit for attachments sent to the above Gmail address, so you may need to send multiple submissions if you are sending multiple images in order to stay under the cap. 
  • Include in each submission email: 1) the name of the holding organization, 2) File name, and 3) a description of the image that includes the subject, location (if known), and date (or approximation).
  • If you have any questions about the poster or image submission, you can contact SCA’s Communications & Outreach Committee at outreach@calarchivists.org.

Thank you,

Steve Kutay, Anna Martino, and April Feldman

SCA Communications and Outreach Committee, Co-Chairs


SCA Newsletter Call for Submissions

August 03, 2023 6:08 AM | SCA Admin

The SCA newsletter is seeking articles and notices about your activities and accomplishments for the Fall issue. The newsletter relies entirely on submissions from community members, so please share your news with the California archives community. We all enjoy reading what members of our community are up to.

Please review all submission guidelines online. 

The deadline for submissions is Friday, August 25, 2023. Email your submissions to newsletter@calarchivists.org. Be sure to include your repository name, location, and contact information.

For more information, please contact the newsletter editors at newsletter@calarchivists.org.

Thank you for sharing!


The SCA newsletter Call for Submissions

May 13, 2023 6:59 AM | SCA Admin

The SCA newsletter is seeking articles and notices about your activities and accomplishments for the Summer issue. The newsletter relies entirely on submissions from community members, so please share your news with the California archives community. We all enjoy reading what members of our community are up to.

Please review all submission guidelines online.

The deadline for submissions is Thursday, May 25, 2023. Email your submissions to newsletter@calarchivists.org. Be sure to include your repository name, location, and contact information.

For more information, please contact the newsletter editors at newsletter@calarchivists.org.


2023 SCA Elections, Voting Open through March 17

February 09, 2023 12:25 PM | SCA Admin

Welcome to a new Society of California Archivists (SCA) election! This is your opportunity to select our leaders for the coming year. The election is open now through 11:45pm on March 17, 2023.

Due to the lack of candidates for the Vice-President/President-Elect position before the election opened, the election will move forward with write-in votes! If a Vice-President has not been selected before the Annual General Meeting, the Executive Board will follow the procedure provided in the bylaws for this situation.

All current, active SCA members are eligible to vote and should have received a personalized electronic ballot from Society of California Archivists. If you did not receive the message, please check your SPAM folder and/or check to see if your SCA membership is current. If you join or renew before March 17th, a personalized ballot will be sent once your membership is active. Don’t miss out, join or renew your membership today!

The 2023 SCA Election page provides position descriptions along with a brief bio, statement, and response to a position-specific question from each candidate. As an added bonus, you can also see how many members have already voted!

Please contact a member of the Election Committee directly with any questions. Happy voting!

Marlayna Christensen (mkchristensen@ucsd.edu)

Suzanne Noruschat (noruscha@usc.edu)

Kiera Sullivan (kiera.eb.sullivan@gmail.com)


Upcoming Webinar: Hacking the Academic Interview Session 2: Day of Interview

Webinar: Hacking the Academic Interview Session 2: Day of Interview

February 03, 2023 12:16 PM | SCA Admin

When: February 23, 2023 10:30 AM, PST
Where: Webinar

EVENT DETAILS:

Hacking the Academic Interview Session 2: Day of Interview

Thursday, February 23, 2023

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time)

Webinar Description:

Co-hosted by the SCA Education Committee and Membership Committee, "Hacking the Academic Interview" is a workshop series featuring roundtable discussions with library professionals who have navigated the technical, logistical, and emotional aspects of the academic interview process. This three-part series is designed for anyone interested in learning about the various stages of the interview process—the job search and application process, interview day, salary negotiation and recuperation from a failed search. Each workshop will focus on a different part of the interview process. 

Session 2 of this series covers the day-of interview. Speakers will discuss preparing for an all-day interview and what to expect, with an emphasis on how to own your narrative, practice self-care, and feel empowered throughout the process. The session will open with speaker introductions and will then proceed to a Q&A session using questions submitted live and in advance. This series will not be recorded.

  • SCA Members: $10
  • Student Members: $5
  • Non-members: $20
  • Unemployed/precariously employed: $5

Presenters:

Carly Marino (she/her/hers) is the Special Collections Librarian and Archivist at Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, California. She is a Certified Archivist and member of the Academy of Certified Archivists. Carly has a BA in Film Studies from the University of Vermont, a MA in the Cinematic Arts and Critical Studies from the University of Southern California, and a MLIS from San Jose State University. Prior to Cal Poly Humboldt, Carly worked at the Academy of Motion Pictures Margaret Herrick Library, the Clarke Historical Museum, and the Humboldt County Public Library. Carly has chaired several academic librarian search committees and loves a good interview question.

Jason Sarmiento (he/him) is the Head of Archival Processing at the UC Davis Library. He has an M.A. in Public History from California State University, Sacramento, is a Certified Archivist from the Academy of Certified Archivists, and is currently completing an MLIS from San Jose State University. In his 11-year career in the archives and public history field, Jason has worked with multiple institutions in the Greater Sacramento Region, including the Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies at UC Davis, the California State Archives, the Sacramento State University Library, and the Sacramento Public Library.

Lizeth Zepeda (she/her/hers) goes by Liz and is the university archivist at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Liz holds a M.L.I.S. from the University of Arizona's School of Information and is a Knowledge River Scholar. Prior to her current role, Liz has also worked at California State University, Monterey Bay, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the Arizona Historical Society in Tucson Arizona. Her interests include working with community archives, campus and community outreach, Spanish-language materials, born-digital archives, Latinx, Queer(ing) and LGBTQ+ archives.

Registration is open until February 22. Online payment is required.

  • Questions about your membership? Contact Alix Norton
  • Questions about Registration? Contact Sandy Enriquez
  • Problems with your credit card payment? Need to request a refund involving credit card or PayPal? Contact Alex Post

Best regards,
Society of California Archivists


Upcoming Webinar: Hacking the Academic Interview Session 2: Day of Interview

February 03, 2023 12:16 PM | SCA Admin

When: February 23, 2023 10:30 AM, PST
Where: Webinar

EVENT DETAILS:

Hacking the Academic Interview Session 2: Day of Interview

Thursday, February 23, 2023

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time)

Webinar Description:

Co-hosted by the SCA Education Committee and Membership Committee, "Hacking the Academic Interview" is a workshop series featuring roundtable discussions with library professionals who have navigated the technical, logistical, and emotional aspects of the academic interview process. This three-part series is designed for anyone interested in learning about the various stages of the interview process—the job search and application process, interview day, salary negotiation and recuperation from a failed search. Each workshop will focus on a different part of the interview process. 

Session 2 of this series covers the day-of interview. Speakers will discuss preparing for an all-day interview and what to expect, with an emphasis on how to own your narrative, practice self-care, and feel empowered throughout the process. The session will open with speaker introductions and will then proceed to a Q&A session using questions submitted live and in advance. This series will not be recorded.

  • SCA Members: $10
  • Student Members: $5
  • Non-members: $20
  • Unemployed/precariously employed: $5

Presenters:

Carly Marino (she/her/hers) is the Special Collections Librarian and Archivist at Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, California. She is a Certified Archivist and member of the Academy of Certified Archivists. Carly has a BA in Film Studies from the University of Vermont, a MA in the Cinematic Arts and Critical Studies from the University of Southern California, and a MLIS from San Jose State University. Prior to Cal Poly Humboldt, Carly worked at the Academy of Motion Pictures Margaret Herrick Library, the Clarke Historical Museum, and the Humboldt County Public Library. Carly has chaired several academic librarian search committees and loves a good interview question.

Jason Sarmiento (he/him) is the Head of Archival Processing at the UC Davis Library. He has an M.A. in Public History from California State University, Sacramento, is a Certified Archivist from the Academy of Certified Archivists, and is currently completing an MLIS from San Jose State University. In his 11-year career in the archives and public history field, Jason has worked with multiple institutions in the Greater Sacramento Region, including the Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies at UC Davis, the California State Archives, the Sacramento State University Library, and the Sacramento Public Library.

Lizeth Zepeda (she/her/hers) goes by Liz and is the university archivist at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Liz holds a M.L.I.S. from the University of Arizona's School of Information and is a Knowledge River Scholar. Prior to her current role, Liz has also worked at California State University, Monterey Bay, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the Arizona Historical Society in Tucson Arizona. Her interests include working with community archives, campus and community outreach, Spanish-language materials, born-digital archives, Latinx, Queer(ing) and LGBTQ+ archives.

Registration is open until February 22. Online payment is required.

  • Questions about your membership? Contact Alix Norton
  • Questions about Registration? Contact Sandy Enriquez
  • Problems with your credit card payment? Need to request a refund involving credit card or PayPal? Contact Alex Post

Best regards,
Society of California Archivists


Flooding Assistance Information

by SCA Admin January 17, 2023 8:41 AM

The Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF), a public-private partnership between FEMA and the Smithsonian Institution, is supporting response and recovery efforts of California’s arts & culture sector – and the public. 

Cultural institutions and arts organizations affected by the flooding can call the National Heritage Responders hotline: 202.661.8068. The National Heritage Responders, a team of trained conservators and collections care professionals administered by the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation, are available 24/7 to provide advice and guidance.

  • HENTF’s Save Your Family Treasures guidance is available at https://www.fema.gov/assistance/save-family-treasures. Here you can find the downloadable FEMA fact sheets “After the Flood: Advice for Salvaging Damaged Family Treasures” and “Salvaging Water-Damaged Family Valuables and Heirlooms,” available in multiple languages.

Reminder: Awards/Scholarship Deadline is January 30, 2023

Seeking Nominations, Awards and Scholarships

The SCA Awards Committee is making plans to celebrate deserving colleagues and archival programs at the April 2023 AGM in Sacramento. We have several long-standing awards for which we seek nominations, and we are also excited to continue to promote SCA’s two new "Advancing Equity" scholarship opportunities for California archivists and graduate students of color.

The nomination and application period is open until Monday, January 30, 2023, so please consider honoring a colleague with a nomination for the Career Achievement Award, 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.

SCA also has scholarships available. 

For graduate students in archival studies:

· The James V. Mink Scholarship enables archival studies students or recent graduates to attend the SCA Annual General Meeting.

·   The Advancing Equity: Graduate Education Scholarship supports a student of color in their pursuit of graduate archival education.

For working archivists, continuing education funding is available through three funding opportunities. These awards are available for any educational event throughout the year, as long as budgeted funds last:

·  The Walter P.Gray III Scholarship funds members’ attendance at SCA Workshops and related training opportunities in California or online. 

·  The Lynn A. Bonfield Scholarship funds SCA members' participation at non-SCA sponsored in-person continuing education. 

·  The new Advancing Equity: Continuing Education Funding supports either individual archivists of color pursuing professional development or community organizations hosting archival training for communities of color.

Please contact Awards Committee members with any nomination ideas that don't quite fit established categories – we’d love to hear from you.

lisa.crane@claremont.edu 

awards@calarchivists.org


Webinar: Role of Archival Partnerships in Documenting Past and Present

Thursday, January 26, 2023

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time)

Webinar Description:

What are the responsibilities of archivists in documenting the past and present?

Over the past ten years, the USC Shoah Foundation and the JFCS Holocaust Center have been working together to collect and contextualize stories of antisemitism, or hatred against Jews.  The JFCS Holocaust Center has a collection of 2,000 oral histories, the interviewees primarily Holocaust survivors living in the Bay Area.  The USC Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive (VHA) includes over 55,000 video testimonies, one of the largest digital collections of its kind in the world.  Beginning in 2013, the JFCS Holocaust Center's collection was digitized, indexed, and integrated into the USC Shoah Foundation’s larger VHA.

This webinar will investigate the relationship between past and present and the role of archivists in curating collections of stories.  It will situate both antisemitism and efforts to collect oral histories within their historical context.  It will then detail the process by which the USC Shoah Foundation incorporates smaller collections into the VHA while maintaining their individual character.  In giving voice to both survivors and the collections themselves, the USC Shoah Foundation models what it looks like to confront hatred, doing together what could not be done alone. 

Presenters:

Yedida Kanfer is the Director of Programming at the JFCS Holocaust Center, Northern California’s primary resource for education about the Holocaust and genocide. At the Holocaust Center, Yedida manages the Tauber Holocaust Library and Archives, whose holdings include over 13,000 books, 2,000 oral history testimonies, and other collections related to the families of Holocaust survivors in the San Francisco Bay Area. Yedida received her PhD in East European and Jewish history from Yale University. She has been teaching at the JFCS Holocaust Center since 2013, and she loves to share her passion for history and social responsibility with teens, adults, and the larger community.

Sandra Aguilar oversees metadata, indexing, and institutional archiving at USC Shoah Foundation. Prior to the joining the Institute in 2014, Sandra worked as Director of Archives for USC School of Cinematic Arts' Warner Bros. and Moving Image Archives. Previously she worked as Media Librarian in the visual effects industry at Industrial Light & Magic. She received an M.L.I.S. from the UCLA and a B.A. in Film Studies from UC Santa Barbara. She is a digital museum consultant for the Visual Effects Society.

Registration

Registration is open until January 25. Online payment is required.

·         Non-members – $20.00

·         SCA members – $10.00

·         Student SCA Member – $5.00

·         Unemployed or Precariously Employed – $5.00


Questions about your membership? Contact Alix Norton
Questions about Registration? Contact Sandy Enriquez
Problems with your credit card payment? Need to request a refund involving credit card or PayPal? Contact Lara Michele


Call for Proposals SCA AGM 2023

November 03, 2022 11:52 AM | SCA Admin

The Society of California Archivists (SCA) invites submissions of session proposals for our 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held in-person from April 6-8, 2023 at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel.

Next year's theme, History by the People, can be broadly interpreted, expanding on the scope of who “the people” are. We aim to include a broad and diverse range of sessions and topics. Possible session topics could include:

- Archives and collaborative work within a community

- Archives as authority and how it relates to power imbalances, privilege, and colonial practices

- Advocacy initiatives

- Considerations on the operational costs of stewardship

- Digital projects involving community archives

- Inclusivity and reparative work

- Labor issues

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.

In an effort to be more intentionally inclusive of underrepresented voices in discussions centered around community archives, non-traditional archives and/or memory projects, a limited number of stipends will be available to support the participation of community archivists and memory workers. Please see  eligibility criteria... 

SUBMIT YOUR 2023 SCA-AGM PROPOSALS   HERE.

Or if you have a session topic in mind and want to reach out to possible co-presenters, feel free to use this AGM Session Idea Sheet to help make connections. 

The deadline for proposals is  Monday, December 5, 2022 (11:59p PT). 

We look forward to seeing your proposals and to seeing you in Sacramento!

Sincerely,

The 2023 SCA-AGM Program Committee

Call for Submissions, Winter 2023 SCA Newsletter

October 25, 2022 11:59 AM | SCA Admin

The SCA newsletter is seeking articles and notices about your activities and accomplishments for the Winter issue. The newsletter relies entirely on submissions from community members, so please share your news with the California archives community.

We all enjoy reading what members of our community are up to. How about an article on newly processed collections, new acquisitions, your institution's response to the challenging budget environment, grants received, or an ongoing project? Or you might consider a short notice on upcoming events, exhibit openings, new hires, student activities, internship opportunities, or workshops? Have you read a great book that other archivists might find interesting? How about submitting a short review of it?

Submissions on any topics of interest to the California archives community are welcome. We would love to have short news and events items from repositories and archivists throughout the state.

Format for submissions: All articles and items submitted for consideration should be delivered via email attachment. Be sure to include the author's name, repository name, location, and contact information at the end of your article. Please attach any images separately as JPG or PDF files and include the caption for each image in the article document file.

Please review all submission guidelines online. 

The deadline for submissions is Friday, November 25, 2022. Email your submissions to newsletter@calarchivists.org. Be sure to include your repository name, location, and contact information.

For more information, please contact the newsletter editors at newsletter@calarchivists.org.

Thank you for sharing!

Best,

The SCA Newsletter team

--

Sue Luftschein

Marissa Friedman

Sue Tyson

Shaula Stephenson

Editors, SCA Newsletter

newsletter@calarchivists.org


Upcoming Webinar - Increasing Access: Transforming Physical Archive Inventory into Online Learning Resources

October 19, 2022 1:49 PM | SCA Communications and Outreach

Increasing Access: Transforming Physical Archive Inventory into Online Learning Resources

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time)

Webinar Description:

This webinar is a step-by-step exploration of Beckman Foundation’s “Let’s Learn Science” online learning resources project, developed for middle school students. The six-month project utilized historical documents and images from the institution’s archive in conjunction with objects from its small museum exhibit to highlight the contributions of 20th century scientific instrumentation pioneer, Dr. Arnold O. Beckman. The aims of the project were to generate awareness of grade-specific science concepts and spark interest in future science careers by increasing accessibility to archive and museum collections and widening the audience for the materials. The deliverables of the project included a range of resources in both English and Spanish that could be retrieved online by public, private, and home school students and teachers.

The cost is $10 for SCA members; $5 for student members; $20 for non-members; and $5 for unemployed or precariously employed individuals. 

Presenter:

Kaerie Ray is a Senior Program Officer at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, a role that engages her in both grants management and archive responsibilities. She earned her MBA degree from WGU and holds professional certificates in both Museum Studies and Curation from Northwestern University and Sotheby’s Institute of Art, respectively. She curated the Arnold O. Beckman at Work (2022) special installation for the Revolutionary Tools Exhibit at Beckman Center and published A Quick Start Social Media Primer for Early Career Archivists (2022). Upcoming projects include a case study on Small Space Visual Storytelling with Impact, digital archive showcase for A Semi-Centennial Celebration, and an article on Curating Trios.

Registration is open until December 6. Online payment is required.

  • Questions about your membership? Contact Alix Norton
  • Questions about Registration? Contact Sandy Enriquez
  • Problems with your credit card payment? Need to request a refund involving credit card or PayPal? Contact Lara Michele


Reminder - Nominations for SCA Elections Closing October 31

The window is closing for nominating yourself or a colleague for the following leadership positions in SCA: 

  • Vice President / President Elect (3-year term)
  • Secretary (2-year term)
  • Membership Director (2-year term)
  • Director-at-Large (2-year term)
  • Nominating Committee member (2-year term)

Submit your name or the name of a colleague by completing the SCA Candidate Nominating Form by October 31, 2022. 

Service on the SCA Board is a great way to have an impact on the archival profession in California. It's also the perfect opportunity to engage with colleagues while sharing, learning and developing leadership skills. 

More information about each of these positions and their responsibilities can be found in the SCA Handbook, sections 2-3, 2-4, 2-7, 2-8 and 3-12 (http://www.calarchivists.org/About_SCA/Handbook_Bylaws.)

Thank you,
SCA Nominating Committee

Azalea Camacho
Aza Babayan
Leilani Marshall (Chair)


Submit Nominations for the SCA Board of Directors

October 05, 2022 1:18 PM | SCA Admin

The Society of California Archivists' Nominating Committee is still accepting nominations and self-nominations for the following positions:

  • Vice President / President Elect (3-year term)
  • Secretary (2-year term)
  • Membership Director (2-year term)
  • Director-at-Large (2-year term)
  • Nominating Committee member (2-year term)

Submit your name or the name of a colleague by completing the SCA Candidate Nominating Form by October 31, 2022. 

Service on the SCA Board is a great way to have an impact on the archival profession in California. It's also the perfect opportunity to engage with colleagues while sharing, learning and developing leadership skills. 

More information about each of these positions and their responsibilities can be found in the SCA Handbook, sections 2-3, 2-4, 2-7, 2-8 and 3-12 (http://www.calarchivists.org/About_SCA/Handbook_Bylaws.)

Thank you,
SCA Nominating Committee

Azalea Camacho
Aza Babayan
Leilani Marshall (Chair)

Extended - California Archives Month poster submissions

September 07, 2022 9:17 AM | SCA Communications and Outreach

The deadline for  all institutions interested in submitting images for the 2022 California Archives Month poster is EXTENDED through Friday, September 16th! This year’s theme, “California Firsts,” will be showcased on California’s fully-virtual poster.

Instructions

  • Please select up to three images that you feel best represent this theme to outreach@calarchivists.org by Friday, September 16, 2022 for a chance to be featured on the poster.
  • Image files must be in the TIFF (.tif) format captured at 300 ppi or higher, if possible. There is a 25 Mb limit for attachments sent to the above Gmail address, so you may need to send multiple submissions if you are sending multiple images in order to stay under the cap. 
  • Include in each submission email: 1) the name of the holding organization, 2) File name, and 3) a description of the image that includes the subject, location (if known), and date (or approximation).

If you have any questions about the poster or image submission, you can contact SCA’s Communications & Outreach Committee at outreach@calarchivists.org.

Thank you,

Steve Kutay, Anna Martino, and April Feldman

SCA Communications and Outreach Committee, Co-Chairs


Call for 2022 California Archives Month poster submissions

August 25, 2022 12:16 PM | SCA Communications and Outreach

We’re now calling on all institutions interested in submitting images for the 2022 California Archives Month poster! This year’s theme, “California Firsts,” will be showcased on California’s fully-virtual poster.

Instructions

  • Please select up to three images that you feel best represent this theme to outreach@calarchivists.org by 11:59 pm on Monday, September 9, 2022 for a chance to be featured on the poster.
  • Image files must be in the TIFF (.tif) format captured at 300 ppi or higher, if possible. There is a 25 Mb limit for attachments sent to the above Gmail address, so you may need to send multiple submissions if you are sending multiple images in order to stay under the cap. 
  • Include in each submission email: 1) the name of the holding organization, 2) File name, and 3) a description of the image that includes the subject, location (if known), and date (or approximation).

If you have any questions about the poster or image submission, you can contact SCA’s Communications & Outreach Committee at outreach@calarchivists.org.

Thank you,

Steve Kutay, Anna Martino, and April Feldman

SCA Communications and Outreach Committee, Co-Chairs

Hacking the Academic Interview: Session 1

Wednesday, September 14, 202210:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time)

Webinar Description:

Jointly hosted by the SCA Education Committee and Membership Committee, "Hacking the Academic Interview" is a workshop series featuring roundtable discussions with library professionals who have navigated the technical, logistical and emotional aspects of the academic interview process. This three-part series is designed for anyone interested in pursuing a career in academic institutions who wants to know more about the ins and outs of the interview process, from the very beginning of applying to jobs, to interview day, to negotiating salary, or even recuperating from a failed search. Speakers in this series come from a diverse range of backgrounds and institutions (including the University of California, the California State University, and community colleges). Each workshop will focus on a different part of the interview process. Speakers will introduce themselves at the beginning of the talk, then we will open it up for discussion using questions submitted live and in advance. This series will not be recorded.

Session 1 of this series covers the "pre-interview" stage of the process. Speakers will discuss finding and applying for academic positions, covering topics such as how to 'read' a job description, navigating imposter syndrome, writing a cover letter/CV, applying for jobs as a recent graduate, etc.

The cost is $10 for SCA members; $5 for student members; $20 for non-members; and $5 for unemployed or precariously employed individuals. 

Presenters:

Our speakers for Session 1 include:

  • T-Kay Sangwand, Librarian for Digital Collection Development at the University of California, Los Angeles
  • Erika Montenegro, Instruction and Outreach Librarian at East Los Angeles College
  • Azalea Camacho, Archivist and Special Collections Librarian at Cal State Los Angeles

Sessions 2-3 will be announced in 2023. Please forward any questions or comments to Sandy Enriquez at educationcommittee@calarchivists.org.  

Registration is open until September 13. Online payment is required.

  • Questions about your membership? Contact Alix Norton
  • Questions about Registration? Contact Sandy Enriquez
  • Problems with your credit card payment? Need to request a refund involving credit card or PayPal? Contact Lara Michele


Disrupting Assumptions: Forging Interdisciplinary Archival Engagement

June 23, 2022 2:46 PM | SCA Communications and Outreach

Disrupting Assumptions: Forging Interdisciplinary Archival Engagement

Thursday, August 18, 2022

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) 

Webinar Description:

As early as 2001, perhaps even earlier, scholarly works discussed the value of interdisciplinary archival outreach and instruction. Twenty years into this framework there is still a huge siloing issue in the profession. Academic libraries and archives have continued to talk about it but the paradigm shift brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic requires us to be about it. This webinar will explore the intent, value, and functionality of interdisciplinary archival outreach and instruction in a 21st-century academic library. The framework shifts from a required result in production of tangible products, especially traditional research papers, and establishes these collaborative opportunities to reintroduce the humanities as a partner field to science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and social science programs. It seeks to engage curious minds across specialties in order to center the interpersonal in the interdisciplinary work. We will cover internal and external examples of this shift as practice.  

The cost is $10 for SCA members; $5 for student members; $20 for non-members; and $5 for unemployed or precariously employed individuals. All registrants will receive a link to the webinar recording after the webinar is completed.

Presenters:

Julie Tanaka, Director of Special Collections and College Archives, Occidental College (formerly Arizona State University)  

Julie Tanaka was Interim Head of Distinctive Collections and Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts at Arizona State University and is now Director of Special Collections and College Archives at Occidental College. A native Californian, Julie is outward-facing, faculty and student oriented, and passionate about teaching with primary sources across disciplines and at all levels of experience. She continues to pursue opportunities to collaborate with campus and community partners to develop and implement new ways of engaging students and faculty in special collections and archives.

Claudia Willett, Archivist, Stanford University (formerly Arizona State University)  

Claudia Willett was the Senator John S. McCain Papers Archivist at Arizona State University. As project manager for a multi-million dollar grant, Claudia coordinated administrative requirements and oversaw appraisal, processing, preservation, description, and access work for the collection. In her new role as Archivist at Stanford University she continues pursuing collaborative opportunities with colleagues across broad areas of interest including instruction development and implementation, outreach and engagement, sustainable and ethical collecting practices, access and privacy rights, and reappraisal and deaccessioning.

Registration is open until August 11. Online payment is required.

  • Questions about your membership? Contact Alix Norton
  • Questions about Registration? Contact Karina Cardenas
  • Problems with your credit card payment? Need to request a refund involving credit card or PayPal? Contact Lara Michele


Community Archives: Expanding our Circles of Care in Academia, Tuesday June 27

June 10, 2022 8:19 AMSCA Communications and Outreach (Administrator)


Hello SCA!

The Society of Rocky Mountain Archivists would like to share an announcement with SCA members about our upcoming virtual Continuing Education event, Community Archives: Expanding our Circles of Care in Academia, Tuesday June 27, 11AM – 2:30 PM (MST).

This continuing education session on community archives brings together archival practitioners from UC Santa Cruz, UC Irvine, and the Association of Moving Image Archivists’ Community Archiving Workshop, to share lessons from their experiences in establishing, growing, and maintaining community archiving projects and programs. Their presentations and discussions will touch on strategies for forming meaningful and reciprocal community relationships, for obtaining buy-in and material support from campus administrators and stakeholders, and activating professional organizations for regional collaboration across institutions.

The event is free for students and SRMA members, and $20 for nonmembers. Registration is open at  https://www.srmarchivists.org/event-4810330

Feel free to contact SRMA Continuing Education Coordinator Jamie Wagner, Jamie.Wagner@colorado.edu, with any questions you have.


Register now for 2022 SCA AGM Pre-conference Workshops

April 29, 2022 11:17 AM | SCA Communications and Outreach

  1. Preserving and Providing Access to an Oral History Collection, May 19, 9 am to 10 am

  2. Demystifying Digitization: Planning a Digitization Project from Start to Finish, May 19, 9 am to 4 pm

Registration to the AGM is not required to attend the pre-conference workshops. To register, please add the pre-conference workshops to your AGM registration OR go directly to register for the workshops only at https://web.cvent.com/event/0d7def20-ee81-47fc-8ef6-e9fe4991d58a/regProcessStep1?rt=mhR_e-vzp0OJzPwBE5LepA

More info at https://calarchivists.org/AGM-2022-Session-Descriptions#workshop1

SCA Members Meeting, May 20, 3:30PM

April 18, 2022 3:21 PM SCA President (Administrator)


SCA's annual Members Meeting will be held this year at the Annual General Meeting in Palm Springs. The meeting is scheduled for Friday, May 20, at 3:30PM at the Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel. Log-in to your SCA member account to view the agenda, review the minutes from last year's meeting, and view SCA's Statement of Financial Condition. 

If you have any questions about this meeting, please reach out to me at president@calarchivists.org. I look forward to seeing you there. 

Leilani Marshall, SCA President

Bystander Intervention in Public Spaces (Right to Be + SCA Part 2)

When: May 03, 2022, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Location: Zoom

Register Here

SCA is pleased to partner with Right To Be (formerly Hollaback!) to bring our members two educational sessions on mitigating implicit biases and practicing bystander intervention. This is the second of two sessions.


We welcome and encourage everyone, and especially SCA members, to attend these sessions free of charge in order to help create and help maintain an affirming and inclusive environment in our organization. At the end of each session, there will be a raffle drawing for a free year of SCA membership.

These sessions will not be recorded.

Bystander Intervention in Public Spaces:

We all have a responsibility to do something when we see street harassment happening, but too often we freeze. We don’t know what to do. Bystander intervention gives us tools to intervene without compromising our own safety.  When we intervene, we don’t just reduce trauma for the person being street harassed. We also start to chip away at the culture that allows harassment to be so prevalent. Alone we can’t shift the culture — but together — our actions matter. In this training our goal is to give participants the tools to intervene the next time they witness harassment in public spaces. We will equip you with the right information on how to be an effective bystander in the midst of public space harassment using our proven 5D’s methodology, our five strategies for intervention. Then we will practice so you leave our training feeling more prepared to successfully and safely intervene.

For more information on Right To Be, visit their website at: righttobe.org


SCA Elections Close April 28, 2022

April 21, 2022 10:17 AM | SCA Communications and Outreach

SCA Elections are currently open!

Make sure your membership is up to date and vote in this year's election. Polls close soon. Click on the link for more information about the election and the candidates. https://bit.ly/scaelec22

Register now for 2022 SCA AGM Pre-conference Workshops

April 14, 2022 8:19 AM | SCA Communications and Outreach

Register now for 2022 SCA AGM Pre-conference Workshops:

  1. Preserving and Providing Access to an Oral History Collection, May 19, 9 am to 10 am

  2. Demystifying Digitization: Planning a Digitization Project from Start to Finish, May 19, 9 am to 4 pm

Registration to AGM is not required to attend the pre-conference workshops. To register, please add the pre-conference workshops to your AGM registration or select the "Workshops only" option.

Click for more information

Register Here 

8 Strategies To Mitigate Implicit Bias (Right To Be + SCA Part 1)

April 04, 2022 9:00 AM SCA Communications and Outreach (Administrator)

When: April 14, 2022, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Location: Zoom

Register

SCA is pleased to partner with Right To Be (formerly Hollaback!) to bring our members two educational sessions on mitigating implicit biases and practicing bystander intervention. This is the first of two sessions.


We welcome and encourage everyone, and especially SCA members, to attend these sessions free of charge in order to help create and help maintain an affirming and inclusive environment in our organization. At the end of each session, there will be a raffle drawing for a free year of SCA membership.

These sessions will not be recorded.

8 Strategies To Mitigate Implicit Bias:

Everyone holds implicit biases. That doesn’t make us “bad people,” it just means that we have work to do. This interactive training will teach you how to understand your own implicit biases in order to begin to undo them. We’ll start by learning the brain science behind implicit bias and how the part of our brain that is hardwired to assess danger has evolved to hold us back. Through polls, brief thought experiments, and writing exercises, we’ll reflect on how implicit bias can show up in our actions and they can have on ourselves and those around us.  Then we’ll roll our sleeves up and get to work, practicing 8 concrete ways to mitigate implicit bias.  You’ll leave more confident in your ability to successfully see and undo implicit bias in your own life.

For more information on Right To Be, visit their website at: righttobe.org


SCA Elections open on March 23, 2022

March 22, 2022 8:55 AM | SCA Communications and Outreach

SCA Elections open on March 23, 2022. Make sure your membership is up to date to vote in this year’s election. Click on the link for more details about the candidates and the election. https://bit.ly/scaelec22


Western Archives Institute 2022 has been cancelled

March 17, 2022 12:27 PM | SCA President

It is with regret and disappointment that the SCA Board of Directors, in conjunction with the California State Archives, announces that the 2022 Western Archives Institute has been cancelled. While SCA remains committed to WAI, it has become apparent that a review of the structure and format is required for future WAI programs.

We hope to have a program and management committee structure in place for next year and are working diligently toward that goal.

If you have any questions about WAI, please reach out to president@calarchivists.org or to the WAI Administrator at wai@sos.ca.gov.


SCA's Labor Task Force Final Report now available online

March 10, 2022 2:05 PM | SCA President

The Final Report of the Task Force on Labor Issues in the Profession is now available online. The task force was chaired by Courtney Dean and George Thompson from 2019 to 2021, and members were Richard Boyden, Chris Doan, Erin Hurley, Anne Mar, Peggy Tran-Le, and Sue Tyson. 

The recommendations in the Final Report include the adoption of fair labor principles by SCA as well as a number of practical action items and community recommendations that the SCA Board is looking forward to implementing. The Advocacy and Public Policy Committee, co-chaired by Lisa Mix and Marissa Friedman, is the committee tasked with exploring the best ways to carry out the majority of the recommendations outlined in the report.


2022 AGM Registration is Open

March 02, 2022 9:40 AM | SCA Communications and Outreach
The Society of California Archivists Local Arrangements Committee is excited to announce that registration for the 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) is now open! 

Join us May 19-21 at the Renaissance Palm Springs for two days of sessions, an opening reception at the hotel, and numerous opportunities to network and mingle at vendor exhibits and various happy hours.

Two pre-conference workshops will also be offered on Thursday, May 19: Demystifying Digitization: Planning a Digitization Project from Start to Finish and Preserving and Providing Access to an Oral History Collection. 

Attendees will be treated to a plenary address on Friday by Audra Eagle Yun, Head of Special Collections & Archives and University Archivist, UCI Libraries. Our Awards Luncheon Speaker this year will be Kim Stringfellow, artist, educator, writer, and independent curator based in Joshua Tree, CA. Her Jackrabbit Homestead art installation commissioned by Desert X 2021 examines multimedia memory-keeping and archives within a sense of place.

Check back in for more details about the workshops, program, and other activities! 

Register Here!

Book your reservation at the Renaissance Palm Springs here.

Questions about registration? Please contact localarrangements@calarchivists.org.


SCA will follow local, county, and federal health and safety protocols with regards to COVID-19, and may also require additional protocols, especially for indoor activities. SCA asks all attendees be fully vaccinated. 

If you have any questions about the AGM program, contact Liza Posas, the AGM 2022 Program Chair, at lposas@theautry.org.


"Pay What You Can" membership fees

Did you know? SCA has a "Pay What You Can" membership fee structure. When joining or renewing, members can choose the amount to pay for the next year of SCA membership. For more information, visit our membership site. 


Save the Date! Upcoming Trainings for SCA Members

February 15, 2022 4:28 PMSCA Communications and Outreach (Administrator)

We’re excited to announce that SCA has partnered with Hollaback! to bring our members two educational sessions on mitigating implicit biases and practicing bystander intervention.

These two sessions will take place on April 14th and May 3rd:

  • 8 Strategies To Mitigate Implicit Bias, Apr 14, 2022 01:00 PM Pacific Time

  • Bystander Intervention in Public Spaces, May 3, 2022 01:00 PM Pacific Time

The first interactive training will focus on understanding our own implicit biases in order to begin to undo them. We’ll reflect on how implicit bias can show up in our actions and they can have on ourselves and those around us. Then we’ll roll our sleeves up and get to work, practicing 8 concrete ways to mitigate implicit bias. Attendees will leave more confident in their ability to successfully see and undo implicit bias in your own life.

The second session will be customized to our SCA group, and will focus on situations we may find ourselves in as archives workers. Many of us work in public service spaces, so this training will outline specific strategies we can use to intervene in professional conflicts when necessary.  In this training our goal is to give participants the tools to intervene the next time they witness harassment in public spaces. The training will equip participants with the right information on how to be an effective bystander in the midst of public space harassment using the proven Hollaback! 5D’s methodology, five strategies for intervention. Then we will practice so you leave our training feeling more prepared to successfully and safely intervene. 

We welcome and encourage all members of SCA to attend these sessions, free of charge, in order to help create and help maintain an affirming and inclusive environment in our organization. At the end of each session, there will be a raffle drawing for a free year of SCA membership. 

These sessions will not be recorded. 

Stay tuned for registration details in the coming weeks!


If you have any questions, please contact Alix Norton, SCA Membership Director, at membership@calarchivists.org. For more information about Hollaback!, visit their website at ihollaback.org.

--

Christina Velazquez Fidler

she/her/hers

Digital Archivist

The Bancroft Library 

University of California, Berkeley | Huichin Ohlone Land


SCA Awards and Scholarships -- Deadline February 28

February 23, 2022 3:55 PM | SCA Communications and Outreach

The Awards Committee of the Society of California Archivists (SCA) is still accepting applications and nominations for its annual awards and scholarships through the application deadline of Monday, February 28, 2022. For more information about these opportunities to support and recognize excellent work in the archival field, please see https://calarchivists.org/Awards_Scholarships and the brief descriptions below.

Archives Appreciation Award

The Archives Appreciation Award recognizes an agency, organization or institution which has provided extraordinary support for archival programs. These can include arrangement and description programs, public service programs, reference, exhibits, or outreach. The award is sponsored by our longtime partner Hollinger Metal Edge, Inc.

Career Achievement Award

The Career Achievement Award recognizes SCA members who have had an outstanding career in the archival endeavor. Nominees must have contributed in significant ways to the profession, such as establishing archives, teaching, and/or writing in the archival field.

Sustained Service Award

The Sustained Service Award is given to SCA members to recognize them for their prolonged and quality service to the Society of California Archivists over a period of 12 years.

Mink Scholarship

James V. Mink was the first president of the Society of California Archivists, and a long-serving archivist at the University of California, Los Angeles. He was a passionate advocate of archival education. The scholarship promotes professional development and enables archival studies students or recent graduates to attend both the SCA Annual General Meeting and a pre-conference workshop at the May 19-21, 2022 conference in Palm Springs.

Gray and Bonfield Education Fund Scholarships

The Walter P. Gray III Scholarship is administered by the Awards Committee and funds travel and registration for SCA Workshops and other related training and educational opportunities offered in California. All SCA members in good-standing who have limited or no access to institutional funding for continuing education may apply. Up to $500 may be awarded per workshop, and 4 scholarships are available each year.

The Lynn A. Bonfield Scholarship is administered by the Awards Committee and funds travel and registration for members to attend non-SCA sponsored continuing education events outside of California to enhance their professional training. All SCA members in good-standing who have limited or no access to institutional funding for continuing education may apply. Up to $1000 may be awarded per event, and 2 scholarships are available each year.

  

Nominations reopened for candidates for SCA VP/President Elect and Treasure

January 13, 2022 1:51 PM | SCA Communications and Outreach

The SCA Nominating Committee is reopening nominations for the following positions:

  • Vice President / President Elect (3-year term)
  • Treasurer (2-year term)

Due to the limited timeframe remaining for us to find candidates for these two positions, we are seeking in particular self-nominations from those that are willing to run for office; however, we will also accept nominations of colleagues.

Submit your name or the name of a colleague by completing the SCA Candidate Nominating Form by January 21, 2022: https://forms.gle/zuGC8W4XerKjrLsq9

SCA service is a great way to have an impact on the archival profession in California and provides opportunities to engage with your colleagues while sharing, learning, and developing leadership skills. Furthermore, it's a chance to work with a team of wonderful archival colleagues from around the state.

More information about each of these positions and their responsibilities can be found in the SCA Handbook, sections 2-2 and 2-5, (http://www.calarchivists.org/About_SCA/Handbook_Bylaws) or email past-president@calarchivists.org with any questions you have about service in SCA.


Thank you,

SCA Nominating Committee

Azalea Camacho

Elena Colón-Marrero

Tanya Hollis (Chair)

 

2022 SCA-AGM Call for Proposals - EXTENDED

December 20, 2021 11:13 AM | SCA Communications and Outreach

The 2022 AGM Call for Proposals has been extended! Proposals are due by Monday, January 10, 2022 (11:59p PT).

The Society of California Archivists (SCA) invites you to submit session proposals for the 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM)! It will be held IN-PERSON from May 18-21 at the Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel.

The Program Committee invites your submissions, especially those based on next year’s theme Archives Represent. The theme can be broadly interpreted as what archives should, do, and could represent, such as:

  • Issues regarding inclusivity and reparative work in the archives
  • How archivists are represented in the workplace and labor force
  • Archives as authority and how it relates to power imbalances, privilege, and colonial practices
  • Archivists’ "presence" during 2020 (i.e. work from home projects, "COVID collecting" projects, archives & activism)
  • Redefinition of archives/archivists (what does it mean to be an archivist today?)
  • Archives & the digital realm
  • Advocacy
  • Archives and collaborative work within a community
  • Considerations on the operational costs of stewardship

Other aspects of archival practice and research are also welcomed.

First-time presenters, current graduate students, early-career professionals, lone arrangers, community members, and other individuals who work with archival materials in less traditional or unconventional roles are encouraged to apply.

SUBMIT YOUR 2022 SCA-AGM PROPOSALS HERE. Or if you have a session topic in mind and want to reach out to possible co-presenters, feel free to use this AGM Session Idea Sheet to help make connections.

The deadline for proposals is Monday, January 10, 2022 (11:59p PT).


We look forward to seeing you all in Palm Spring!!!

- The 2022 SCA-AGM Program Committee

"$50 for 50" Anniversary Campaign

April 02, 2021 9:18 AM | SCA Admin


SCA is celebrating 50 years! Since its founding, SCA has proven to be essential to the professional lives of its members and to the preservation of records which reveal the multi-faceted history of California.  In lieu of the annual Silent Auction, please consider making a monetary donation to SCA so that we may continue to provide resources, support, and education to the archival community.  Donations of other amounts are also welcome! Those who donate $50 or more during the "$50 for 50" anniversary campaign will receive a tote bag honoring SCA’s 50th anniversary.

2022 SCA-AGM Call for Proposals

November 10, 2021 5:08 PMSCA Communications and Outreach (Administrator)

The Society of California Archivists (SCA) invites you to submit session proposals for the 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM)! It will be held IN-PERSON from May 18-21 at the Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel.

The Program Committee invites your submissions, especially those based on next year’s theme Archives Represent. The theme can be broadly interpreted as what archives should, do, and could represent, such as:

  • Issues regarding inclusivity and reparative work in the archives
  • How archivists are represented in the workplace and labor force
  • Archives as authority and how it relates to power imbalances, privilege, and colonial practices
  • Archivists’ "presence" during 2020 (i.e. work from home projects, "COVID collecting" projects, archives & activism)
  • Redefinition of archives/archivists (what does it mean to be an archivist today?)
  • Archives & the digital realm
  • Advocacy
  • Archives and collaborative work within a community
  • Considerations on the operational costs of stewardship

Other aspects of archival practice and research are also welcomed.

First-time presenters, current graduate students, early-career professionals, lone arrangers, community members, and other individuals who work with archival materials in less traditional or unconventional roles are encouraged to apply.

SUBMIT YOUR 2022 SCA-AGM PROPOSALS HERE. Or if you have a session topic in mind and want to reach out to possible co-presenters, feel free to use this AGM Session Idea Sheet to help make connections.

The deadline for proposals is Wednesday, December 15, 2021 (11:59p PT).

We look forward to seeing you all in Palm Spring!!!

 

- The 2022 SCA-AGM Program Committee


Call For Webinar Proposals 2021-2022
September 23, 2021 2:34 PM | SCA Education Committee

The Education Committee is seeking proposals for webinars through Fall 2022. We are aiming to host at least four webinars throughout the year in addition to webinars in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting in the Spring. We would love to hear from those with presentations and work they would like to share!

Please submit your proposals using the SCA 2021-22 Webinar Proposals form, where you can indicate what you would like to present on and what timing will work best for you.  


Meet with your fellow SCA members!

October 12, 2021 11:45 AM | SCA Membership

Over the past year, SCA Membership has been hosting informal, virtual meetings every month as part of its First Friday series, which have included presentations on labor issues and archives tools like WebRecorder, readings and discussions on reparative description, and even a virtual holiday party where we “zoomed” to a goat farm in Half Moon Bay. SCA will be ending these monthly virtual meetings for the time being, but we are committed to hosting similar virtual meetings as needed. Do let us know if you have an idea for a future topic!

In the meantime, member-initiated events (MIEs) are a great way to gather with your peers throughout the state, either in-person or virtually. SCA offers support for members to bring California archives workers together for networking, discussion forums, site visits, special speakers, mini-conferences, and more. The guidelines for proposing MIEs were recently updated to offer more flexibility on qualifying expenses that can be paid for and/or reimbursed by SCA. Types of expenses include webinar fees, speakers/facilitators and panelists, facilities/equipment, non-alcoholic refreshments, and meals.

Visit https://www.calarchivists.org/MemberEvents to see all of the new guidelines, and propose a member-initiated event today! Just fill out the proposal form and email it to memberevents@calarchivists.org.  

As always, please contact the Membership Director with any questions or suggestions, and we look forward to seeing you soon, virtually or in person, at a SCA member event.


Alix Norton

SCA Membership Director

membership@calarchivists.org


Call For Webinar Proposals 2021-2022
September 23, 2021 2:34 PMSCA Education Committee (Administrator)

The Education Committee is seeking proposals for webinars through Fall 2022. We are aiming to host at least four webinars throughout the year in addition to webinars in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting in the Spring. We would love to hear from those with presentations and work they would like to share!

Please submit your proposals using the SCA 2021-22 Webinar Proposals form, where you can indicate what you would like to present on and what timing will work best for you.  

Nominations for SCA Elections Closing November 12!


November 01, 2021 3:27 PM | SCA Communications and Outreach

The Society of California Archivists' Nominating Committee is still accepting nominations and self-nominations for the following positions:

  • Vice President / President Elect (3-year term)
  • Treasurer (2-year term)
  • Director at Large (2-year term)
  • Nominating Committee member (2-year term)

Submit your name or the name of a colleague by completing the SCA Candidate Nominating Form by November 12, 2021: https://forms.gle/fh76hrYZUpb8mk2c8

SCA service is a great way to have an impact on the archival profession in California. It provides opportunities to engage with colleagues while sharing, learning, and developing leadership skills. Furthermore, it's a chance to work with a team of wonderful archival colleagues from around the state.

More information about each of these positions and their responsibilities can be found in the SCA Handbook, sections 2-2, 2-5, 2-8 and 3-12 (http://www.calarchivists.org/About_SCA/Handbook_Bylaws)  or email past-president@calarchivists.org with any questions you have about service in SCA.

Thank you,

SCA Nominating Committee

Azalea Camacho

Elena Colón-Marrero

Tanya Hollis (Chair)


Nominations Open for SCA Elections

August 23, 2021 3:33 PM | SCA Communications and Outreach

The Society of California Archivists' Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations and self-nominations for the following positions:

  • Vice President / President Elect (3-year term)
  • Treasurer (2-year term)
  • Director at Large (2-year term)
  • Nominating Committee member (2-year term)

Submit your name or the name of a colleague by completing the SCA Candidate Nominating Form: https://forms.gle/fh76hrYZUpb8mk2c8

SCA service is a great way to have an impact on the archival profession in California. It provides opportunities to engage with colleagues while sharing, learning, and developing leadership skills. Furthermore, it's a chance to work with a team of wonderful archival colleagues from around the state.

More information about each of these positions and their responsibilities can be found in the SCA Handbook, sections 2-2, 2-5, 2-8 and 3-12 (http://www.calarchivists.org/About_SCA/Handbook_Bylaws.)

All nominations must be received by November 12, 2021.


Thank you,

SCA Nominating Committee

Tanya Hollis (Chair)

Elena Colón-Marrero

Azalea Camacho


October is Archives Month

October 03, 2021 8:15 AMSCA Communications and Outreach (Administrator)

Dear Colleagues,

October is the month our profession embraces the opportunity to raise awareness and visibility of archives programs and repositories throughout the country and the state in an outreach effort known as "Archives Month." In California, SCA works with the California State Archives and NARA-San Francisco to produce a poster to promote and celebrate our collections. This year’s theme is “Strengthening Community Connections,” and we’d like to thank everyone who submitted images for consideration. Due to the virtual nature of this year’s poster, we were able to select multiple images and designed seven individual posters this year. The posters are now available on the CSA Archives Month website so make sure to download and print one or two (or all seven!) for your repository: https://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/public-events/archives-month

And a reminder that this year October 13 has been designated as #AskAnArchivist Day on Twitter. Make sure to engage with your Twitter account and create or join a conversation with your community on this day to help break down perceived barriers between archivists and the public. If you are posting on general archives activities this month, please consider using #CalArchivesMonth2021. And for activities that are specific to this year's theme, use #ArchivesConnectCommunities.

Finally, if there are any Archives Month events that you are involved with, reach out to SCA’s Communication and Outreach Committee to further promote them through the SCA website calendar and social media platforms.

 

Happy Archives Month,

SCA Communications and Outreach Committee

Veronica Lara and Steve Kutay, Co-Chairs


May 01, 2021 10:50 AM | Kelsi Evans

Check out the newly updated Directory of Archival and Manuscript Repositories in California! If you would like your repository to be included, please complete this form, but be sure to first review the current directory to check the information that we have on file (organized alphabetically by repository name).

Register Now for the SCA Annual General Meeting 2021

March 03, 2021 8:25 AM | Kelsi Evans

The Society of California Archivists is excited to announce that registration for the 2021 Annual General Meeting is now open! Join us online April 27-30, 2021 for a full program exploring the themes of diversity and inclusion as well as the effects of the current pandemic on our institutions, collections, and profession.REGISTER

Questions about registration? Please contact the Local Arrangements Committee at localarrangements@calarchivists.org.

Western Archives Institute Application Live!
February 16, 2021 8:47 AM | SCA Admin

The application to attend the 2021 Western Archives Institute (WAI) is now live! WAI is an intensive, two-week program co-sponsored by the California State Archives and Society of California Archivists that provides integrated instruction in basic archival practices to individuals with a variety of backgrounds, especially those whose jobs require a fundamental understanding of archival skills, but who have little or no previous archives education. 

If you are interested in applying, please visit the webpage for more information: https://calarchivists.org/WAI 


SCA Winter 2021 Newsletter

January 28, 2021 6:20 PMKelsi Evans (Administrator)

Check out the latest SCA Newsletter online here: https://www.calarchivists.org/Publications/SCANewsletter


Vote Now

March 19, 2021 4:05 PMAnonymous member (Administrator)

Eligible members can vote now in the Society of California Archivists Officers Election 2021. The voting deadline is Apr 7, 2021, 11:45pm Pacific Time. You should have received a personal email with voting instructions. Please contact Marlayna Christensen (mkchristensen@ucsd.edu) with any questions.


SCA First Friday - February 2021

January 28, 2021 6:16 PM | Kelsi Evans

At our February First Friday meeting, we will be discussing the documentary film "Change the Subject":

The story of a group of college students, who from their first days at Dartmouth College, were committed to advancing and promoting the rights and dignity of undocumented peoples. Sparked by an instance of anti-immigrant sentiment in their library catalog, these students carried their advocacy all the way from Dartmouth Library to the halls of Congress. The film shows how an instance of campus activism entered the national spotlight, and how a cataloging term became a flashpoint in the immigration debate on Capitol Hill.

We invite you to watch Change the Subject (54 minutes and streaming online) before this meeting, where we will discuss the film and talk about its relevance to reparative description work we are doing or embarking upon in our respective workplaces.

Optionally, you can also watch this supplementary video of a panel discussion held with the filmmakers in October 2020.

Please RSVP for this meeting on this page, and register via Zoom to receive the meeting link for added meeting security. Details for the meeting are below:

You are invited to a Zoom meeting.

When: Feb 5, 2021 12:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMqf-mgrDMpG9zDINbQZMBZ7kfitaODrcfy

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting


Beyond Diversity Initiatives: Recruitment of BIPOC into Archives and Special Collections Librarianship

November 18, 2020 12:36 PM | SCA Admin

It’s not too late to register for the Beyond Diversity Initiatives webinar.  The purpose of this webinar is to discuss how Special Collections and Archives departments in academic libraries can provide mentorship and viable/meaningful professional development opportunities for BIPOC.  Registration is open until December 7.  To register or for more information, please see the entry on the events calendar.

https://calarchivists.org/event-4016018


SCA Newsletter - President's message

October 11, 2020 10:53 AM | SCA Publications Committee

It is difficult to imagine a more dire situation for those of us living in California right now, with wildfires raging throughout the state in the midst of an ongoing pandemic and the increasing threat of unemployment as the State faces deep budget cuts that will affect the its ability to support institutions, universities and the communities they reside in. And yet, I am heartened and inspired by the activism and ongoing commitment to social justice that I have witnessed in the archives community, and the care and support you all have shown each other.

Amidst all the uncertainty of the current moment, it is with a heavy heart that once again the Board of SCA was compelled to decide that for the health and safety of our members, it will be best not to meet in person in 2021 in Palm Springs. Though we were all looking forward to being together in person again, there was little that led us to believe that the current pandemic would be resolved in time for us to safely meet. Fortunately, this early decision gives our Local Arrangements and Program Committees the lead time they need to plan for a virtual meeting for 2021. We are now planning to reconvene in 2022 in Palm Springs again; we’ll share more in 2021 as we finalize details and have a better idea of what type of meeting we can hold safely. 

This cancellation was particularly painful, as we intended to celebrate the 50th anniversary of SCA together in 2021. Started in 1971, SCA has aged into the robust organization it is today through the hard work of many dedicated leaders and committed member volunteers, aided by  the support of an engaged membership, and we looked forward to celebrating their achievements. Despite the change in plans, the Golden Anniversary Committee has continued their planning to mark this momentous occasion. Work has already begun to solicit photographs and other media from the membership, and an oral history program will soon be underway. If you have a story to tell or memorabilia from years past, please reach out to me at president@calarchivists.org, and I will connect you with the Committee’s chair, Gabriele Carey or one of the committee’s other hard working members: Lynn Downey, James Eason, Sue Hodson, Jennifer Martinez-Wormser, David Uhlich, and Chuck Wilson.

To help maintain and strengthen our professional community while we are unable to meet in person, our new First Friday monthly meetings, led by Membership Director Alix Norton with the support of Steering Committee members Courtney Dean, Chris Marino, and Robin Schiff, have created a vital way for us to connect and engage with one another.  Most recently, we met to discuss and share the actions our members have started to take to confront structural racism and bias in our descriptive practices. Using Archives for Black Lives in Philadelphia’s Anti-Racist Description Resources as a guide, we’ve begun the work of critically examining our institutions’ archival description for racist language, be it language of erasure or explicit terms, in order to dismantle inherited practices and cultivate more accurate and just ones.

Acknowledging that the outstanding topic for many of our members continues to be working conditions in the archives profession and the precarity of many of our positions, we have also devoted time in these meetings to talk about our labor. Though it has not happened as of this writing, on September 4 our Labor Task Force, co-chaired by Courtney Dean (UCLA) and George Thompson (CSU, Chico), will have shared results from their recent survey on current labor issues in California archives and provided a space for open dialogue. This task force is charged with reviewing labor issues within the archival profession and suggesting ways in which SCA can better advocate for its membership, and the Board is looking forward to their final report. If you have a related topic, or another issue you’d like to discuss in a casual forum with your colleagues, I encourage all of you to join us, and if you have an idea for a meeting, to reach out to Alix or any of the Steering Committee.

Before signing off, I want to extend my deepest thanks to outgoing Western Archives Institute Administrator Sue Tyson. Her navigation through the current crisis has been admirable, and we owe her a debt of gratitude for her quick and deliberate decisions and planning for the ongoing success of WAI.

Once again, recognizing that many of you are struggling due to job loss and family needs, I want to encourage those that need assistance to apply to the SAA Foundation’s Archival Workers Emergency Fund. Those of you that can afford to, please consider contributing.

My best wishes to you all for good health, safety, and financial security for you and your loved ones.

Tanya Hollis, President, Society of California Archivists 2020-2021

For other recent SCA news, see the Fall 2020 SCA Newsletter.


Call for Proposals - AGM 2021

October 12, 2020 2:55 PM | Kelsi Evans

The Society of California Archivists Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held online April 27-30, 2021. The Program Committee would like to invite you to submit your session proposals to make our first ever virtual meeting a successful and exceptional experience.

The theme of next year’s AGM is “Diversity and Inclusion” and the Program Committee welcomes proposals on all aspects of archival practice and research. We are especially interested in proposals that feature:

  • Aspects of discrimination, equity and bias in staffing, collections and collection development, access and description

  • Institutional responses to the current pandemic (including remote work and workspaces, remote access, what is considered "essential," the effect on labor, etc.) and the effect of the pandemic on user services and outreach

  • Labor and precarity

  • Archivists as activists

  • Successes and failures in archival practices

  • New technologies and tools

First time presenters, current graduate students, early career professionals, lone arrangers, and other individuals who work with archival materials in less traditional or unconventional roles are encouraged to apply.

Presentations that are framed within archival theory and promote discussions that are more broadly applicable to a range of organizations/individuals will be given preference over sessions that simply discuss completed projects with narrow applicability. We strongly encourage presentations that are thought-provoking, inform decision-making, and/or advance thinking on archival topics.

If you have an idea for a proposal, please fill out and submit the 2021 SCA AGM Session Proposal Form which is available at https://calarchivists.org/AGM2021

The deadline for submitting session proposals is Sunday, November 15, 2020.

If you have any questions, or ideas to discuss, please don’t hesitate to contact me at lmarshall@sourisseauacademy.org. Thanks so much for helping us make next year’s conference a successful one!

Leilani Marshall
2021 AGM Program Committee Chair
Society of California Archivist


SCA First Friday - November 6

October 28, 2020 10:18 AM | Kelsi Evans

SCA is pleased to continue our monthly virtual meeting series on the First Fridays of each month. Our next meeting is on Friday November 6th from 12-1pm. This will be an open session - feel free to drop in, bring your lunch, and chat with fellow attendees. You can also ask any questions you have about SCA, and bring ideas for future meeting topics. Please RSVP for the November meeting at this link:
https://www.calarchivists.org/event-4030529


SCA Fall 2020 Newsletter

October 05, 2020 1:15 PM | Kelsi Evans

We are excited to announce the publication of the Fall 2020 SCA Newsletter! It is now online at http://www.calarchivists.org/Publications/SCANewsletter. Thank you to all those who submitted articles and news items for this issue. Another issue will be coming out this winter, so please consider submitting an article or some news about your work. A call for submissions will go out shortly.

Happy reading!

Amanda Mack, Sue Luftschein, and Patricia Delara

SCA Newsletter Team


SCA Call for Nominations

September 30, 2020 11:41 AM 

The Society of California Archivists' (SCA) Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations and self-nominations for the following positions: Vice President / President Elect (3-year term); Secretary (2-year term); Membership Director (2-year term); Member at Large (2-year term); Nominating Committee (2-year term). Submit your name or the name of a colleague by completing the SCA Candidate Nominating Form: https://forms.gle/sq9r3dsE2mTw3gVe8. SCA service is a great way to have an impact on the archival profession in California. It provides opportunities to engage with colleagues while sharing, learning, and developing leadership skills. Furthermore, it's a chance to work with a team of wonderful archival colleagues from around the state. More information about each of these positions and their responsibilities can be found in the SCA Handbook, sections 2-2, 2-4, 2-7, 2-8 and 3-12 (http://www.calarchivists.org/About_SCA/Handbook_Bylaws).

All nominations must be received by November 11, 2020.

Thank you,

SCA Nominating Committee 2020-2021

Eric Milenkiewicz

Erin Hurley

Elena Colón-Marrero

SCA Seeking a Newsletter Layout Editor

September 23, 2020 1:35 PM |

The Society of California Archivists' Publications Committee is seeking a Newsletter Layout Editor to join the team! The SCA Newsletter is the official voice of the Society, and is overseen by the Publications Committee. It carries professional news; reports the Board’s actions; announces Society meetings, seminars, workshops; and informs members of other archival issues and events of interest. The Newsletter is provided free with membership. In cooperation with the Newsletter Committee (which includes the Chair and Editors), the incoming Newsletter Layout Editor is responsible for producing four newsletters a year, in accordance with the publication and editorial guidelines and standards set by the SCA Board of Directors. Primary duties include:

1. Working closely with the Newsletter Editors to ensure submitted articles, advertisements, and photos are prepared for the layout in advance.

2. Compiling the newsletter articles onto Canva, a graphic design platform, on a quarterly basis (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer issues). *No prior experience on Canva is required, as the current Layout Editor will assist with training on the platform.

3. Requesting input and editorial direction from the Publications Committee Chair on an as-needed basis.

If you are interested in this position please email publications@calarchivists.org by Friday, October 9th.

AGM 2021 call for session proposals is closed

November 16, 2020 10:56 AM

The AGM 2021 Program Committee is no longer accepting proposals for next year's annual meeting, and would like to thank everyone who submitted a proposal for review. The Program Committee is currently reviewing all proposals and will be in touch in early December to let you know the status of your proposal.

Make sure to visit our AGM webpage for further information about next year's meeting: https://calarchivists.org/AGM2021

2020 Los Angeles Archives Bazaar

September 18, 2020 10:36 AM | 

The Los Angeles Archives Bazaar is coming soon. This virtual event will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2020 from 8am-8pm. Check the Archives Bazaar website to see program details (with more to be announced). Also learn how you can participate by creating virtual exhibitor booth videos about your L.A. collections, submitting your homespun sound and audiovisual recordings to Home Movie Day and Basement Tapes Day, and volunteering in the Reference Room. Thanks to this virtual platform, the event will also feature special guests from Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Toronto! So invite your colleagues, family, and friends far and wide— national and international— to celebrate the 15th annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar as well as the 25th Anniversary of L.A. as Subject. Although the environment will be different than past years, the spirit of showcasing L.A. archives “all day, all in one place” will be ever present.

Hope to see you there,

The 2020 Archives Bazaar Planning Committee

SCA Statement in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter

June 12, 2020 9:35 AM | Kelsi Evans

The Society of California Archivists affirms Black Lives Matter and stands in solidarity with the protesters calling for the end of police brutality and violence against the Black community.

We stand in opposition to the historic and present state of violence against Black lives. The murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor are a direct result of the structural racism that infiltrates every corner of our society, including the archival profession.

The Society of California Archivists acknowledges that our profession has supported and continues to support racist systems and practices that uphold systemic inequality and perpetuate white supremacy. The legacy and role of white supremacy in archives has led to a predominately white and male historical record, while Black communities and Black voices are silenced, distorted, or entirely excluded from the historical record. Anti-Blackness has infiltrated our collections, policies, and workforce. It is our responsibility as archivists to dismantle oppressive archival practices and work toward building a more accurate and representative historical record. This moment reminds us as archivists that our work is not only to preserve but to amplify those voices that have been, and continue to be, unheard and silenced. It is this work that we must prioritize at the present moment. Otherwise, we can be sure that the history that is told will be by those voices most carefully crafted to establish and maintain systems of dominance and control.

The SCA Board is stepping forward to acknowledge and work toward amending the inequities caused by systemic racism. We call on ourselves and our white and non-Black membership to think about the antiracist actions we can take both professionally and personally to support the Black Lives Matter movement and to eradicate anti-Blackness in all forms. Personally you can take action by: donating to bail funds; signing petitions advocating for police accountability; locally supporting policies that defund police/law enforcement; donating to organizations that advocate for an end to structural racism; and calling your local/state representatives. Professionally we can: consider the policing nature of the archives and review access/use policies; rewrite collection development policies; commit to ethical collecting practices and prioritize care for protesters if collecting on the protests; revise our descriptions to eliminate racist/biased language, distortion, and the erasure of Black lives; and support community archives by providing resources.

The Board recognizes that in order to make headway in dismantling structural inequity, SCA as an organization needs to change. The SCA Board is committed to taking specific actions to show our support and to dismantle white supremacy, and we will remain accountable to our membership through further communications.

-In Solidarity, The SCA Board

SCA First Friday - October 2

September 24, 2020 11:56 AM | Kelsi Evans

SCA is pleased to continue our monthly virtual meeting series on the First Fridays of each month. Our next meeting is on Friday October 2nd from 12-1pm. This month we're encouraging folks to attend the AMIA panel on organizing with your professional community and continuing the conversation at our First Friday meeting. We'll also continue sharing current efforts and action items for anti-racist description, have time for open Q&A, and discuss future meeting topics.

Please RSVP for the October meeting at this link: https://www.calarchivists.org/event-3995904

If you would like to be part of the steering committee for this monthly meeting project, or if you have any questions, please let us know. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you.

Tell Us How UC It: Thinking Critically through a Living Archive for Student Activism

August 30, 2020 12:22 PM Anonymous member (Administrator)

The Tell Us How UC It: A Living Archive project is a grassroots effort created by a diverse group of four women at the UC San Diego Library as an alternative way to highlight awareness, provide a space for dialogue, preserve and document the events related to student activism at UC San Diego. The project includes a timeline of campus student activism, student creative work and real-time feedback from the community on issues they face, physical exhibits, and an online collection. Some results of the project have been course instruction, participation in trainings for Resident Advisors and Teaching Assistants on interacting with the campus community and within EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) courses, a workshop on organizing for action, collaboration with campus groups, and inclusion in the national initiative Project STAND (STudent Activism Now Documented).

This webinar, presented by Tamara Rhodes (Librarian for Psychology, Cognitive, Science, Human Developmental Sciences, and Linguistics, UC San Diego Library) and Cristela Garcia Spitz (Digital Initiatives Librarian, UC San Diego Library), will share critical strategies and practical approaches for planning and advocating for this kind of project, and a focus on how partnerships are invaluable to this work.

Learn more and register.

SCA Recent Donations

June 29, 2020 8:30 AM | Kelsi Evans

SCA recently made two donations to organizations serving archival professionals. The first, We Here, is a supportive community for BIPOC library and archive workers. Learn more about We Here and ways to support their work at https://www.wehere.space/. The second was SAA's Archival Workers Emergency Fund. Learn more about the fund and ways to support your colleagues at https://www2.archivists.org/groups/saa-foundation-board-of-directors/archival-workers-emergency-fund.

SCA First Friday - September

August 25, 2020 10:18 AM | Kelsi Evans

While we're unable to gather in person, SCA will be hosting "First Friday" lunchtime meetings on the first Friday of each month at 12pm. Our next meeting on Friday, September 4th, from 12 to 1 pm, will focus on updates from SCA's Labor Task Force.

The Labor Task Force is a special committee charged with reviewing labor issues within the archival profession and suggesting ways in which SCA can better advocate for its membership. This session will share out results from the task force’s recent survey on current labor issues in California archives as well as provide a space for open dialogue among attendees. Join us to discuss the work of the task force, and help inform and influence priorities for best practices, advocacy, and board recommendations.

Learn more and register here. 

SCA Newsletter - President's message

July 18, 2020 12:27 PM | SCA Publications Committee

My deepest hope is that this letter finds you all healthy and safe. Our worlds, both personal and professional, have been and continue to be radically altered in ways we could never have imagined; many of us are still adjusting to new realities, losses and difficult transitions. But in the midst of the health crisis of COVID-19, I am inspired to see that we continue, as archivists, to bear witness to and record the inequities and trauma in our communities by soliciting stories from workers, students, and the public at large, thereby amplifying their present experiences. Every week, the number of these projects expands; within the CSU system alone, eight different projects have been launched as of May 31, and many other institutions have launched projects as well. Your fast work and thoughtful approaches will document this moment as few other global events in history have been documented in real time.

A more specific professional loss felt by us all was the cancellation of the Western Archivists Meeting. Sadly, as news of the devastation caused by COVID-19 began to spread and San Francisco took the prescient step of ordering a shelter-in-place before much of the nation, the leadership of the four regional organizations and the Local Arrangements Committee recognized that the meeting would not be able to go forward as planned. I want to acknowledge the incredibly hard work that the Program Committee, the Local Arrangements Committee, and the leadership of the western regional organizations put into both the planning for, and the dissolution of, the Western Archivists Meeting. The thoughtfulness of the Program Committee, the creative and engaging proposals submitted by the members of all of the organizations involved, and the heavy lifting of planning for such an event by our Local Arrangements Committee showed what a fully engaged and committed membership looks like.The great accomplishments we achieved are no less valuable because of the meeting’s cancellation.

We are now, of course, in a new era, struggling to maintain our professional work while wrestling with the inequities in our institutions and in our personal lives that have been further exposed by the pandemic. Having worked for many years in archives, I have seen firsthand the struggles to keep our institutions functioning during times of scarcity, and the devastating impact that downturns can have when that struggle results in layoffs, furloughs and cuts to already-low salaries. Having been in positions of precarity throughout most of my career, including in my present position, I’m acutely aware of the anxiety and fear that comes from holding a job that is tied to funding that could disappear in the coming months. I am grateful that in this moment, we are reaching out to one another, supporting one another, and fighting for our colleagues in the ways that we are able. I’d like to highlight in particular the list shared recently by the Los Angeles Archivists Collective (LAAC) COVID-19 Community Resources for Archivists. Please refer to it, add to it, and share it broadly, as it is a perfect example of how our community harnesses collective energy to share information and show empathy towards one another. I’m proud too of the work my fellow archivists are doing to highlight those inequities that persist within our cultural heritage institutions, government agencies, and universities. We must continue to press on these issues, even as raising our voices may not feel safe.

To that end, it will be timely to hear from our own Task Force on Labor Issues, led in the coming year by Courtney Dean and George Thompson, and to increase advocacy on behalf of our members, in solidarity with our allies in national and regional organizations. To support your continued professional development needs, SCA’s Education Committee—chaired by Adrienne Storey (Northern California), Mallory Furnier (Southern California) and Christine Kim (Online)—is working hard to transition our workshops to a virtual environment. You can look forward as well to our earlier webinars being published online in the coming months.

Before signing off, I want to extend my deepest thanks to outgoing Past President Teresa Mora, whose contributions to SCA cannot be overstated; to Liz Phillips, our outgoing Treasurer, whose thoughtful guidance and fiscal responsibility ensures that SCA’s financial standing remains solid, despite the recent downturn; and for the commitment and dedication of Dee Dee Kramer as our outgoing Member At Large. I also would like to thank our outgoing committee members, as it is their heavy lifting that keeps SCA moving forward, as we enter our 50th year: Jennifer Martinez Wormser (Awards), Kate Dundon (Development), and Genevieve Preston (Government Affairs).

Finally, recognizing that many of you are struggling due to job loss and family needs, the Executive Board voted to contribute funds to the SAA Foundation’s Archival Workers Emergency Fund. If you can afford to, please contribute; if you are in need, please apply.

Wishing you all continued good health, safety, and security,

Tanya Hollis

SCA President

For other recent SCA news, see the Summer 2020 SCA Newsletter.

SCA Virtual Monthly Meeting - August 14th

July 24, 2020 1:57 PM | Kelsi Evans

SCA is pleased to continue our monthly virtual meeting series for members (and anyone interested in joining us!) to discuss various topics of interest in an informal, online environment. On Friday August 14th from 12-1:30pm, we will meet to discuss the Archives for Black Lives in Philadelphia Anti-Racist Description Resources, and make action items from these resources for our own work. We will reconvene in a few months to report our progress on these action items. We will also spend the last half-hour discussing labor issues of interest to the group, so that we can plan for further monthly discussions around labor.

Please RSVP for the August meeting at this link:

https://www.calarchivists.org/event-3921100

If you would like to be part of the steering committee for this monthly meeting project, or if you have any questions, please let us know.

2021 SCA Annual General Meeting

July 10, 2020 11:31 AM | SCA Publications Committee

It is with great sadness that we announce that the SCA Board has decided to move the 2021 Annual General Meeting to an online-only environment. A number of factors have led us to this decision, most importantly the health and well-being of our members. Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the recent surge in cases across our state, and the expected wave of even more cases in the fall/winter we feel an in-person meeting would put our membership at undue risk. Recent news of California State University’s (CSU) extension on staff travel restrictions through June 30, 2021, which is likely to be adopted by the State and UC system as well, also factored into our decision as the majority of our members are employed by those systems and would be unable to attend an in-person meeting. By making this decision now, we can allow our Program and Local Arrangements Committees ample time to plan for the transition to a virtual meeting. We hope that we will once again be able to meet with each other in person again in 2022, in Palm Springs.

For other recent SCA news, see the Summer 2020 SCA Newsletter.

SCA Monthly Meeting Kick-Off

July 08, 2020 2:22 PM | Kelsi Evans

During these months when we are unable to gather in person for the annual meeting and for member-initiated events, SCA is initiating a monthly virtual meeting for members (and anyone interested in joining us!) to discuss various topics of interest in an informal, online environment. We are envisioning these lunchtime meetings to be an informal space to read and discuss recent articles and guidelines, make action items, share achievements, advocate for our labor, and more. Each meeting will center around a general theme, and details will be shared in advance on the west_arch listserv.

Join us for our kick-off meeting on July 10th at 12pm, where we will talk about the direction of these meetings, the planning structure, and topics we may discuss. For our first official meeting in August, we are planning to discuss the Archives for Black Lives in Philadelphia Anti-Racist Description Resources, create action items from these resources for our own archives, and share our progress on these action items during the next monthly meeting in September.

Please RSVP for this meeting on this page. 

Election Results

May 11, 2020 10:36 AM Anonymous member (Administrator)

The 2020 SCA Election results are in! We’d like to thank everyone who ran for office and accepted the call to serve. As a completely volunteer-run organization we count on the participation and engagement of our members. And the winners are...as Vice President/President Elect we welcome Leilani Marshall, as Treasurer we welcome Lara Michels, as At-Large Board Member we welcome Sue Luftschein, and to the Nominating Committee we welcome Elena Colón-Marrero. Congratulations to all and welcome to the SCA Board. We’d also like to take the opportunity to acknowledge our fellow members that will be rotating off the Board: Teresa Mora (Immediate Past President), Liz Phillips (Treasurer), and Dee Dee Kramer (At-Large Board Member). Thank you all for your contributions to the organization during your terms.

Updates from the SCA Board

April 24, 2020 2:39 PM | SCA President

The 2020 Western Archivists Meeting (WAM) in San Francisco would be well underway today. Unfortunately, as you are all aware the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of WAM and instead of gathering in the City by the Bay many of us are home adjusting to the new norms of remote work and social distancing. Nothing can replace hearing about the great work of our colleagues, catching up with old friends, and talking shop with fellow archivists in-person, but there are some exciting updates on the SCA front that we’d like to share.

First and foremost, all WAM refunds have been issued so those of you that registered should have a little more money back in your accounts now. Many thanks to Kate Tasker and Liz Phillips for all of their hard work on this! The Program committee had put together a stellar program for WAM and while we missed out on it this year, there will be an opportunity to see some of that programming at the 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM). WAM presenters are being encouraged to re-submit proposals for next year’s AGM where a select number of spots will be reserved for these sessions. And speaking of the AGM, we’ve selected the venue and are happy to announce that we’ll be returning to Palm Springs in 2021, after a seven year hiatus, to celebrate SCA’s 50th Anniversary! 

Now onto the 2020 SCA Election results! Before we announce the winners we’d like to thank everyone who ran for office and accepted the call to serve. As a completely volunteer-run organization we count on the participation and engagement of our members. And the winners are...as Vice President/President Elect we welcome Leilani Marshall, as Treasurer we welcome Lara Michels, as At-Large Board Member we welcome Sue Luftschein, and to the Nominating Committee we welcome Elena Colón-Marrero. Congratulations to all and welcome to the SCA Board. We’d also like to take the opportunity to acknowledge our fellow members that will be rotating off the Board: Teresa Mora (Immediate Past President), Liz Phillips (Treasurer), and Dee Dee Kramer (At-Large Board Member). Thank you all for your contributions to the organization during your terms.   

And lastly, we’d like to announce that the 2020 Membership Meeting will be held virtually on June 3, 2020 from 2-4p. The full agenda and login information will be released closer to the meeting date but highlights include a review of board activities, financial overview, and committee updates. We look forward to seeing you all there (virtually!) so please mark your calendars.

We hope that everyone is staying health and safe out there,

Your SCA Board

If you have the capacity please consider donating to the Archival Workers Emergency Fund (AWEF) to help support your fellow archival workers experiencing financial hardship during the COVID-19 crisis: https://www2.archivists.org/news/2020/archival-workers-emergency-fund-launched-by-saa-foundation

SCA Newsletter - President's message

April 06, 2020 2:34 PM | SCA Publications Committee

At the end of February, I submitted my President’s Message for the Spring newsletter where I spent most of my time detailing the upcoming 2020 Western Archivists Meeting (WAM) that was scheduled to be held in San Francisco from April 22nd – 25th. Much has changed in the world since I wrote that letter due to the COVID-19 pandemic including the official cancellation of WAM 2020 on March 16th. This was a difficult, but necessary decision given the impact of this outbreak worldwide and within the state of California. The health and safety of our members always remained at the forefront of our decision making and behind the scenes work to either cancel or postpone the conference began well before this official announcement. As you can imagine, it takes time to work through a scenario like this when there are four organizations involved and a hotel contract in place to contend with. At no point were any of the organization’s leaders willing to put their memberships at risk, though, even in the face of catastrophic financial losses that would have jeopardized the existence of all four organizations. For this I would like to commend my fellow members of the SCA Board along with the leadership of the Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists (CIMA), Northwest Archivists (NWA), and Society of Rocky Mountain Archivists (SRMA) on their thoughtful and informed approach to a situation that none of us anticipated or were prepared to deal with. 

At this point, I don’t have any information on when the western regional archival associations will come together for another joint meeting. Information on this will be communicated when it is available. Additionally, per the SCA bylaws there is to be a Members Meeting held annually which was scheduled for during WAM. The SCA Board is currently looking into available technologies to host this meeting online later in the year, so stay tuned for more information on that in the coming months.

My time as SCA President is nearing its end and this will be my last President’s Message. I would just like to say that I am proud of the work completed this year, specifically with regards to the ethics and inclusion policies/procedures established for our organization, the streamlining of some committees, and the attention we’ve started to direct toward labor issues within the profession. The foundation we’ve set this year will help carry this work forward in the years ahead. These are uncertain times and we are headed into an uncertain future, but I am confident that some things will remain unchanged. One of those being, that SCA will continue to serve as an outlet for archivists throughout California to come together in support of one another, our communities, and our profession. Stay healthy and stay safe out there everyone!

Eric Milenkiewicz, SCA President

Read more from the Spring 2020 SCA Newsletter

Last Chance to Vote in 2020 SCA Officers Election!

April 03, 2020 4:21 PM | Kelsi Evans

This is the last call to vote in the Society of California Archivists Officers Election 2020. The voting deadline is just four days away (April 6, 2020 at 11:45pm Pacific Time). The response has been great, but we still need your votes! Ballots were sent via email from invitations@mail.electionbuddy.com and candidate statements are still available through your personalized voting link and on the SCA website. Please take a moment to review the ballot and vote today! If you have election questions or feedback, please email Marlayna Christensen at mkchristensen@ucsd.edu.

Sincerely,

SCA Election Committee: Marlayna Christensen, Alex Post, Peter Runge

SCA Spring Newsletter 2020

April 03, 2020 9:48 AM | Kelsi Evans

We are excited to announce the publication of the Spring 2020 SCA Newsletter! It is now online at http://www.calarchivists.org/Publications/SCANewsletter. Thank you to all those who submitted articles and news items for this issue. Another issue will be coming out this winter, so please consider submitting an article or some news about your work. A call for submissions will go out shortly.

WAM Cancelled

March 16, 2020 3:44 PM | SCA Past President

The 2020 Western Archivists Meeting (WAM) scheduled for April 22nd - 25th in San Francisco has been cancelled. Full refunds will be issued to all registrants within the next 2-3 weeks. At this time there are no plans for holding WAM later this year or transitioning the program into a virtual environment. A more complete statement on the cancellation will be circulated in the days ahead by the host organizations. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate our way through this.

Joint Statement on WAM

March 13, 2020 8:50 AM | SCA Past President

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, leadership from the Society of California Archivists (SCA), Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists (CIMA), Northwest Archivists (NWA), and Society of Rocky Mountain Archivists (SRMA) met earlier this week to discuss the status of the upcoming 2020 Western Archivists Meeting (WAM) being held in San Francisco from April 22nd - 25th. At this point in time, WAM has not been cancelled. However, legal counsel is reviewing our hotel contract to determine if either cancellation or postponement are viable options. An update on this will be circulated by March 20th. The health and safety of our members is of the utmost importance, and we are following recommendations from scientific and health agencies to ensure the necessary precautions are in place for WAM. We have coordinated with the hotel on the need for enhanced food handling/service to reduce the risk of contamination and also on the availability of hand sanitizer stations/disinfectant wipes at the venue for attendees. WAM will also be a handshake/hug free conference where smiles, nods, and waves will be encouraged. Lastly, we are exploring the feasibility of providing options for remote presentations in the event a presenter is unable to attend the conference. Live streaming and recordings of the conference will not be made available, though, as the cost to do so is prohibitive. Given that WAM is still more than five weeks away, our WAM registration refund/cancellation policy remains in effect. Full refunds for cancellations are available until April 1st, with 50% refunds offered through April 14th. Unfortunately, given our contractual obligations with the hotel we are unable to offer full refunds for cancellations made on or after April 15th. In the event the conference is cancelled, full refunds will be issued to all registrants. The COVID-19 outbreak is a constantly changing and evolving public health situation that we’ll continue to closely monitor, including recommendations from government health agencies and recommendations/policies from western region agencies, colleges and universities. We appreciate your patience and understanding during these uncertain times, and we’ll be sure to provide status updates on WAM as new information becomes available. Please feel free to reach out to the Local Arrangements Committee, localarrangements@calarchivists.org, with any questions and/or concerns that you may have.

Sincerely,

Eric Milenkiewicz (SCA President)

Erika Castaño (CIMA President)

Max Johnson (NWA President)

Heather Bowden (SRMA President)

Welcome to the 2020 SCA Election!

March 04, 2020 11:46 AM Anonymous member (Administrator)

The election is now open until the end of day, Monday, April 6th. Ballots were sent via email from “invitations@mail.electionbuddy.com.” If you have not received your ballot, please check your SPAM folder or contact the Election Committee chair, Marlayna Christensen (mkchristensen@ucsd.edu). One correction to the ballot: the position of Treasurer is inaccurately listed as Secretary/Treasurer. The position up for election this year is Treasurer. Candidate statements are available through your personalized link and on the SCA website. This year the committee is striving for a 50% voter response, which can be tracked on the SCA home page. Please help us with this goal and submit your vote today for the Society of California Archivists Officers Election 2020.

Thank you,

SCA Election Committee,

Marlayna Christensen, Alex Post, Peter John Runge

Newly Announced Scholarship to Attend WAM!

February 18, 2020 10:23 AM | SCA Past President

In an effort to make attendance at the upcoming Western Archivists Meeting more attainable to members, the Board of the Society of California Archivists has voted to allocate funding to support a one-time Western Archivist Meeting Scholarship. The scholarship is meant to support the attendance of an SCA member who would otherwise be unable to attend or who would face undue financial hardship as a result of doing so. The scholarship will cover registration fees, attendance at the luncheon, lodging at the conference hotel for up to three nights and reimbursement of up to $500 for meals and travel to San Francisco for one recipient. For more information and instructions on how to apply, please see the Awards Committee webpage.

Call for Collections - The Community Archiving Workshop: AV Collections Care and Management

February 21, 2020 2:19 PM | Kelsi Evans

In partnership with the Community Archiving Workshop and California Revealed, the Society of California Archivists (SCA) is seeking a partner (or partners) with unprocessed collections of audiovisual materials (film, video, audio recordings) to participate in the Western Archivists Meeting pre-conference Community Archiving Workshop on April 22, 2020. Workshop participants will work in teams under the guidance of audiovisual professionals to inspect, label and inventory each asset- resulting in a detailed inventory. This is a great way to kickstart processing and preservation planning for your collection.

For more information on this session, please visit https://sched.co/ZUTU.

Partners will have the opportunity to:

Gain intellectual and physical control over their audiovisual collection

Learn to identify formats and risk factors

Develop preservation recommendations for their audiovisual collection

Partner requirements:

Able to transport collection (maximum 200 items) to the workshop at The InterContinental San Francisco

Available for pre-workshop planning meetings (by phone)

Ideal collection would include various formats (mix of film, video, audio)

If selected, your collection will receive professional preservation work during the workshop in exchange for being loaned for the day, and SCA will cover registration fees for the partnering organization.

If your organization has a collection that you think would be a good fit, please fill out this survey by Friday, March 13th and we will get back to you!

For more information about the Community Archiving workshop and online registration: The Community Archiving Workshop: Audiovisual Collections Care and Management

SCA Newsletter - Join Us for the Western Archivists Meeting 2020 in San Francisco!

March 02, 2020 3:48 PM SCA Publications Committee (Administrator)

The Program Committee and Local Arrangements Committee (LAC) would like to warmly invite you to the upcoming Western Archivists Meeting (WAM) being held in San Francisco, California at the InterContinental San Francisco from April 22-25, 2020. WAM, last hosted in Denver, Colorado in 2015, is a special opportunity for archivists from the Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists (CIMA), Northwest Archivists (NWA), Society of California Archivists (SCA), and Society of Rocky Mountain Archivists (SRMA) to participate in a joint conference.

The conference hotel is situated in the heart of downtown San Francisco, making it an ideal landscape for exploring all the city has to offer, and offers a modern, beautifully renovated (and LEED-certified) backdrop for the largest meeting of archivists in the west.

The Program Committee, which is comprised of leadership from all four of the regional organizations, solicited session proposals that addressed the conference theme of Labor, Power, and Privilege. We were gratified to receive a large number of thoughtful session proposals from members of all of the regional organizations. Because of the overwhelming number of proposals, we exp