The 30th annual Western Archives Institute will be held at Santa Clara University from July 10–22, 2016. The Western Archives Institute is an intensive, two-week program that provides integrated instruction in basic archival practices to individuals with a variety of backgrounds, including those whose jobs require a fundamental understanding of archival skills, but who have little or no previous archives education; those who have expanding responsibility for archival materials; those who are practicing archivists but have not received formal instruction; and those who demonstrate a commitment to an archival career. The Institute also features site visits to historical records repositories and a diverse curriculum that includes history and development of the profession, theory and terminology, (continued p. 8) Volume 43, Issue 1 | Winter 2016 CIMA NEWSLETTER Inside This Issue: President’s Corner 2 CIMA Business 3 Regional News 6 Fall Caucus Report 9 Poster Sessions 10 2016 Western Archives Institute Ellen Jarosz, Administrator WAI CIMA Wants You to Join us at the Annual Conference! Karla Irwin, Scholarship Committee Chair This year the Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists (CIMA) Council is offering two $500 travel assistance scholarships to assist CIMA members who want to attend the 2016 Annual Conference on May 11-14 in Ogden, Utah. These scholarships are intended to encourage member participation by offsetting the expenses associated with travel, hotel, and per diem for those whose employers do not provide adequate travel support. Student and paraprofessional members are particularly encouraged to apply. Winning applicants must submit a 250-word synopsis to the CIMA newsletter describing their experience attending the conference. Members interested in applying for a CIMA travel assistance scholarship should draft a statement that provides the following information: Name, Institution, Position Title, and a 250-word “Statement of Need” explaining (A) the reasons why you would like to attend the conference, and (B) the lack of funding and travel support from your institution that makes attendance difficult. All applicants must be dues-paying CIMA members in good standing. Questions concerning current membership status can be directed to James Kichas . Scholarship applications should be submitted to Karla Irwin by Tuesday, March 15th for full consideration by the scholarship committee. Please use the following subject line in your email: “CIMA Travel Scholarship”. Successful applicants will be notified by Friday, April 1st. Any additional questions should be directed to Karla Irwin . Dedication of the Golden Spike monument at Ogden’s Union Station, May 1951. (Courtesy of the WSU Stewart Library Special Collections.)
Transcript
The 30th annual Western Archives Institute will be held at Santa Clara University from July 10–22, 2016. The Western Archives Institute is an intensive, two-week program that provides integrated instruction in basic archival practices to individuals with a variety of backgrounds, including those whose jobs require a fundamental understanding of archival skills, but who have little or no previous archives education; those who have expanding responsibility for archival materials; those who
are practicing archivists but have not received formal instruction; and those who demonstrate a commitment to an archival career. The Institute also features site visits to historical records repositories and a diverse curriculum that includes history and development of the profession, theory and terminology, (continued p. 8)
Volume 43, Issue 1 | Winter 2016
CIMA NEWSLETTER
Inside This Issue:
President’s Corner 2
CIMA Business 3
Regional News 6
Fall Caucus Report 9
Poster Sessions 10
2016 Western Archives Institute Ellen Jarosz, Administrator WAI
CIMA Wants You to Join us at the Annual Conference! Karla Irwin, Scholarship Committee Chair
This year the Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists (CIMA) C o u n c i l i s offering two $500 travel assistance scholarships to assist CIMA members who want to attend the 2016 Annual Conference on May 11-14 in Ogden, Utah.
These scholarships are intended to encourage member participation by offsetting the expenses associated with travel, hotel, and per diem for those whose employers do not provide adequate travel support. Student and paraprofessional members are particularly encouraged to apply.
Winning applicants must submit a 250-word synopsis to
the CIMA newsletter describing their experience attending the conference. Members interested in applying for a CIMA travel assistance scholarship should draft a statement that provides the following information:
Name, Institution, Position Title, and a 250-word “Statement of Need” explaining (A) the reasons why you would like to attend the conference, and (B) the lack of funding and travel support from your institution that makes attendance difficult.
All applicants must be dues-paying CIMA members in good standing. Questions concerning current membership status can be directed to James Kichas. Scholarship applications should be submitted to Karla Irwin by Tuesday, March 15th for full consideration by the scholarship committee. Please use the following subject line in your email: “CIMA Travel Scholarship”. Successful applicants will be notified by Friday, April 1st.
Any additional questions should be directed to Karla Irwin.
Dedication of the Golden Spike monument at Ogden’s Union Station, May 1951. (Courtesy of the WSU Stewart Library Special Collections.)
On behalf of the entire CIMA Council, I would like to wish each member a very Happy New Year!
The Local Arrangements and Program Committees are busy in preparations for our CIMA Spring Meeting in Ogden, Utah on May 11-14th. We hope to offer attendees two professional workshops, a keynote speaker, 9 to 12 individual sessions, poster presentations, cultural tours, and a dinner banquet that will include an acknowledgement of this year’s annual service and lifetime achievement award winners. We believe that the conference location and program will offer something for all attendees. I particularly encourage those members that are new to the profession, or who haven’t presented in a number of
years to submit their session or poster ideas to the Program Committee. On that note, the Program, Awards, Nominations, and Scholarship committees are still interested in receiving session proposals, nominations, and applications. CIMA offers each member an opportunity to participate and get involved and this is your chance! (Please read the committees’ reports available within this issue of the newsletter.)
I also wanted to thank Amber D’Ambrosio (Dixie State University), Paula Mitchell (Southern Utah University), and Randy Silverman (University of Utah) for their hard work in preparing for and hosting the Fall Caucus last October in St. George. We had archivists from Nevada and Utah attend both the WESTPAS workshop (in Cedar City) and the Fall Caucus Program—which focused on disaster response and recovery at cultural institutions. The caucus forum was so successful that a group has decided to reprise their presentations with a session at this spring’s annual meeting.
Lastly, I would like to applaud the dedication and hard work on members on the CIMA Council—particularly the countless hours spent by James Kichas and Melissa Johnson in the service of our organization. Jim’s commitment and devotion to this association and its finances are unsurpassed in my 25 years as a professional archivist and we all owe him a debt of gratitude. By the same token, I have found that the hardest and most stressful position in any professional organization is newsletter editor. Melissa’s ability to summon the energy and time to solicit and edit our submissions, as well as organize, composite and publish three to four issues a year deserve our recognition and heartfelt appreciation.
2016 CIMA Awards: Call for Nominations Reminder Michael Frazier, Awards Committee Chair
The Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists (CIMA) is currently accepting nominations for the 2016 CIMA Awards. The prestigious CIMA Life-Time Achievement Award and the CIMA Service Award will be presented during a ceremony at the CIMA Annual Conference in Ogden, Utah in May 2016.
Presented by the peers and colleagues of the recipients, these awards acknowledge and demonstrate appreciation for a life of service and leadership in the archival profession OR for significant life-long support of the archival community and its institutions. Nominees must have demonstrated strong leadership and advanced scholarship, on both regional and national levels. Award recipients do NOT have to be CIMA members.
To nominate someone for either award: please send an e-mail to: [email protected], with the subject “CIMA Awards Committee.” Include their name, along with a letter explaining why you think the person should be recognized by their peers. To help us with the vetting process, please be as specific and as illustrative as possible. Include any supporting documentation such as: a CV or résumé of the nominee, any photographs, a list of references that we can speak to, or links to a published biography online.
The deadline for submitting award nominations is February 1, 2016.
Or mail your nomination to:
Michael Frazier, CIMA Awards Committee Chair Special Collections, UNLV Libraries 4505 Maryland Parkway @ Box 457010 Las Vegas, NV 89154-7010
2016 CIMA Council Nominations Daniel Davis, Nominating Committee
We are currently looking for members to serve on CIMA Council! The council provides an excellent opportunity to become more involved with CIMA and to build professional relationships with your CIMA colleagues.
In addition to the three Council positions that need to be filled, we are also looking for someone to serve as Vice-President one year and then President-Elect for the following year. We also need a new treasurer. The CIMA Treasurer position offers an excellent opportunity to gain financial and budgeting experience (Note: because our bank is in Salt Lake City, this person will need to reside in the Salt Lake City area.)
A listing of current officers can be viewed on the CIMA Website.
CIMA Council is a great way to become involved in the regional area and stretch your archival influence outside of your institution. The procedures manual on the CIMA website provides information on what is required from each office.
Please submit your names for nominations to Daniel Davis by Monday, February 1st, 2016.
Please let me know if you have any questions about serving on Council.
Budget Highlights of 2015 James Kichas, CIMA Treasurer
CIMA earned the following on membership dues in 2015: Annual Dues: $1,246 Institutional Dues: $198 Paraprofessional Dues: $58 Student Dues: $101 Retiree/Emeritus Dues: $29
CIMA awarded $5600 in scholarships for eight members to attend the Western Roundup Conference in Denver, CO.
CIMA broke even on costs and registration dividends for the 2015 Western Roundup Conference.
CIMA’s incorporation status with the Utah Division of Incorporations was successfully renewed for another year in October 2015.
CIMA Business
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2016 CIMA Annual Conference: Call for Session Proposals Todd Welch, Program Committee Chair
Do you have an interesting project or topic that you would like to share with your professional colleagues? The CIMA Program Committee is currently accepting session proposals for this year’s annual conference to be held in Ogden, Utah on May 11-14th. Session proposals can be on any aspect of archival practice and research, including proposals that pertain to:
Collection Development, Collaboration and/or Cooperation: Highlights projects between donors, researchers, archival institutions, or other allied professions.
Reference, instruction, and outreach activities: Products and projects that illustrate the creative use of new and emerging technologies and services.
Assessment: Share metric-gathering and evaluation tools and applications that demonstrate increases in research use or primary source literacy, as well as gauging improvements with other archival activities.
Fundraising and resource allocation: Traditional and non-traditional partnerships, grant writing, marketing, and sponsorship.
Innovation: Introducing efficiencies, process improvements, and groundbreaking use of tools and technologies.
Digital Preservation and Archiving: Workflows for acquiring, ingesting, describing, preserving, processing, and making digital materials accessible. This can include inreach and outreach activities.
Archives management. Strategic planning, project management, and program management.
Archival education and mentoring. Creating opportunities that support the next generation of archival professionals.
If you have an idea for a session that isn’t on the list? The Program Committee would like to hear from you! We welcome any session proposals that you think might encourage dialogue and improved understanding among your professional colleagues. The annual conference is an opportunity for attendees to learn and grow, and the Program Committee especially encourages students and new professionals to share
their experiences and perspectives with the CIMA community.
Session proposals should include one of the following formats:
Traditional. An open session with 2-3 presentations of about 15 minutes each with time reserved for comment and discussion after the presentations.
Panel Discussion. An open session with a panel of 3-4 individuals informally discussing a variety of theories or perspectives on a specific topic.
Poster. Professionals and students are encouraged to submit their poster ideas to the Program Committee.
DEADLINE for submission is Friday, February 12, 2016. Please use the online submission form to submit your proposal. If you would like to discuss your session idea further, please send inquiries and comments to Todd Welch , Program Committee chair.
2016 CIMA Annual Conference Sarah Singh, Local Arrangements Chair
The 2016 conference is scheduled for May 11-14, 2016, at the Courtyard Marriott in Ogden, Utah. A block of rooms is available for CIMA members and the group rate is $109 a night. Rooms can be booked online, but they must be booked by April 10th for the group rate to apply.
On Wednesday we plan to have two pre-conference workshops. The general session will begin Thursday morning, and we have three breakout rooms scheduled for Thursday and Friday. There is also a room for exhibits/displays. A continental breakfast will be available on Thursday and Friday, but lunch will be “on your own” as there are several great dining options nearby.
I am still looking for a place to have the reception/a w a r d s ceremony, but we do have a room available for the CIMA C o u n c i l meeting on Saturday. More information about the conference will be available soon, but in the meantime save the date on your calendars. We hope to see you there!
Idaho State University’s Oboler Library Receives NEH Preservation Assistance Grant Ellen Ryan, Idaho State University
Special Collections and Archives in the Eli M. Oboler Library at Idaho State University has recently been awarded a Preservation Assistance Grant for Smaller Institutions from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
“With these grants, the National Endowment for the Humanities continues its 50-year tradition of supporting excellence in the humanities,” said NEH Chair William D. Adams. “From scholarly books and humanities programs on college campuses to new digital humanities resources and preservation efforts at local museums, the projects receiving funding today will reach deeply into communities and expand access to our shared cultural heritage.”
The NEH granted $21.8 million in awards and offers for 295 humanities projects. Oboler Library is one of three institutions in the state of Idaho to receive funds during this grant cycle.
The grant awarded ISU’s Special Collections department will be used to retain a professional preservation consultant to assess policies, practices and conditions affecting the long-term preservation of the library’s rare and unique collections.
The consultant will provide detailed information on the specific needs of the collection in three main areas: short-term recommendations focusing on prioritizing immediate remedial preservation improvements; long-term recommendations to inform future planning for storage to accommodate collection growth, and to support improvements to storage and environmental conditions, fire protection, and disaster preparedness; and recommendations on ways to integrate the preservation needs of the collection into the overall strategic planning for special collections to effectively begin a regimen of preventive care.
Ellen M. Ryan, head of special collections and archives will serve as principal investigator, and Kristi Austin, reference librarian will serve as co-pi on the project.
Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available online.
News from Nevada Cynthia Laframboise, Nevada State Library, Archives, and Public Records
2015 marked the 50th anniversary of the Nevada State Archives and we celebrated it in a big way. Our theme was “50 Years of Preserving Your History.” The Archives Month poster featured photographs of our first building and our current home, the Nevada State Library and Archives building. The background was the Nevada blue background and looked great, thanks to our in-house artist/archivist Liz Moore. Even Jeff Kintop liked it! Just kidding Jeff.
Archives staff designed a very clever and fun exhibit which featured a replica of the desk that the first State Archivist Frederick Gale used and was based upon a photograph in the state archives of Mr. Gale sitting at his desk. Staff was able to recreate it in the typical 1960s style complete with the steel desk and chair, rotary phone, an old calendar, pencil sharpener, and filing cabinet. The scary part is that most of the items used in the display were found in the state archives. We added the personal touch of having archives staff contribute a photograph of themselves from 1965. I loved the idea (not mine) of having the desk as the highlight. It was creative and different.
I was fascinated by the 3-dimensial objects held in the state archives and wanted to know the background for some of these items so we included a case filled with those odds and ends. This case was called “Oddities in the Archives” and featured just that. One item in particular that caught my eye was a rock with writing on it. Turns out this rock was an exhibit in a district court case which then proceeded to the Nevada Supreme Court. Apparently the defendant in the case was not interested in claiming the rock after the case was decided. The case itself was a rather dull procedural one and the file and the rock came to the state archives from the Nevada Supreme Court.
Another item was a holster which was also an exhibit in a different district court case. After some research, this too was a case that went before the Nevada Supreme Court and was a more interesting case. When the governor leaves office, he is allowed to take gifts given to him while he was governor. After he selects his gifts, his staff chooses what they want and the remainder comes to the state archives along with his records. We have some very nice items from a Taiwan delegation
including a l o v e l y l a c q u e r c o v e r e d bowl.
S i n c e October 25, 1965, was the day the archives was first open to the public, we chose Monday October 26 as the day for our reception. We sent out postcards inviting the Governor, Cabinet officials, various agency directors, media, universities and the general public. Liz Moore designed the postcard based upon a hand painted flag in the state archives holdings which flew over Fort Ruby in 1864—another really nice touch. Governor Sandoval signed a proclamation that October 26 was Nevada State Archives Day. Unfortunately, the governor was in China for a trade mission and was unable to attend the ceremonies.
Our first event of the day was a presentation in the front lobby by Jeff Kintop highlighting the history of the state archives. One of our guests was Yolanda Garcia who is the Regional Representative for Senator Harry Reid. She spoke and presented a letter to Jeff from the Senator congratulating the state archives. This was an unexpected and much appreciated surprise. After the speeches, everyone headed upstairs to the state archives and enjoyed the food and drink. Daphne De Leon cut the anniversary cakes.
The reception area for the State Library, Archives and Public Records was the perfect location and now has a small statute of Sarah Winnemuca designed by the artist who created the statute in the Nevada State Capitol and in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall in D.C. This area is very accommodating and posters from previous Archives Month posters lined the walls. After everyone was satisfied with goodies, our own Chris Driggs did his usual wonderful tour of the state archives. Those awaiting their turn were able to peruse the exhibit more carefully. After the tours were finished, Jeff Kintop did his annual history of the state
(continued)
News From the Region
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News from Nevada (continued) Cynthia Laframboise, Nevada State Library, Archives, and Public Records
Constitution with the original Constitution on display; it rarely comes out of the vault. Mark Twain was the special guest. Since Nevada Day is October 31 it was appropriate to celebrate Archives Month, the 50th Anniversary and Nevada Day.
Everyone involved did a phenomenal job and our guests enjoyed themselves. We estimate that 100 people were in attendance throughout the day. The exhibit will remain until March and archives staff is mulling over the new exhibit. The state archives recently purchased two new beautiful display cases that we will be able to incorporate into our next exhibit. Stay tuned for more details.
Now that the excitement and hoopla is over, the state archives are concentrating on a new project to determine the extent, location, and condition of microfilm security copies across the state. This project is the second part of the current SHRAB grant and we will conduct a survey of microfilm held by state agencies, local government, libraries, and archives. In
some cases, master copies might be used in place of use copies and there have been instances where the acetate microfilm may need to be replaced with polyester microfilm. Some counties still have their paper records along with the microfilm but in others counties, the hard copy was destroyed after microfilming. If the microfilm has been comprised, those records might be a high priority.
In 1982 we started to use polyester based microfilm which is more stable than acetate microfilm. It is possible that we would reproduce a “new” original of the master copies if the microfilm if necessary. The survey will provide the basis for a statewide preservation plan for microfilm. Survey Monkey will be our mechanism to broadcast the survey to local, municipal, state government, universities, archives, museums, historical societies and libraries throughout the state.
Whew! I was long-winded for this edition.
2016 Western Archives Institute (continued) Ellen Jarosz, Administrator WAI
records management, appraisal, arrangement, description, manuscripts acquisition, archives and the law, photographs, preservation administration, reference and access, outreach programs, and managing archival programs and institutions.
Thomas Wilsted has agreed to serve as the 2016 Principal Faculty Member. During his career, he has worked at the Illinois State Historical Library, the National Library of New Zealand, The Salvation Army Archives and Research Center, the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming, and the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center at the University of Connecticut. He is currently the principal at Wilsted Consulting. He is the author of Managing Archival and Manuscript Repositories (SAA, 1991), Planning New and Remodeled Archival Facilities (SAA, 2007) and co-editor of Archival and Special Collections Facilities: Guidelines for Archivists, Librarians, Architects, and Engineers (SAA, 2010).
Wilsted taught archives administration at the University of Wyoming and the University of Connecticut, as well as numerous workshops for the Society of American Archivists. Most recently, he developed and taught workshops and webinars on fundraising and archival management for the California State Historical Records Advisory Board. Mr. Wilsted is a member of the Academy of Certified Archivists and a Fellow of the Society of American Archivists.
Tuition for the Institute is $700 and includes a selection of archival publications. Other non-negotiable fees including program transportation, facility fees, opening dinner, and luncheon at the closing program will be available in early February. Housing and meal plans are available at additional cost.
The application deadline for the 2016 Western Archives Institute is Friday, March 4, 2016. For additional program information, visit us online or contact Ellen Jarosz.
On October 16, 2015, archivists from Nevada and Utah combined forces to participate in their first joint Fall Caucus at Dixie State University in St. George, UT. This year’s caucus was held in conjunction with the October 15th WESTPAS Disaster Preparedness Workshop presented by University of Utah’s Randy Silverman at Southern Utah University in Cedar City, UT.
The theme of this caucus was disaster preparedness a n d e m e r g e n c y r e c o v e r y , since many of the members attended the W E S T P A S workshop on the 15th. R a n d y S i l v e r m a n ,
Preservation Librarian at the University of Utah, moderated the presentations and extended his workshop into a second day of discussion at Dixie State. Presenters talked about lessons learned and shared their experiences (good and bad) with collections emergencies and offered practical advice to their colleagues who may have to deal with water, smoke, or other damage in the future.
Dixie State’s Special Collections Librarian and Archivist Amber D’Ambrosio started off the day with a lovely welcome and a reminder that even new buildings can pose serious risks. You won’t know if something is installed incorrectly until you see damage like water spots and buckling. Be alert to your environment.
Paula Mitchell, Special Collections Librarian at Southern Utah University, shared her experience cleaning up from an environmental disaster. Paula recommends that you identify the chain of command early and quickly identify the strengths of responders so you can assign tasks accordingly. Some volunteers may
not be suited for emergency response. If your emergency involves water, get tables set up quickly so you can get items out of boxes and drying. Practically speaking, keep everything off the floor.
UNLV’s Special Collections Conservator Michael Frazier gave the group detailed tips on disaster planning. He strongly recommends setting up something like his emergency supply cabinet, which includes items needed for several different kinds of emergencies. Depending on your collection, those supplies may include things like small and large polypropylene sheets, silicone papers, fans, buckets, heavy duty gloves, and dust masks.
Maggie Zakri, Collections Manager at the Neon Museum, talked about the museum’s ongoing fumigation project, which includes removing the smell of cigarette smoke from a large postcard collection. She handed out detailed instructions for setting up “fumigation stations,” which may be helpful for other smoke or mildew projects. If you would like a copy of this handout please email Maggie at [email protected].
After lunch, Randy Silverman gave an excellent presentation that included some of his preservation projects and advice he gleaned from his years in the field. Randy’s 3 main tips: plan, organize, and assign roles; do the assigned roles; and call Randy Silverman. If you would like to know more about what Randy and people like him do, you can contact him at [email protected].
Special thanks to Amber D’Ambrosio, who hosted this year’s meeting and provided an excellent lunch for attendees. Now at Willamette University, she sends her sincere appreciation to all of the folks who made the trip out to St. George for the Fall Caucus.
Fall Caucus Report
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Fall caucus presenters (l to r) Maggie Zakri, Michael Frazier, Paula Mitchell, Amber D’Ambrosio, and Randy Silverman (Courtesy of Michael Frazier, UNLV Libraries.)
2015 Nevada-Utah Fall Caucus Summary Maggie Zakri, The Neon Museum
Fall Caucus/Poster Sessions
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CIMA 2015 Utah/Nevada Fall Caucus (Photos courtesy of Michael Frazier, UNLV Libraries)
Images (clockwise): Workshop attendees discuss disaster planning; attendees practice their disaster recovery skills; all of the caucus attendees gather for a picture together.
2016 CIMA Annual Conference: Call for Poster Session Proposals Su Kim Chung, Program Committee
CIMA invites both graduate students and archives professionals to submit proposals for posters to be presented at the annual meeting in Ogden, Utah, on May 11-14, 2016. Posters selected by the Program Committee will be on display in a dedicated space at the conference venue. Presenters are required to be with their poster during the assigned session time to answer questions regarding their poster from attendees. Please use our online submission form to submit your proposal by February 12, 2016.
Posters may focus on aspects of: Collection Development, Collaboration and/or
Cooperation Reference, instruction, and outreach activities Assessment Fundraising and resource allocation
Innovation Digital Preservation and Archiving Archives management Archival education and mentoring
Other potential poster topics might be: collections of interest, reports on archives and records projects that you or your institution have worked on, and building projects.
Poster dimensions: 32 inches by 40 inches (may read vertically or horizontally). Additional information on poster design and specifics will be provided once your poster session has been accepted.
Students may apply for the Steve Wood scholarship to fund travel and registration at the conference.
