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Wednesday, May 1
 

12:00pm CDT

Registration
Wednesday May 1, 2024 12:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
2nd Floor Foyer
  Registration

1:00pm CDT

CANCELED Business Archives Meeting
Unfortunately, the Business Archives Meeting has been canceled for 2024.

Cost: $50
Capacity: 50
We are pleased to announce that a Business Archives Meeting will return to the Midwest Archives
Conference 2024 Annual Meeting in Des Moines. The meeting will be held at the Des Moines Marriott
Downtown on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. The half-day meeting will focus on topics of interest to the
business archivist. The meeting will incorporate both interesting presentations and group discussion.
Look for more information about this meeting in the next couple of months. If you have any questions,
please contact Scott Grimwood at Scott.Grimwood@ssmhealth.com.
Wednesday May 1, 2024 1:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
  Meeting
 
Thursday, May 2
 

8:00am CDT

Workshop: CLI for GLAM: A Command Line Workshop for Absolute Beginners
Cost: $50

Enrollment: 15

This workshop is an introduction to the command line interface and its library- and archives-specific
uses for complete beginners, using the GitBash terminal application. You will gain familiarity with
the nature of terminal applications, learn the syntax of the command line, build basic navigation
and file manipulation skills, and get experience calling and using programs within the terminal. The
enrollment for this workshop will be capped at 15 participants.

Who should attend?
This workshop is for absolute beginners to the command line and those curious to know more about
the fundamentals of the interface.

What should you know already?
No command line experience necessary. Bring a laptop: Windows users will download GitBash; Mac
users can use the native terminal. Exercise files will be made available via a downloadable zip folder
prior to the event.
Speakers
AL

A. L. Carson

Processing Archivist at Iowa State University

Thursday May 2, 2024 8:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Davenport (3rd Floor)
  Workshop

8:00am CDT

Workshop: Emotional Intelligence and Transformational Leadership for Successful Archives Programs
Cost: $50

Enrollment: 20

This workshop will offer guidance and helpful tips to archives workers at all levels who are
interested in bringing about positive change in the workplace and inspiring others to work together
toward common goals. The workshop will introduce concepts and traits of emotional intelligence
and transformational leadership and how they can be applied in the workplace. Tips for time
management, change management, and avoiding scope creep and overload will be shared, along
with best practices in persuasive communication and strategic approaches to obtaining resources and
increasing the value of the archives for administrators, donors, and related stakeholders. You will
discuss case studies and examples of archives leadership challenges in a supportive setting, and leave
the workshop with ideas and tools for making your archives program more valued.

Who should attend?
Anyone in archives who is interested in growing their leadership and collaboration skills while
advocating for the value of archives will benefit from this workshop.

What should you know already?
No prior knowledge or experience needed.
Speakers
SL

Sammie L. Morris

Professor and Head of Archives & Special Collections at Purdue University

Thursday May 2, 2024 8:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Council Bluffs (3rd Floor)
  Workshop

8:00am CDT

Registration
Thursday May 2, 2024 8:00am - 5:00pm CDT
2nd Floor Foyer
  Registration

9:00am CDT

Tour: State Historical Building of Iowa
Capacity: 15

Tour details: Get a behind-the-scenes look at the ongoing renovations of Iowa’s State Historical Building,
home of the State Archives, the Historical Library and Special Collections, the Research Center, and
the State Historical Museum. For more information on the collections of the State Historical Society of
Iowa, go to https://history.iowa.gov/history.

Location and transportation: The building is located just a short walk east of the Des Moines Marriott,
in the historical East Village neighborhood, just to the west of the Iowa State Capitol building. The main
entrance is on the south side of the building on Locust Street. A parking garage is just to the north
of the Historical Building at the corner of Grand and Pennsylvania Avenues or take the free D-Line
Shuttle. D-Line buses run in a loop every 15 minutes; look for D-Line stops near the Marriott on Grand
or a block south on Locust. For a map and more information, go to https://www.ridedart.com/routes/
shuttles/42-d-line-downtown.
Thursday May 2, 2024 9:00am - 11:00am CDT
State Historical Building of Iowa 600 East Locust Street
  Tour

10:00am CDT

Tour: Iowa State Capitol Building and Dome
Capacity: 15

Tour details: The 23-karat golden dome towering above the city is a favorite of sightseers. Receive a
guided tour of the building that houses the governor’s offices, the legislature, the State Law Library, and
the old Supreme Court room.

Location and transportation: The capitol is less than 1.5 miles east of the Des Moines Marriott down
Grand Avenue in the historical East Village neighborhood. Surface parking is available just east of the
capitol. It’s very easy to get there on the free D-Line Shuttle. D-Line buses run in a loop every 15 minutes;
look for D-Line stops near the Marriott on Grand or a block south on Locust. For a map and more
information, go to https://www.ridedart.com/routes/shuttles/42-d-line-downtown.
Thursday May 2, 2024 10:00am - 11:30am CDT
Iowa State Capitol Building 1007 East Grand Avenue
  Tour

10:30am CDT

Tour: Drake University Archives & Special Collections
Capacity: 15

Tour details: Drake University Archives & Special Collections is home to institutional history and
university records as well as a unique collection of political papers, including the papers of Senator Tom
Harkin, Congressman Neal Smith, Governor Robert Ray, and the Iowa Caucus Collection. Other notable
collections include the Paul F. Morrison Athletics Collection, which chronicles the history of Drake
athletics, including the famed Drake Relays. Come see some highlights from the archives’ collections
and enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of its storage space.

Location and transportation: The building is located in the historic Drake neighborhood, west of
downtown Des Moines. The Drake University Archives & Special Collections is located in Cowles
Library on the Drake campus and is about 15 minutes by bus from the Hilton Des Moines Downtown.
Exit the hotel lobby and head west on Park Street. Continue one block to 6th Avenue. Board a #3
or #60 bus headed northbound at the corner of 6th and Park for $1.75 (you can pay cash or use the
mobile app: https://www.ridedart.com/mydart-app). Stay on the bus for about eight minutes and exit at
University Avenue and 28th Street, on the Drake University campus. After exiting, Cowles Library will
be immediately to the north, facing University Avenue. The return bus stop is directly across the street
from where you disembarked.
Thursday May 2, 2024 10:30am - 12:00pm CDT
Drake University, Cowles Library 2725 University Avenue
  Tour

11:00am CDT

CANCELLED Tour: Walking Tour of John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park
UPDATE: this tour has been CANCELED

Capacity: 15

Tour details: John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park features artwork by 25 of the world’s most
celebrated artists in a 4.4-acre park at the gateway to downtown Des Moines. On this guided walking
tour, you will learn more about the artists and the meaning behind the artwork.

Location: The park is located half a mile from the Des Moines Marriott on Grand Avenue, near the
downtown branch of the Des Moines Public Library. A docent tour guide will meet you there.
Thursday May 2, 2024 11:00am - 12:30pm CDT
John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park 1330 Grand Avenue
  Tour

1:30pm CDT

Plenary: Unlocking Midwestern Agricultural History through Archival Investigation
Farming practices in the Midwest have changed dramatically over the past century. Mechanization of planting and harvesting of grain, consolidation of the meat packing industry with its large-scale livestock raising and marketing, the introduction of monoculture and its single-crop fields expanding far and wide: These changes and more have contributed to an agricultural landscape that farmers of the nineteenth century – and before – couldn’t have foreseen.

Preserving the farming practices of earlier times, by relying upon historical records and legacy plant seeds, has taken on greater urgency in the face of these changes. In this plenary session, speakers representing organizations dedicated to such preservation will discuss their programs’ missions and the challenges they face. Audience members will have an opportunity to ask questions following their presentations.

Speakers:

Jaime Nicolet Rutan (she/her) is the Curator of Collections, Archives, and Exhibits at Living History Farms in Urbandale, Iowa. A native Iowan, Jaime holds a bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree in fine and decorative art from Sotheby’s Institute of Art.

Sara Straate (she/her) is the seed historian at Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa, a non-profit organization that maintains and distributes a collection of over 20,000 varieties of heritage garden seeds and apples. Seed Savers Exchange promotes the importance of preserving biodiversity through seed stewardship and provides programming and other opportunities that engage gardeners, farmers, seed savers, and breeders with the collection.

Moderator:

David McCartney (he/him) is University of Iowa Archivist Emeritus and a past president of MAC. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and master’s degrees in history and library science, both from the University of Maryland at College Park. David is a native of the northern Iowa town of Charles City, long considered the birthplace of the farm tractor.
Speakers
JN
SS
DM

Thursday May 2, 2024 1:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Salons DE (2nd floor)
  Plenary, Panel

1:30pm CDT

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE Plenary: Unlocking Midwestern Agricultural History through Archival Investigation
Farming practices in the Midwest have changed dramatically over the past century. Mechanization of planting and harvesting of grain, consolidation of the meat packing industry with its large-scale livestock raising and marketing, the introduction of monoculture and its single-crop fields expanding far and wide: These changes and more have contributed to an agricultural landscape that farmers of the nineteenth century – and before – couldn’t have foreseen.

Preserving the farming practices of earlier times, by relying upon historical records and legacy plant seeds, has taken on greater urgency in the face of these changes. In this plenary session, speakers representing organizations dedicated to such preservation will discuss their programs’ missions and the challenges they face. Audience members will have an opportunity to ask questions following their presentations.

Speakers:

Jaime Nicolet Rutan (she/her) is the Curator of Collections, Archives, and Exhibits at Living History Farms in Urbandale, Iowa. A native Iowan, Jaime holds a bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree in fine and decorative art from Sotheby’s Institute of Art.

Sara Straate (she/her) is the seed historian at Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa, a non-profit organization that maintains and distributes a collection of over 20,000 varieties of heritage garden seeds and apples. Seed Savers Exchange promotes the importance of preserving biodiversity through seed stewardship and provides programming and other opportunities that engage gardeners, farmers, seed savers, and breeders with the collection.

Moderator:

David McCartney (he/him) is University of Iowa Archivist Emeritus and a past president of MAC. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and master’s degrees in history and library science, both from the University of Maryland at College Park. David is a native of the northern Iowa town of Charles City, long considered the birthplace of the farm tractor.
Speakers
SS
JN
DM

Thursday May 2, 2024 1:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
  Virtual Conference, Panel

1:30pm CDT

Vendor Fair
Vendors:
Archival Products
Atlas Systems, Inc.
Hollinger Metal Edge
Indus International, Inc.
Lucidea
NEDCC | Northeast Document Conservation Center
San Jose State University - School of Information
Scene Savers
University Products

Thursday May 2, 2024 1:30pm - 5:00pm CDT
Des Moines Exhibit Hall (3rd floor)
  Vendor Fair

3:00pm CDT

Break
Enjoy light refreshments in vendor area.
Thursday May 2, 2024 3:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Des Moines Exhibit Hall (3rd floor)
  Break

3:30pm CDT

S101: I’m Rooting for You: Cultivating Relationships with Graduate Student Workers [live streamed]
The current GLAM hiring culture is competitive and increasingly experience-driven- students are expected to graduate from their Master’s programs with varied practical experiences in addition to theoretical knowledge and familiarity with best practices in the field. What opportunities exist for both full-time and part-time students to gain these experiences, and how can practitioners help without overextending themselves? What work goes into supervising and collaborating with students? In this roundtable discussion, panelists will examine the various aspects of collaborations between professionals and student workers in archives. Hear examples from archives professionals who make space for library and archives students to gain hands-on, project-based, educational experiences that benefit their own institutions, their partner organizations, and above all, the student participants. Learn about advocating for and acquiring funding for student positions and the types of projects students complete during internships and practicum experiences, and gain insight into how practical work experience supports and supplements classroom curricula. When strong relationships exist between universities and professional archivists, students can enter the field as well-rounded, confident professionals with the experiences and peer support systems necessary to secure full-time employment. 
Speakers
DS
BP
BV
SL
DH
NC

Thursday May 2, 2024 3:30pm - 5:00pm CDT
Salons DE (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Roundtable

3:30pm CDT

S102: Cultivating Success in Digital Soil: Navigating Open Source Migrations
This session will discuss system migrations at four institutions: the University of Louisville, the University of Northern Iowa, the Loras College Center for Dubuque History, and Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Our institutions range from a large public university to a small private college to a large art museum. We all have migrated to the open source systems ArchivesSpace or Samvera’s Hyku in recent years. In addition to the typical challenges faced during a migration, the presenters all had varying degrees of IT support and back-end technical knowledge. This led us to confront (and continue to confront) our own limitations with archival technology and to reach out to other communities for support. We hope to help and show our colleagues that migrations can be successfully completed, even in instances with small staff and minimal resources, and in so doing encourage them in their own efforts to undertake this type of work. We will discuss preparing for the migration, navigating the challenges, implementing the system, tools used, and what we would change about our workflows and processes.
Speakers
TW
EB
TL
HP

Thursday May 2, 2024 3:30pm - 5:00pm CDT
Salons ABC (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

3:30pm CDT

S103: Cultivating Collaborative Partnerships Between a Campus and Its Community
Collaborative opportunities facilitate deeper understanding and more meaningful outcomes for archives and their communities. This presentation explores how archives at Bowling Green State University and Indiana University Northwest have worked with campus contacts, institutional offices, and community members to create impactful events and exhibits.

In 2019, the Bowling Green State University Libraries and Athletics Department formally partnered to preserve, provide access to, and further develop BGSU Athletics historical materials. At the heart of this partnership are the over 1074 linear feet of the Cochrane Cunningham Archives and over 4500 square feet of exhibit space to showcase BGSU Athletics’ history. As part of this collaboration, the BGSU Athletics Department requested that the University Libraries create an extensive BGSU women’s sports exhibit in celebration of Title IX. Presenters from BGSU will share how they collaborated with multiple archival collecting areas, campus offices, and former coaches/faculty to create an exhibit emphasizing the voices of female athletes and coaches, as well as laying the foundation for further BGSU women’s sports history collection development.

Indiana University Northwest Archives and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs have partnered to support multiple programming initiatives using archival collections as a vehicle for establishing connections with the community. This cross-departmental collaboration has led to the creation of exhibits, discussions, and research incorporated into campus programming for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, Juneteenth, and Hispanic Heritage Month. Presenters from IUN will discuss the importance of creating meaningful engagement opportunities between a campus and its community by using archival resources to promote education, collaboration, and advocacy related to DEI.
Speakers
JL
JP
AB
DJ
NA
AV

Thursday May 2, 2024 3:30pm - 5:00pm CDT
Salons FGH (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

3:30pm CDT

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE S101: I’m Rooting for You: Cultivating Relationships with Graduate Student Workers [live streamed]
The current GLAM hiring culture is competitive and increasingly experience-driven- students are expected to graduate from their Master’s programs with varied practical experiences in addition to theoretical knowledge and familiarity with best practices in the field. What opportunities exist for both full-time and part-time students to gain these experiences, and how can practitioners help without overextending themselves? What work goes into supervising and collaborating with students? In this roundtable discussion, panelists will examine the various aspects of collaborations between professionals and student workers in archives. Hear examples from archives professionals who make space for library and archives students to gain hands-on, project-based, educational experiences that benefit their own institutions, their partner organizations, and above all, the student participants. Learn about advocating for and acquiring funding for student positions and the types of projects students complete during internships and practicum experiences, and gain insight into how practical work experience supports and supplements classroom curricula. When strong relationships exist between universities and professional archivists, students can enter the field as well-rounded, confident professionals with the experiences and peer support systems necessary to secure full-time employment. 
Speakers
DH
NC
DS
BP
BV
SL

Thursday May 2, 2024 3:30pm - 5:00pm CDT
  Virtual Conference, Roundtable

5:00pm CDT

MAC Pals Meet and Greet at the Rock River Grill (in hotel)
MAC Pals, come to the Meet and Greet to talk with your Pal in person! The Pals program pairs Annual Meeting veterans with first-time attendees and helps newcomers make the most of their time at the conference. This is an informal chance to meet your match, share conference-going tips, and socialize. Register by April 5 to attend the Meet and Greet at the Rock River Grill (2nd Floor of hotel) before the Opening Reception. Light refreshments will be provided.
Thursday May 2, 2024 5:00pm - 5:45pm CDT
Rock River Grill
  Meeting

6:00pm CDT

Opening Reception at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates
The opening reception will take place at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. The historic Beaux Arts–style building, once the Des Moines Public Library, is home to the World Food Prize, which “honors outstanding individuals who have made vital contributions to improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food throughout the world.” Light snacks and refreshments will be served, and a cash bar will be available. During the reception, you’ll be able to browse the exhibits in the Hall of Laureates. Guests and children are invited to attend with an extra fee required to cover food and drink costs.
Thursday May 2, 2024 6:00pm - 8:00pm CDT
World Food Prize Hall of Laureates 100 Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309
  Reception
 
Friday, May 3
 

8:00am CDT

Registration
Friday May 3, 2024 8:00am - 5:00pm CDT
2nd Floor Foyer
  Registration

8:30am CDT

S201: Big Question, Little Questions: Born-Digital Excavation for the New Archivist in Town [live streamed]
This presentation will introduce the shared and varying challenges experienced by two early-career archivists working with born-digital materials during their first year in new positions. While the presenters’ respective public institutions seem disparate in the abstract (The University of Kentucky is a large PWI, while Chicago State University is a small institution that predominantly serves Black and brown students) our work shares the common mission of making born-digital collections discoverable and accessible to all in the hopes of eliminating historical gaps and cultivating new relationships within and beyond our communities. The means and methods of getting there, all those many tiny questions, are still evolving. This presentation will document the state of born-digital migration, arrangement, description, and access we found at the start of our appointment; present challenges and solutions we encountered through our first year; and lay out a roadmap for the work ahead, both in terms of technical challenges and our shared cultural and historical mission.
Speakers
SM
AM

Friday May 3, 2024 8:30am - 9:30am CDT
Salons DE (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

8:30am CDT

S202: Tending the Untold: Contemporary Issues in Women’s Archives
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the landmark publication Perspectives on Women’s Archives; this roundtable discussion will provide updated perspectives from Midwest women’s archivists on issues relevant to all repositories, seeking to sow seeds of inspiration and invention for a new generation of practitioners.

Presenters will begin with brief remarks on the institutional history of their collections, comparing and contrasting the missions and evolutions of three of the major women’s archives in the Midwest. The ensuing discussion will elicit a feminist perspective on several areas of archival practice, including donor relations, collections development and management, and outreach. For example, in discussing donor relations, presenters will discuss topics like the disproportionate prevalence of imposter syndrome among women donors who do not feel worthy of archival preservation. In discussing collections development, presenters will reflect on how even collections designed to address the underrepresentation of women in archives have perpetuated the absence of women of color, working-class women, disabled women, and other groups, and how we as practitioners have sought to acknowledge and repair that silencing through our archival work. In conclusion, presenters will speak to the future of women’s archives, considering questions such as: how has the meaning of the exclusively “women’s space” changed with the advancement of trans liberation and resulting backlash? How will women’s collections be affected by recent laws targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives? And what do women’s archivists see as the biggest challenges facing us in our work to preserve the history of Midwestern women?
Speakers
KO
ER
KW
AH

Friday May 3, 2024 8:30am - 9:30am CDT
Salons ABC (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Roundtable

8:30am CDT

S203: All Rise! Judicial Collections in the Archives
While many repositories hold the papers of federal, state, and local judges, judicial collections are an under-examined genre of archival materials. However, as a subset of public policy papers, judicial collections represent sites of encounter between the people and the state; as such, they have the potential to shed light on a host of interactions among various governments, communities, and cultures. In this session, academic archivists Curt Hanson and Anu Kasarabada explore the challenges and opportunities involved in processing and providing access to the papers of two judges who served on the U.S. circuit courts of appeal, the intermediate level of the Federal Judiciary right beneath the U.S. Supreme Court. Hanson will discuss the roles that both technology and related collections at other repositories played in the processing and re-processing of the papers of Judge Myron Bright, whose collection consists of approximately 600 boxes that became open upon the judge’s passing in 2016. Kasarabada will describe the ongoing processing of the Judge Boyce Martin papers, a collection of nearly 700 boxes that’s only partially open and encompasses a partnership with the university’s law school. The presenters will share lessons learned and provide practical approaches to managing judicial collections, including issues related to donor restrictions, privacy and confidentiality concerns, and appraisal decisions.
Speakers
CH
AK

Friday May 3, 2024 8:30am - 9:30am CDT
Salons FGH (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

8:30am CDT

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE S201: Big Question, Little Questions: Born-Digital Excavation for the New Archivist in Town [live streamed]
This presentation will introduce the shared and varying challenges experienced by two early-career archivists working with born-digital materials during their first year in new positions. While the presenters’ respective public institutions seem disparate in the abstract (The University of Kentucky is a large PWI, while Chicago State University is a small institution that predominantly serves Black and brown students) our work shares the common mission of making born-digital collections discoverable and accessible to all in the hopes of eliminating historical gaps and cultivating new relationships within and beyond our communities. The means and methods of getting there, all those many tiny questions, are still evolving. This presentation will document the state of born-digital migration, arrangement, description, and access we found at the start of our appointment; present challenges and solutions we encountered through our first year; and lay out a roadmap for the work ahead, both in terms of technical challenges and our shared cultural and historical mission.
Speakers
SM
AM

Friday May 3, 2024 8:30am - 9:30am CDT
  Virtual Conference, Panel

8:30am CDT

Vendor Fair
Vendors:
Archival Products
Atlas Systems, Inc.
Hollinger Metal Edge
Indus International, Inc.
Lucidea
NEDCC | Northeast Document Conservation Center
San Jose State University - School of Information
Scene Savers
University Products
Friday May 3, 2024 8:30am - 3:30pm CDT
Des Moines Exhibit Hall (3rd floor)
  Vendor Fair

9:30am CDT

Break
Break
Friday May 3, 2024 9:30am - 9:45am CDT
Des Moines Exhibit Hall (3rd floor)
  Break

9:30am CDT

Poster Sessions
Poster sessions offer attendees the chance to see projects and research conducted by colleagues, from students to new archivists to career veterans. Poster presenters will be available to discuss their research on Friday during both the morning and afternoon breaks.

Poster Title: Not just for Catalogers: Archivists, Subject Headings, and Inclusion in ArchivesSpace
Presenter Names: Aiden Bettine, Kate Dietrick, and Rachel Weiher
Institutions: University of Minnesota

Poster Title: An Intimate Perspective on Community Archiving: Copándaro de Galeana, Michoacán
Presenter Names: Edith Mendez
Institutions: Dominican University

Poster Title: Archival Primary Source Literacy Through a Critical Race Theory Tool
Presenter Names: Yujay Masah
Institutions: Loyola University Chicago / Dominican University

Poster Title: QC Archives Fair: Collaboration in the QC
Presenter Names: Kathryn Whalen and Onnica Marquez
Institutions: Davenport Public Library and St. Ambrose University

Poster Title: Catching COVID Through Stories
Presenter Names: Miranda Ridener
Institutions: Neenah Historical Society

Poster Title: Midwest Oral History Network - (Where) to Begin?
Presenter Names: Ellen Brooks
Institutions: Independent Oral Historian

Poster Title: Preserving Oral Histories in a Trauma Space
Presenter Names: Shannon Hess
Institutions: St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum

Poster Title: “Root of the Issue”: Department of Dental Hygiene and Gender Discrimination
Presenter Names: Beatrice Kearns
Institutions: University of Iowa - Iowa Women's Archives

Poster Title: Square pegs and round holes: Examining an unconventional approach to using ArchivesSpace
Presenter Names: Julie Hatfield and Greg Kocken
Institutions: University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Special Collections and Archives

Poster Title: Photo Crowdsourcing at Grinnell College Alumni Reunion
Presenter Names: Allison Haack and Christopher Jones
Institutions: Grinnell College Libraries
 
Poster Title: Looking Forward: Web Game Preservation in the Digital Age
Presenter Names: Amelia Loew
Institutions: University of Iowa

Poster Title: Seed to Blossom: Cultivating Order from Oversized Collection Chaos
Presenter Names: Milo Nordman
Institutions: Leon S. McGoogan Health Sciences Library

Poster Title: Saving Scarborough: Processing an Animator's Collection
Presenter Names: Sarah Dodd
Institutions: University of Iowa Special Collections and Archives

Poster Title: Bookbinding Barbie: Archival Legacy & Community in the Pamela Spitzmueller Collection
Presenter Names: Carmela Furio
Institutions: University of Iowa Special Collections & Archives

Poster Title: Collaboratively Building Digital Collections
Presenter Names: Evan Miller
Institutions:  Wabash College

Poster Title: Preserving LGBTQ+ Stories: Recent Changes to the UW-Madison LGBTQ+ Oral History Program
Presenter Names: David Advent
Institutions: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Poster Title: Folklore Archives: Processing the Linda Degh Papers
Presenter Names: Sasha Goryl
Institutions: Indiana University - Bloomington
Friday May 3, 2024 9:30am - 3:30pm CDT
Des Moines Exhibit Hall (3rd floor)
  Poster Session

9:45am CDT

S301: We Can Do It! But Should We? Reflecting on Projects and Priorities (live-streamed)
What happens when you combine archivists and non-archivists with good intentions, unprocessed collections, institutional push to seek grants, competing pressures and deadlines? At the University of Nebraska at Omaha Archives and Special Collections, this familiar scenario occurred during a period focused on prioritizing Latinx collections including personal papers, Office of Latino and Latin American Studies Records, and oral histories. During our presentation, we will share how archivists attempted to wrangle multiple funding streams to meet processing, outreach, and digitization goals while internal and external forces took a toll. These included stakeholder expectations, the complexities of student employment, campus events, and class collaborations. We will also examine how project goals and converging timelines created gaps that  we felt could not receive adequate attention.  

When we began these overlapping projects, we knew that staying in scope was key to successfully reaching our goals. Yet one element that exemplified scope creep was oral histories. While these are important resources for research and community engagement, they also proved to be an epicenter of angst over funding, labor, and collaborators misunderstanding how archives and digital collections are funded and maintained. Conversely, we experienced a boon in usage of archival materials thanks to outreach events and instruction sessions. In keeping with the conference themes of controlling workload expectations, stretching resources in innovative and practical ways, and cultivating collection relationships, we will highlight successes and setbacks as the scope of the projects grew and then contracted when resources could not match aspirations.
Speakers
WG
CD
AS
LS

Friday May 3, 2024 9:45am - 10:30am CDT
Salons DE (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

9:45am CDT

S302: Assessing Your Analog Media Archive in a Digital World
This session will provide specific strategies for attendees to assess and address the physical condition of their respective analog A/V assets - which may include 8mm & 16mm movie film, audiotape, consumer & professional format videotape, 35mm positive slides & photographic negatives. While some institutional archives enjoy exacting climate control, many others experience environmental challenges which exacerbate mildew and accelerate the general deterioration of analog media.
By way of example, mildew destroys the viability of magnetic tape and film. It can also pose a health concern to archive staff and patrons. Transcription 78 records may become covered in white palmitic acid - which is not mold - but is a natural byproduct of age.
Following my visual and descriptive presentation of these and other examples, attendees will be invited to consider their own collections of A/V assets and engage in a general discussion related to the physical integrity of their materials. The presenter will suggest best practice solutions as appropriate.
Beyond the physical integrity of an archive's analog media, an additional consideration is whether the media content is still accessible by patrons and institutional staff. The final portion of the pop-up session will open the floor to a discussion about the degree to which attendees are currently dealing with "inaccessible" analog media content in their respective archives.
 The presenter is currently engaged by the American Crafts Council to generate a comprehensive assessment of the physical condition of their analog A/V archive. The collection is held at the American Craft Council Library & Archives.
Speakers
TA

Friday May 3, 2024 9:45am - 10:30am CDT
Salons ABC (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Open Forum

9:45am CDT

S303: How Can We Better Display Historical Photos Online?
How can we better display historical photos online, make them more easily explorable and searchable, and share them with the public? How can we connect relevant photos from other archives to our patrons? How can we make photo archives fun and meaningful? How can we encourage public participation in photo tagging, dating, and documentation and champion community members’ local expertise? How can we expand our photo holdings to better reflect the experiences of underrepresented groups?

Our small team of academics and software engineers, based in Iowa and Connecticut, have been asking these questions for the past decade and have emerged with a new public platform–Fortepan US, located at https://fortepan.us–that beautifully displays historical photos according to place, time, and theme. Based on the magnificent Hungarian public portal, Fortepan.hu, we are part of a movement that values and safeguards local history, preserves family photos, elevates user experience, and promotes sharing.

This pop-up presentation is an invitation to find out more about this movement. Having built Fortepan IA and CT, and launching Fortepan AK, CO, WI, and VT, we are developing “Fortepan” opportunities for every state, national park, and Indigenous territory. The possibilities for overlap and virtual reunification between the many archives across the Midwest is immense. Fortepan US includes crowd-sourced tagging, embedding (like one embeds a Google map), sophisticated exhibit and mapping tools, and tremendous user participation opportunities. Our goal for this new, free public portal is ease of use for administrators and users.
Speakers
BF
OW
LK
OL
MC
CG
AB

Friday May 3, 2024 9:45am - 10:30am CDT
Salons FGH (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session

9:45am CDT

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE S301: We Can Do It! But Should We? Reflecting on Projects and Priorities (live-streamed)
What happens when you combine archivists and non-archivists with good intentions, unprocessed collections, institutional push to seek grants, competing pressures and deadlines? At the University of Nebraska at Omaha Archives and Special Collections, this familiar scenario occurred during a period focused on prioritizing Latinx collections including personal papers, Office of Latino and Latin American Studies Records, and oral histories. During our presentation, we will share how archivists attempted to wrangle multiple funding streams to meet processing, outreach, and digitization goals while internal and external forces took a toll. These included stakeholder expectations, the complexities of student employment, campus events, and class collaborations. We will also examine how project goals and converging timelines created gaps that  we felt could not receive adequate attention.  

When we began these overlapping projects, we knew that staying in scope was key to successfully reaching our goals. Yet one element that exemplified scope creep was oral histories. While these are important resources for research and community engagement, they also proved to be an epicenter of angst over funding, labor, and collaborators misunderstanding how archives and digital collections are funded and maintained. Conversely, we experienced a boon in usage of archival materials thanks to outreach events and instruction sessions. In keeping with the conference themes of controlling workload expectations, stretching resources in innovative and practical ways, and cultivating collection relationships, we will highlight successes and setbacks as the scope of the projects grew and then contracted when resources could not match aspirations.
Speakers
WG
CD
AS
LS

Friday May 3, 2024 9:45am - 10:30am CDT
  Virtual Conference

10:30am CDT

Break
Enjoy light refreshments in vendor area.
Friday May 3, 2024 10:30am - 11:00am CDT
Des Moines Exhibit Hall (3rd floor)
  Break

10:30am CDT

Poster Discussion
Poster sessions offer attendees the chance to see projects and research conducted by colleagues, from students to new archivists to career veterans. Poster presenters will be available to discuss their research on Friday during both the morning and afternoon breaks.

Poster Title: Not just for Catalogers: Archivists, Subject Headings, and Inclusion in ArchivesSpace
Presenter Names: Aiden Bettine, Kate Dietrick, and Rachel Weiher
Institutions: University of Minnesota

Poster Title: An Intimate Perspective on Community Archiving: Copándaro de Galeana, Michoacán
Presenter Names: Edith Mendez
Institutions: Dominican University

Poster Title: Archival Primary Source Literacy Through a Critical Race Theory Tool
Presenter Names: Yujay Masah
Institutions: Loyola University Chicago / Dominican University

Poster Title: QC Archives Fair: Collaboration in the QC
Presenter Names: Kathryn Whalen and Onnica Marquez
Institutions: Davenport Public Library and St. Ambrose University

Poster Title: Catching COVID Through Stories
Presenter Names: Miranda Ridener
Institutions: Neenah Historical Society

Poster Title: Midwest Oral History Network - (Where) to Begin?
Presenter Names: Ellen Brooks
Institutions: Independent Oral Historian

Poster Title: Preserving Oral Histories in a Trauma Space
Presenter Names: Shannon Hess
Institutions: St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum

Poster Title: “Root of the Issue”: Department of Dental Hygiene and Gender Discrimination
Presenter Names: Beatrice Kearns
Institutions: University of Iowa - Iowa Women's Archives

Poster Title: Square pegs and round holes: Examining an unconventional approach to using ArchivesSpace
Presenter Names: Julie Hatfield and Greg Kocken
Institutions: University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Special Collections and Archives

Poster Title: Photo Crowdsourcing at Grinnell College Alumni Reunion
Presenter Names: Allison Haack and Christopher Jones
Institutions: Grinnell College Libraries
 
Poster Title: Looking Forward: Web Game Preservation in the Digital Age
Presenter Names: Amelia Loew
Institutions: University of Iowa

Poster Title: Seed to Blossom: Cultivating Order from Oversized Collection Chaos
Presenter Names: Milo Nordman
Institutions: Leon S. McGoogan Health Sciences Library

Poster Title: Saving Scarborough: Processing an Animator's Collection
Presenter Names: Sarah Dodd
Institutions: University of Iowa Special Collections and Archives

Poster Title: Bookbinding Barbie: Archival Legacy & Community in the Pamela Spitzmueller Collection
Presenter Names: Carmela Furio
Institutions: University of Iowa Special Collections & Archives

Poster Title: Collaboratively Building Digital Collections
Presenter Names: Evan Miller
Institutions:  Wabash College

Poster Title: Preserving LGBTQ+ Stories: Recent Changes to the UW-Madison LGBTQ+ Oral History Program
Presenter Names: David Advent
Institutions: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Poster Title: Folklore Archives: Processing the Linda Degh Papers
Presenter Names: Sasha Goryl
Institutions: Indiana University - Bloomington

Friday May 3, 2024 10:30am - 11:00am CDT
Des Moines Exhibit Hall (3rd floor)
  Poster Session

11:00am CDT

S401: Digging Beneath the Topsoil: Sharing Stories of Diversity in Predominantly White Institutional Records [live streamed]
How can we uncover the diverse voices in our collections? In archives at predominantly white institutions, our inherited collections often only record history through the lens of white administrations. However, within these collections we can “dig beneath the topsoil” for records that showcase the wide, diverse communities that are an integral part of our institutions. In this session, the presenters will discuss projects in which they dug beneath the surface to find stories of people historically underrepresented in their collections, and methods attendees can use at their own repositories.

Sarah Bush will talk about an exhibit she curated on the process of desegregation at Washington University School of Medicine, and how to work with what you have to make an exhibit on voices underrepresented in your repository. Jo Otremba will share about their search for records on segregated student teaching practices at Indiana University Bloomington and the archivist’s responsibility to disrupt “colorblind collections.” Jenna Stout will share how administrative records were redescribed and utilized for a centennial celebration of the Saint Louis Art Museum’s Education Department. This type of large-scale processing initiative can illuminate diverse stories and identify collecting gaps in museum institutional recordkeeping.

Speakers
JO
SB
JS

Friday May 3, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Salons DE (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

11:00am CDT

S402: Good Things Come in Threes: Building a Digital Collection at the University of Minnesota
One of the many impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been an increased focus on digital collections. Join us as we discuss digital collections-development and relationship-building at the University of Minnesota Libraries. How does an increased focus on digital collections encourage us to reevaluate and reprioritize our decision-making in our areas of expertise? What does it mean to work collaboratively to build a digital collection in this new pandemic-driven era? Using the John Berryman papers as our collection of focus, this session will feature presentations from three staff members representing three different departments at UMN Libraries, all of whom are active contributors to the Libraries’ digital collections site, UMedia. First, Head of Digital Library Services, Theresa Berger, will discuss the digitization planning, metadata creation, and front-end decision making that goes into creating a digital collection, with an eye on strategies for inclusive metadata and user-informed front-end design. Next, Web Applications Developer, Scott Lawan, will discuss the “back-end,” technical side of things and the importance of sustainable code that can be changed over time and that incorporates web accessibility. Finally, Interim Curator for the Upper Midwest Literary Archives, Erin McBrien, will discuss ways in which low-barrier processing and re-processing decisions can be made to better support digitization and digital collections development. Throughout the presentation, we will highlight ways in which cross-departmental communication and collaboration have contributed to breaking down traditional academic silos and helped promote a more widely accessible digital platform for all.
Speakers
TB
SL
EM

Friday May 3, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Salons ABC (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

11:00am CDT

S403: Constructing Community: How Shared Historic Preservation Interests Build Better Places and Spaces
Generating interest in local history and historic buildings can be a challenge at times for archivists and historic preservationists. When the two groups collaborate, however, it can lead to greater interest and investment in preservation across the board. This session will explore how partnerships between historic preservationists and archivists can increase community relationships, foster greater interest in local histories, and further work to preserve a community’s documentary and architectural heritage. Tricia Gilson will discuss a multi-partner effort to document a 19th-century historic downtown and some of the women-owned and Jewish-owned businesses once found there. Sara DeCaro will describe her experience writing a successful nomination for her state’s register of historic places and how that effort led to stronger community relationships. Hayley Jackson will discuss how tracking down records of a local Iowa architect led to a multi-year collaboration that built community relationships, gathered important architectural records for preservation, and increased community interest in his architectural legacy. Tyson Koenig and Hannah Houston will discuss supporting student work and building connections with archives in the context of preservation education at a university with one of the nation’s only undergraduate historic preservation programs, where the ties between archival and historic preservation work are strong and mutually beneficial.
Speakers
HJ
TG
SD
TK
HH

Friday May 3, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Salons FGH (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

11:00am CDT

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE S401: Digging Beneath the Topsoil: Sharing Stories of Diversity in Predominantly White Institutional Records [live streamed]
How can we uncover the diverse voices in our collections? In archives at predominantly white institutions, our inherited collections often only record history through the lens of white administrations. However, within these collections we can “dig beneath the topsoil” for records that showcase the wide, diverse communities that are an integral part of our institutions. In this session, the presenters will discuss projects in which they dug beneath the surface to find stories of people historically underrepresented in their collections, and methods attendees can use at their own repositories.

Sarah Bush will talk about an exhibit she curated on the process of desegregation at Washington University School of Medicine, and how to work with what you have to make an exhibit on voices underrepresented in your repository. Jo Otremba will share about their search for records on segregated student teaching practices at Indiana University Bloomington and the archivist’s responsibility to disrupt “colorblind collections.” Jenna Stout will share how administrative records were redescribed and utilized for a centennial celebration of the Saint Louis Art Museum’s Education Department. This type of large-scale processing initiative can illuminate diverse stories and identify collecting gaps in museum institutional recordkeeping.

Speakers
JO
SB
JS

Friday May 3, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT
  Virtual Conference, Panel

12:00pm CDT

Lunch
Lunch
Friday May 3, 2024 12:00pm - 12:45pm CDT
  Break

12:45pm CDT

Friday Forum: Advocacy Strategies: Leveraging Your Champions to Secure Resources
This interactive discussion session will address strategies, challenges, and successes in advocating for
cultural heritage organizations. Articulating value and finding champions are of critical importance
to maintaining ongoing access to our collective digital history, especially the materials that come
from small and underresourced organizations. Recollection Wisconsin Governing Board member
Ann Hanlon and program manager Kristen Whitson will lead you in discussing successful strategies
for advocating for resources, including building a network of supporters, solidifying and navigating
relationships, crafting effective communication vocabulary and strategies, and empowering advocates
to convey your organization’s value.

See link for materials shared during this Friday Forum - Recollection Wisconsin Advocacy Materials
Speakers
AH
KW

Friday May 3, 2024 12:45pm - 1:30pm CDT
Salons DE (2nd floor)
  Forums

12:45pm CDT

Friday Forum: Networking for Archives Managers and Supervisors
Do you oversee student workers or volunteers in your archive? Are you in charge of managing
archival or other staff at your institution? Perhaps you’re responsible for the entire archives
department. If you find value in connecting with fellow archivists who share similar management
responsibilities, we invite you to join this forum. It provides a casual and conversational space where
archivists can pose questions, discuss challenges, share experiences, exchange ideas, and build
connections with colleagues.
Speakers
GB
MM

Friday May 3, 2024 12:45pm - 1:30pm CDT
Salons FGH (2nd floor)
  Forums

12:45pm CDT

Friday Forum: Networking for Digital Archivists
Do you have digital records in your collections? Are you hoping to start a digital preservation
program? Are you looking for some practical advice on how to handle your digital records? Do
you have a lot of questions and don’t know where to begin? Come to this forum to join others in a
networking session. This will be a casual gathering where you can share challenges and successes,
exchange tips and procedures, ask questions, and generate inspiration to take back to your shop.
Speakers
NH
DJ
LK

Friday May 3, 2024 12:45pm - 1:30pm CDT
Salons ABC (2nd floor)
  Forums

1:30pm CDT

Break
Friday May 3, 2024 1:30pm - 1:45pm CDT
Des Moines Exhibit Hall (3rd floor)
  Break

1:45pm CDT

S501: Community Outreach, Community Input: The Milwaukee Women's Art Library Ambassador Experiment [live streamed]
In 2021 the Archives Department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries (UWM) acquired a small collection of women and non-binary artists’ papers, with a special focus on artists of color, called the Milwaukee Women’s Art Library (MWAL). It was intended to document parts of the local arts scene that are underrepresented in the city’s repositories.  

The following year UWM secured grant funding from the Digital Public Library of America through its Mellon-funded Digital Equity Fund to help diversify the country’s digital historical record holdings, which it used to hire a Community Ambassador to work with the MWAL collection through fall 2023. The position would be held by a practicing local artist with deep connections in the local arts scene – not an archivist – who would be charged with conducting outreach in that community to “plant the seeds” of the historical value of artists’ papers and the need to preserve them, whether at UWM, another local repository or community archives, or keeping their own personal archives. After learning about the MWAL collection and archival appraisal practices, and then spending most of the year engaged in local outreach, the community ambassador would then join the archives in reviewing its collecting policy, deed of gift, and other policy infrastructure as a representative of the local arts community considering their own concerns and those of the many other artists they had spoken with.

In this session, the MWAL Community Ambassador and representatives from the UWM Libraries will discuss the project’s structure, progress, and impact, and will then address questions from the audience.  
Speakers
DW
AH
CC

Friday May 3, 2024 1:45pm - 2:00pm CDT
Salons DE (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

1:45pm CDT

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE S501: Community Outreach, Community Input: The Milwaukee Women's Art Library Ambassador Experiment [live streamed]
In 2021 the Archives Department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries (UWM) acquired a small collection of women and non-binary artists’ papers, with a special focus on artists of color, called the Milwaukee Women’s Art Library (MWAL). It was intended to document parts of the local arts scene that are underrepresented in the city’s repositories.  

The following year UWM secured grant funding from the Digital Public Library of America through its Mellon-funded Digital Equity Fund to help diversify the country’s digital historical record holdings, which it used to hire a Community Ambassador to work with the MWAL collection through fall 2023. The position would be held by a practicing local artist with deep connections in the local arts scene – not an archivist – who would be charged with conducting outreach in that community to “plant the seeds” of the historical value of artists’ papers and the need to preserve them, whether at UWM, another local repository or community archives, or keeping their own personal archives. After learning about the MWAL collection and archival appraisal practices, and then spending most of the year engaged in local outreach, the community ambassador would then join the archives in reviewing its collecting policy, deed of gift, and other policy infrastructure as a representative of the local arts community considering their own concerns and those of the many other artists they had spoken with.

In this session, the MWAL Community Ambassador and representatives from the UWM Libraries will discuss the project’s structure, progress, and impact, and will then address questions from the audience.  
Speakers
DW
AH
CC

Friday May 3, 2024 1:45pm - 2:00pm CDT
  Virtual Conference, Panel

1:45pm CDT

S502: Environmental Stewardship: Managing the Process of Changing Archival Spaces
A building renovation in many ways is comparable to that of sowing and harvesting a garden.  It requires a favorable environment, great planning, patience, and fortitude.  Both the process and outcome can be wildly unpredictable, so archivists and any other parties involved must be prepared to respond with flexibility, adaptability and, at times, compromise.  

When we think about renovations, how do we as practitioners and leaders advocate for the specialized requirements to suit the needs of our evolving collections? How do we balance asking for what we want vs. what is minimally required? What sacrifices may be needed in order to satisfy external administrators whose priorities differ from those of us practicing in the profession? Decisions made - and perhaps not made - have lasting effects on our ability to care for and steward our collections.

Four archivists from various institutions will discuss, compare and contrast their renovation experiences from initial designs and proposals to completion. They will detail steps that were required to prepare for their projects, how they adapted to challenging circumstances along the way, and the desired vs. actual outcomes. The objective of this presentation will be to share their lessons learned - what went well and what didn’t - and allow for a robust question-and-answer session following their presentations. This session seeks to provide real life and actionable information that attendees can use to help with any possible future renovation plans at their own institutions.
Speakers
LV
JH
BF
AJ

Friday May 3, 2024 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
Salons FGH (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

1:45pm CDT

S503: Learning from Failure in Education and Outreach
Conference sessions often highlight archivists’ successes as opposed to failures and lessons learned. This session discusses the latter in education and outreach initiatives.

Matt Gorzalski guest lectured two classes in an in-person course for history majors in the Spring 2022. He modified his instruction for the Fall 2022 when the course was offered online and asynchronous. These efforts were met with crickets and a semester’s worth of research was wasted. The experience taught lessons in setting expectations with the instructor and better approaches concerning asynchronous courses.

The Upper Peninsula Digital Network is an access and preservation consortium established in 2021 by a two-year NHPRC implementation grant. During the first summer, Annika Peterson presented workshops that combined a pitch to potential members with a training session about the process and costs of participation. They were, to put it mildly, a complete dumpster fire, but they also taught her many valuable lessons about structuring presentations, working with people of different ages/communication styles, and the importance of pilot projects.

The Michigan Tech Archives is a co-sponsor of a once successful Michigan History Day contest. Post-pandemic, previous approaches to engage teachers and support students have fallen flat. Lindsay Hiltunen will discuss lessons learned to revitalize the program. Challenges explored will include strategies for working with teachers, students, and public schools in widespread rural communities and tribal lands.
Speakers
MG
LH
AP

Friday May 3, 2024 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
Salons ABC (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

2:45pm CDT

Break
Enjoy light refreshments in vendor area.
Friday May 3, 2024 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT
Des Moines Exhibit Hall (3rd floor)
  Break

2:45pm CDT

Poster Discussion
Poster sessions offer attendees the chance to see projects and research conducted by colleagues, from students to new archivists to career veterans. Poster presenters will be available to discuss their research on Friday during both the morning and afternoon breaks.

Poster Title: Not just for Catalogers: Archivists, Subject Headings, and Inclusion in ArchivesSpace
Presenter Names: Aiden Bettine, Kate Dietrick, and Rachel Weiher
Institutions: University of Minnesota

Poster Title: An Intimate Perspective on Community Archiving: Copándaro de Galeana, Michoacán
Presenter Names: Edith Mendez
Institutions: Dominican University

Poster Title: Archival Primary Source Literacy Through a Critical Race Theory Tool
Presenter Names: Yujay Masah
Institutions: Loyola University Chicago / Dominican University

Poster Title: QC Archives Fair: Collaboration in the QC
Presenter Names: Kathryn Whalen and Onnica Marquez
Institutions: Davenport Public Library and St. Ambrose University

Poster Title: Catching COVID Through Stories
Presenter Names: Miranda Ridener
Institutions: Neenah Historical Society

Poster Title: Midwest Oral History Network - (Where) to Begin?
Presenter Names: Ellen Brooks
Institutions: Independent Oral Historian

Poster Title: Preserving Oral Histories in a Trauma Space
Presenter Names: Shannon Hess
Institutions: St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum

Poster Title: “Root of the Issue”: Department of Dental Hygiene and Gender Discrimination
Presenter Names: Beatrice Kearns
Institutions: University of Iowa - Iowa Women's Archives

Poster Title: Square pegs and round holes: Examining an unconventional approach to using ArchivesSpace
Presenter Names: Julie Hatfield and Greg Kocken
Institutions: University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Special Collections and Archives

Poster Title: Photo Crowdsourcing at Grinnell College Alumni Reunion
Presenter Names: Allison Haack and Christopher Jones
Institutions: Grinnell College Libraries
 
Poster Title: Looking Forward: Web Game Preservation in the Digital Age
Presenter Names: Amelia Loew
Institutions: University of Iowa

Poster Title: Seed to Blossom: Cultivating Order from Oversized Collection Chaos
Presenter Names: Milo Nordman
Institutions: Leon S. McGoogan Health Sciences Library

Poster Title: Saving Scarborough: Processing an Animator's Collection
Presenter Names: Sarah Dodd
Institutions: University of Iowa Special Collections and Archives

Poster Title: Bookbinding Barbie: Archival Legacy & Community in the Pamela Spitzmueller Collection
Presenter Names: Carmela Furio
Institutions: University of Iowa Special Collections & Archives

Poster Title: Collaboratively Building Digital Collections
Presenter Names: Evan Miller
Institutions:  Wabash College

Poster Title: Preserving LGBTQ+ Stories: Recent Changes to the UW-Madison LGBTQ+ Oral History Program
Presenter Names: David Advent
Institutions: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Poster Title: Folklore Archives: Processing the Linda Degh Papers
Presenter Names: Sasha Goryl
Institutions: Indiana University - Bloomington

Friday May 3, 2024 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT
Des Moines Exhibit Hall (3rd floor)
  Poster Session

3:30pm CDT

MAC Member Meeting
The Members’ Meeting is open to all MAC members. Here you will learn about new
MAC developments and activities, as well as recognize your MAC peers who are
being presented with awards. President Jennie Thomas will present the State of MAC
address and inform attendees about upcoming MAC meetings and events.
Friday May 3, 2024 3:30pm - 5:00pm CDT
Salons DE (2nd floor)
  Meeting

3:30pm CDT

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE MAC Member Meeting
The Members’ Meeting is open to all MAC members. Here you will learn about new
MAC developments and activities, as well as recognize your MAC peers who are
being presented with awards. President Jennie Thomas will present the State of MAC
address and inform attendees about upcoming MAC meetings and events.
Friday May 3, 2024 3:30pm - 5:00pm CDT
  Virtual Conference

5:00pm CDT

Consortium of Iowa Archivists Meeting
A meeting for members of the CIA to come together to reunite and gauge interest in how the Consortium moves forward.
Friday May 3, 2024 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
Salons ABC (2nd floor)
  Meeting

6:00pm CDT

Restaurant Tours
The Local Arrangements Committee will host several restaurant tours at some of
our favorite local restaurants. Sign-up sheets will be posted near the registration area
Wednesday–Friday with details about each restaurant.

MAC is also facilitating a “lunch buddy” program to connect members outside of
sessions. Please see the Local Arrangements Blog for sign-up sheets.
Friday May 3, 2024 6:00pm - 8:00pm CDT
  Tour

7:00pm CDT

Euchre @ MAC
Come play a Midwestern card game with other Midwestern archivists! Instruction will be provided for those who are a little rusty on the details. Feel free to bring other games as well and press your colleagues into joining!
Friday May 3, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm CDT
Rock River Grill
  Break
 
Saturday, May 4
 

8:00am CDT

Registration
Saturday May 4, 2024 8:00am - 11:00am CDT
2nd Floor Foyer
  Registration

8:30am CDT

S601: Incoming! Changes to Archival Accessioning [live streamed]
There has been a rise of Accessioning job postings and literature in the field recently, with publication of “Archival Accessioning” and IMLS funded work to create a Best Practices for accessioning. This session will hear from 3 institutions that have recently implemented a new Accessioning Program and/or recently hired an Accessioning Archivist for the first time, with perspectives shared from both the supervisor of accessioning work and the archivist in the accessioning role. Lessons learned, recommendations for integrating an accessioning archivist into existing workflows, and roadblocks we ran into will all be shared. Additionally, these are some of the questions the group aims to address:
  • How are processing and accessioning related/separate?
  • How does a processing foundation influence accessioning work, and how can that base be used in Onboarding/training?
  • What skills can these accessioning archivists take into their next role, and what exactly is career progression for an accessioning archivist?
  • How are legacy issues being addressed when there is a new approach to creating accession information and gathering data about collections that especially seeks to highlight historically underrepresented voices?
  • What should institutions of various sizes/staffing structures take away from this “trend” in larger academic archives?
Speakers
RG
SK
RP
CP
JG
SG

Saturday May 4, 2024 8:30am - 10:00am CDT
Salons DE (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Lightning Talk

8:30am CDT

S602: The 1980s Farm Crisis in Iowa: Documentary Sources and Stories
The 1980s Farm Crisis in Iowa devastated rural communities and rural families, with a collapsed economy and farmers forced from their land. As described in Iowa State University Distinguished Professor of History Pamela Riney-Kehrberg’s new book – When a Dream Dies: Agriculture, Iowa, and the Farm Crisis of the 1980s, rural life in Iowa was completely disrupted. The Iowa Farm Crisis has been documented in a variety of resources and repositories throughout Iowa and include oral histories, organizational records, and materials which also document activism, the growing role of women and gender roles, and the impact on marginalized communities throughout the state and the Midwest.

Speakers will share about their collections and research projects for this traumatic decade and what it might mean for us as archivists: Amy Bishop will highlight a selection of Farm Crisis-related collections held by Iowa State University, tracing connections amongst organizations actively responding to the economic and social catastrophe and the personal histories documented in oral histories. Andrew Klumpp discusses recent public history collaborations led by the Annals of Iowa that highlighted a new oral history initiative with Ambassador to China and former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, an academic roundtable on Pamela Riney-Kehrberg’s book When a Dream Dies and resources for teaching K-12 students about the Farm Crisis of the 1980s. Nicole Saylor discusses her personal research project that looks at how the Farm Crisis continues to impact the people who grew up during it. She will highlight the archival resources, including personal narratives, that are informing her project. Dr. Riney-Kehrberg will provide commentary.
Speakers
TZ
AB
AK
PR
NS

Saturday May 4, 2024 8:30am - 10:00am CDT
Salons FGH (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

8:30am CDT

S603: Unearthing Women's Contributions in Archival Collections
Often women’s work and influence are thought to be under collected in institutions. Archivists often know this is not the case, that the women’s work is there, it sometimes just needs to be brought to the surface. This panel looks at ways in which we can both cultivate women and their work by publicizing the collections in programs, libguides, research works, and re-examine past procedures. Often a second look at a collection’s arrangement itself can reframe our knowledge and understanding of the materials already in our collections. One panelist will look at the role women’s religious congregations have played in the establishment and growth of schools and hospitals throughout this country. Looking at the records of one such congregation, the Sisters of St. Agnes, gives insight into the breadth of their influence in the fields of education and health care that is often overlooked. The second panelist will provide a broader look at some of the women in American Heritage Center collections and how they are significant but their contributions to their professions are often overlooked because of their gender and how sometimes their records are included in collections but harder to find if they aren’t the “name” or “organization” of emphasis in the collection. The third will look at the work of one woman, UW’s first librarian Grace Raymond Hebard, which illustrates the significant work these women did at colleges around the country. The last will look at the more practical side of how we can open up collections or reveal these collections/books through looking at existing collection orders and then reorganizing or rewriting collection inventories to bring the women to the forefront.
Speakers
MB
JL
EC
GK

Saturday May 4, 2024 8:30am - 10:00am CDT
Salons ABC (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

8:30am CDT

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE S601: Incoming! Changes to Archival Accessioning [live streamed]
There has been a rise of Accessioning job postings and literature in the field recently, with publication of “Archival Accessioning” and IMLS funded work to create a Best Practices for accessioning. This session will hear from 3 institutions that have recently implemented a new Accessioning Program and/or recently hired an Accessioning Archivist for the first time, with perspectives shared from both the supervisor of accessioning work and the archivist in the accessioning role. Lessons learned, recommendations for integrating an accessioning archivist into existing workflows, and roadblocks we ran into will all be shared. Additionally, these are some of the questions the group aims to address:
  • How are processing and accessioning related/separate?
  • How does a processing foundation influence accessioning work, and how can that base be used in Onboarding/training?
  • What skills can these accessioning archivists take into their next role, and what exactly is career progression for an accessioning archivist?
  • How are legacy issues being addressed when there is a new approach to creating accession information and gathering data about collections that especially seeks to highlight historically underrepresented voices?
  • What should institutions of various sizes/staffing structures take away from this “trend” in larger academic archives?
Speakers
RG
SK
RP
CP
JG
SG

Saturday May 4, 2024 8:30am - 10:00am CDT
  Virtual Conference, Lightning Talk

10:00am CDT

Break
Enjoy light refreshments in 2nd floor foyer area.
Saturday May 4, 2024 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
2nd Floor Foyer
  Break

10:30am CDT

S701: Empowering Educators: Nurturing Faculty Comfort with Primary Source Instruction through Innovative Outreach and Learning Communities [live streamed]
Teaching students to use primary sources and develop primary source literacy can be
challenging: primary sources may not be available locally or on a given topic, students
may need training and support to find and use sources, and technology may make
potential sources unavailable or unreliable. Faculty, who often have no formal training on
how to find and incorporate primary source materials in the classroom, are often stymied
as much as their students in finding and utilizing primary sources in their own research,
not to mention integrating them into classroom instruction and assignments.
Recognizing this challenge, librarians and archivists may choose to actively engage with
faculty to provide professional development opportunities with the goal of empowering
educators to make the most of primary source materials in their teaching and research.
Participants in this session will learn from two distinct case examples—one from Bowling
Green State University (BGSU) demonstrating the creation of a multi-session learning
community for faculty and graduate students, and the other from Butler Community
College demonstrating the development of standalone 50-minute workshops. Whether
you’re ready to implement a learning community or looking to start with one-shot
opportunities for faculty, this session will provide practical tips and advice for cultivating
empowered educators who are better prepared to incorporate primary sources in their
classrooms.
Speakers
RR
KV
MS
SH

Saturday May 4, 2024 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Salons DE (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

10:30am CDT

S702: Cultivating your Archival Garden: Digging into Data for Assessment and Programmatic Improvement
Archivists are gathering more data than ever, whether that be metadata, processing metrics, or collection use data. However, it takes time and effort to use this data to assess and inform our current work. This session aims to present three case studies that examine data-driven approaches to archival functions. Megan Mummey will discuss using collection use data to analyze research trends, set processing priorities, and determine collections in need of reprocessing or redescription. Hannah Pryor will present on using data on past record transfers to identify collection gaps and plan outreach strategies to build the University Archives. Morgen MacIntosh Hodgetts will report on her collection-wide survey using the assessment module in ArchivesSpace, which she plans to use to inform future collection management projects, the prioritization of reprocessing and redescription, and the revision of the collection development policy. To build off the saying “One must cultivate one’s own garden”, this proposal posits that to cultivate our “archival gardens,'' we must use data to improve and inform our work, whether that be in assessing description, prioritizing collections for processing, or identifying collection gaps.
Speakers
MM
HP
MM

Saturday May 4, 2024 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Salons ABC (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

10:30am CDT

S703: Finding Aids for Finding Collections: Using New Description to Intellectually Reunite Traditionally Split Collections
Acknowledging that existing collection management practices and policies are no longer adequate takes courage. Acting on this takes time and patience. This can be especially true when tradition and inertia maintain a status quo that does not serve the interests of the collections or users. This session will explore examples of description and access practices that initiated changes to these situations. Presenters will share case studies of decisions to provide access to split collections, tools used for description and access, and how each experience and situation considers past or current donor relations, collection development decisions or practices, joint or separate research access points, and past and current user needs. Session attendees will leave with practical approaches to description and access for physically and/or administratively siloed portions of intellectually similar collections, as well as an understanding of how archival description can be used to bridge those silos in varying management contexts.

Treshani and Ruth will discuss their approach to unifying University of Kentucky School of Music concert recordings and programs housed in the University Archives and the Fine Arts Library. They will cover collection acquisition and description decisions, including their decision to create an archival collection guide and a collection-level MARC record providing two access pathways to this dispersed collection.  Lindy and Derek will discuss their work at the University of Missouri-Kansas City to combine multiple finding aids for split collections as part of an ArchivesSpace implementation. With this shift, access is more straightforward for patrons, but it has necessitated new workflows for staff.
Speakers
TP
RE
LS
DL

Saturday May 4, 2024 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Salons FGH (2nd floor)
  Concurrent Session, Panel

10:30am CDT

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE S701: Empowering Educators: Nurturing Faculty Comfort with Primary Source Instruction through Innovative Outreach and Learning Communities [live streamed]
Teaching students to use primary sources and develop primary source literacy can be
challenging: primary sources may not be available locally or on a given topic, students
may need training and support to find and use sources, and technology may make
potential sources unavailable or unreliable. Faculty, who often have no formal training on
how to find and incorporate primary source materials in the classroom, are often stymied
as much as their students in finding and utilizing primary sources in their own research,
not to mention integrating them into classroom instruction and assignments.
Recognizing this challenge, librarians and archivists may choose to actively engage with
faculty to provide professional development opportunities with the goal of empowering
educators to make the most of primary source materials in their teaching and research.
Participants in this session will learn from two distinct case examples—one from Bowling
Green State University (BGSU) demonstrating the creation of a multi-session learning
community for faculty and graduate students, and the other from Butler Community
College demonstrating the development of standalone 50-minute workshops. Whether
you’re ready to implement a learning community or looking to start with one-shot
opportunities for faculty, this session will provide practical tips and advice for cultivating
empowered educators who are better prepared to incorporate primary sources in their
classrooms.
Speakers
RR
KV
MS
SH

Saturday May 4, 2024 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
  Virtual Conference, Panel
 
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