News

The Society of American Archivists is pleased to announce the launch of the SAA Dataverse: a repository for sharing and reusing archives-related datasets. Check out this article to learn more about the Dataverse and how to submit your own qualitative or quantitative data. If you don’t currently have materials to deposit, keep the SAA Dataverse in mind for your future research and data management plans. You do not need to be an SAA member to submit to or use the SAA Dataverse. Contact corda@archivists.org if you have any questions or would like assistance with submitting your data.

The SNAC Cooperative is offering a number of sessions on Using SNAC (Social Networks and Archival Context) for Reference and Research. These sessions are being held on May 18, July 13, September 14, and November 16. Please contact the National Archives' SNAC Liaison, Dina Herbert (dina.herbert@nara.gov) to reserve a spot in one of these courses.

The Church History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is seeking a Digital Asset and Indexing Intern to assist in the digitization, description, and provision of online access to its holdings as possible. The Library identifies and describes people, places, and events in millions of images from published materials and archival collections. Metadata is derived from paper and electronic indices and the digital content itself.

The Church History Library is looking for a candidate with the education, experience, and expertise to help create and transform this metadata, and to assist employees and volunteers by performing quality assurance reviews and providing feedback.

This is an hourly, part-time, paid position.

Responsibilities

• Learn how to use the Church History Library’s metadata enrichment tools
• Carry out assigned metadata projects to create, enhance, transform, and normalize existing metadata in spreadsheets and other electronic documents for improved discoverability
• Train volunteers how to use the Library’s metadata enrichment tools
• Assign and review volunteer metadata enrichment work
• Reconcile and resolve problems or exceptions encountered in this process
• Improve professional skills relating to library, archives, and digital asset management
• Improve personal knowledge of Church history

For more information about the position, necessary qualifications, and to apply, visit the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' careers website at https://careersearch.churchofjesuschrist.org/, using position number 336088.

The Division of Archives and Record Services is looking for a new Collection Management Specialist to provide support to division programs and customers searching for historical state records.

The Collection Management Specialist is a vital part of the Division’s physical and intellectual control of a permanent collection of historic government records by: 

• Providing customer service by managing record circulation and assisting visitors with records requests, check-outs, and check-ins. 
• Performing complex data entry in multiple systems to ensure intellectual control over record collections. 
• Proactively identifying and creating solutions for data issues.
• Performing basic troubleshooting on automated storage system hardware and software.
• Participating in collection management projects, such as inventorying record collections.
• Providing core support for State Archives Reference, Processing, and Reformatting Programs.
• Collaborating as a part of the Archives Circulation Team and implementing process improvements based on guidance from that team. 
• Physically lifting and filing boxes in an automated storage and retrieval system environment.

For more information about the position, necessary qualifications, and to apply, visit the State of Utah job site at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/utah/jobs/3455034/archives-collection-management-specialist. 

Do you know of any archives individuals, groups, or organizations that deserve recognition for outstanding contributions to advancing diversity within the archives profession? Then nominate them for the SAA Diversity Award!

Up to two awards may be given each year. Recent awardees have included Judy Tyrus, cofounder and CEO of ChromaDiverse, Inc. the Puerto Rico Citizenship Archives Project (2019), the Community Archivist Program at the Austin History Center, Maya from the Margins Archives Project at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2018); the Texas Disability History Collection at the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries, the Tretter Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies at the University of Minnesota Libraries (2017); the SAA Latin American and Cultural Heritage Archives Roundtable webinar series, "Desmantelando Fronteras/Breaking Down Borders" (2016); and The Shorefront Legacy Center AND Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, University of Florida (2015)

Please see details below and on the SAA website.

The Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, the Ogden Union Station, and other partners are hosting an inclusive, intergovernmental, and interdisciplinary symposium on the relationship between Native peoples and the railroad. The event will be held at the Ogden Union Station from May 19-21, 2022. More information about the symposium is available through the Division of Indian Affairs (https://indian.utah.gov/events/railroads-in-native-america/).

A call for session proposals is now open, with submissions due by December 15, 2021. For more information about session formats, and to submit a proposal, please visit the symposium website.

The Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists (CIMA) is currently accepting nominations for the 2022 CIMA Awards. Three awards will be presented at the joint CIMA Conference in Spring 2022:

1. Lifetime Achievement Award
2. Service Award
3. Mentor Award

Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented by the peers and colleagues of the recipients, the prestigious CIMA Lifetime Achievement Award acknowledges and demonstrates appreciation for a life of service and leadership in the archival profession or for significant continued support of the archival community and its institutions. Nominees must have demonstrated strong leadership and advanced scholarship on both regional and national levels. The 2021 recipient was Robert Spindler, Former Head of Archives and Special Collections and University Archivist at Arizona State University’s Hayden Library.

Required for nomination: Nomination letter, CV or resume of nominee
Optional: Up to two (2) supporting letters of recommendation

Service Award
The CIMA Service Award is given to an individual who has made significant contributions in recent years to the CIMA organization, to the archival institutions of the intermountain region, or to the archival profession. The award is given in appreciation for service, leadership, and support of the region’s archival community. Nominees must have demonstrated an inspirational spirit and have worked to build a career based on service. However, nominees of the CIMA Service Award may not have yet achieved many of the career milestones required for the Lifetime Achievement Award. The 2021 recipient was Roger Myers, University of Arizona Libraries Special Collections.

Required for nomination: Nomination letter, CV or resume of nominee
Optional: Up to two (2) supporting letters of recommendation

Mentor Award
In connection with the CIMA Mentoring Program, the Mentor Award celebrates those CIMA Members who strive to help cultivate career development in the archival community, and who have worked with students or new professionals to build professional knowledge and expertise within the next generation. The 2021 recipient was Laura Palmer Blandford, Arizona State Deputy Archivist.

Criteria:

• Advocates for students and/or new professionals
• Provides guidance in professional development and self-assessment
• Helps students and/or new professionals build a professional network through collaborations and introductions
• Demonstrates sustained commitment to creating a productive working environment that enhances the archive work experience

Required for nomination: Nomination letter (500 words or fewer)
Optional: Up to two (2) supporting letters of recommendation (500 words or fewer)

Nomination and selection process
Nominations must be submitted by a CIMA member; however, nominees do not have to be members of CIMA. All members are encouraged to participate in the nomination process. You may remain anonymous.

The final deadline for submission is January 14, 2022. Please submit letters of nomination and appropriate documentation to emily.lapworth@unlv.edu. Additional materials that are not listed as required or optional will not be considered. Award recipients (and nominators) will be notified by March 11, 2022.

We have an exciting two days planned with presentations, a poster session, vendors, a virtual transcription competition courtesy of From the Page (great for those wanting to play around with the software, or just can’t get enough of transcribing, or, are highly competitive!), and our Annual Business Meeting during which we will provide updates on CIMA’s 501(c)(6) status, present awards, and announce our newly elected Council members, and scholarship recipients. The itinerary is listed below.

In the meantime…Registration for the 2021 Annual Business Meeting and Conference is now open! We will be sending out a Zoom link for those who register for the Meeting, just prior to the event.

There is still time to register for the all-day SAA workshop, Introduction to PREMIS, being offered on Wednesday, April 28. The cut-off date for the workshop registration is Friday, April 9th. We need at least 15 people registered, otherwise we will have to cancel. Due to COVID, the day-long SAA workshops currently count as in-person workshops, so take advantage of saving on traveling expenses while you can!

We look forward to seeing you.

2021 CIMA Program Committee,
Ellen M. Ryan, Program Committee Chair, Idaho State University
Kimberly Anderson, University of Nevada, Reno
Jennifer Barkdull, Church History Library
Ryan Lee, Brigham Young University
Molly Rose Steed, University of Utah

Recordings of the presentations from this year’s Fall Caucus are now available. Speakers included Ryan Lee, Darcy Pumphrey, Rebecca Nelson, Kimberly Anderson, Katherine Dirk, and Nathan Gerth. Recordings of the business meeting and open forum are also provided.

Copies of the recordings are available at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Ry52u5uStH43uuOOmui5YI1TnC2OHpUm?usp=sharing

We are pleased to announce that we have finalized the agenda for the 2020 Fall Caucus meeting--"Archival Work in a Time of Crisis"--to be held via Zoom on Friday, October 30, 2020, and registration is now open! 

Register at the following link: http://forms.gle/WEBQVnPF1mcUMWnk7

Registration is FREE and open to all CIMA members, students, and non-member colleagues. However, to ensure a secure meeting, you are REQUIRED to register and provide your e-mail. Information about how to join the virtual event will be delivered to the e-mail address provided. 

The meeting is planned to be held from 10am-noon MDT / 9am-11am PDT. We have some great presentations planned, along with a brief update and discussion on CIMA-related issues. We will then open up the remainder of the meeting to anyone who would like to share briefly (5 min. max.) and informally something they have done/learned/changed, etc. in their institution during the pandemic. You can also come with questions to pose to fellow CIMA members to learn how others are dealing with particularly difficult situations. Or, just come and listen and reconnect (virtually) with the rest of the CIMA community! 

And, while registration is free, please consider making a donation of any amount to the CIMA scholarship fund. Donations can be made online at this website.

We look forward to seeing you all there on October 30!