MARAC Program Information
FALL 1997 PROGRAM, WILMINGTON, DE: "MARAC's 25th Anniversary Homecoming"
November 6-8, 1997
Thursday, November 6th:
WORKSHOPS
(W1) Casual Affair Or Lasting Relationship?
ARCHIVISTS, LIBRARIANS, AND FAMILY
HISTORIANS
1:00 - 4:30 PM
Archivists and librarians will be introduced to the
unique nature of family history research. We will
examine how a genealogist gets started in doing family
history. Other topics covered will include: genealogical
recordkeeping techniques, the ways in which genealogists
document facts, standard sources and searching
techniques, and tracing family relationships. The
presenter will also review the range of educational
opportunities available for genealogists by local, state,
and national organizations. The presentation will
conclude with a discussion of past and potential joint
efforts between archivists and genealogists in the areas of
preservation, volunteer assistance, improving research
skills, and organizing lobbying efforts.
Arthur F. Sniffin (Archivist/Genealogy Lecturer)
(W2) Forever Young: PAPER CONSERVATION
1:00 - 4:30 PM
This workshop will include a series of presenters to
explain and demonstrate sound conservation practices and
preservation strategies for a variety of objects such as
books, manuscripts, art on paper, architectural drawings,
and photographic materials. Advice will be offered for
the care and handling of objects, which will include
recommendations for simple repairs, deacidification and
storage.
Scott Husby (Princeton University); Barbara MeireHusby
(Rare Books Conservator); Ted Stanley (Princeton
University); Sarah Stauderman (Smithsonian Institution);
Dana Tepper (Princeton University and University of
Delaware/Winterthur Art Conservation Program); Erin
Vigneau (Princeton University)
(W3) Won't Get Fooled Again: HOW NOT TO PRESERVE
PHOTOGRAPHS
1:00 - 4:30 PM
Intended both for beginners and experienced
practitioners, this workshop will discuss famous and
unknown boondoggles that have been made in
photographic preservation over the past 150 years.
Through accidents, ignorance, carelessness, or
incompetence, errors have been made in chemical
processing, storage conditions and equipment, duplication,
mounting, exhibition, disaster recovery, conservation
treatment, reference services, and other work with
photographs, affecting from one item to thousands per
instance. Gary Saretzky, the instructor, now works as
archivist for the County of Monmouth, New Jersey. He
has also served as a consultant for more than three dozen
photographic archives throughout the United States,
teaches the history of photography at Mercer County
Community College, and coordinates the Public History
Internship Program at Rutgers University.
Gary Saretzky (Monmouth County Archives, Monmouth
Co., NJ)
TOURS
(T1) First and Central Presbyterian Church
12:00 NOON - 3:00 PM
(T2) Rockford Brewing Company
4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
(T3) Kalmer Nichols
2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Arline Custer Committee -- 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Finding Aids Committee -- 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Meetings Coordinating Committee -- 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Outreach Committee -- 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Nominating Committee -- 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Education Committee -- 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Publications Committee -- 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Finance Committee -- 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Membership Committee -- 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Steering Committee -- 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM
EVENTS
Film Festival II
8:30 PM - 10:00 PM
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Friday, November 7
PLEASE NOTE: There will be three types of sessions at this
conference: Retro, Special Focus, and Regular. The format of
the presentation will be indicated in parenthesis at the end of
each session title.
Special focus sessions are largely discussion-oriented. The
panelists serve as facilitators and "experts" on their topics, and
attendees are expected to cluster around their own particular
interests and concerns. The intent is to maximize discussion, to
encourage group problem-solving, and to respond to the issues
raised by the audience. Retro sessions are updated versions of
topics that appeared in the original 1972 MARAC program. The
intent is to examine how the profession has addressed these
issues over the past twenty-five years, assess where we are at,
and look into what the future holds. Regular sessions have a
more traditional format, with speakers addressing current topics
of general professional interest.
New Member Orientation -- 7:45 AM - 8:30 AM
Exhibitors -- 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Caucus Continental Breakfasts -- 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
(DC, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,
Virginia, West Virginia)
CONCURRENT SESSIONS -- 10:30 AM - 12:00 NOON
(S1) I Just Want To Celebrate: COORDINATING
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS (Special Focus)
Is your institution's anniversary just around the corner?
How can the Archives play a crucial role in this event?
All three speakers will discuss their involvement in
launching successful anniversary celebrations. Topics
include: an historical overview of anniversaries, getting
support from senior management, preparation, developing
a theme, fundraising, organizing historical exhibitions,
and the challenges of coordinating an anniversary
campaign.
Cheryl Leibold (Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts),
Chair; Gino Francesconi (Carnegie Hall); John Panter
(Parish of Trinity Church in the City of New York);
Charles St. Vil (The New York Times Company
Archives).
(S2) Day After Day: CONSERVATION: PAST, PRESENT,
AND FUTURE 1972-1997 (Retro)
What has been happening in this dynamic field during
the past twenty-five years? Experts share their wit,
wisdom, and anecdotes about the theory and practice of
conservation and preservation. Among other issues, they
will discuss how scientific and technological advances
have influenced their approaches. They will examine the
myths and realities of gaining institutional support for
preservation. They will offer tips for winning converts to
the conservation cause and for expanding conservation
budgets! In short, they will discuss everything you have
always wanted to know about conservation/preservation,
but were afraid to ask! Don't miss it!!
Yvonne Carnigan (University of Maryland), chair; Don
Etherington (Etherington Conservation Center); Evelyn
Frangakis (National Library of Agriculture); Ted Stanley
(Princeton University).
(S3) What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been: HISTORICAL
TRENDS AND HISTORIANS' (MIS)USES OF
ARCHIVES (regular)
Historiographical trends, research interests,
methodological techniques, and analytical frameworks
have significantly altered the practice of academic history
over the past twenty-five years. Have archival collecting
policies and collection emphases shifted as well? How
important are historians in defining archival priorities?
Although historians and archivists inhabit the same
documentary universe, the relationship between them has
sometimes been testy and uneasy. How has the
relationship changed over the past twenty-five years?
The presenters, each of whom straddles the line between
professional history and archives, will present their
perspectives.
Eva Moseley (Schlesinger Library), chair; Kristin Gleeson
(Presbyterian Historical Society); Marjorie McNinch
(Hagley Museum and Archives); Darwin Stapleton
(Rockefeller Archive Center).
(S4) It Ain't Me, It Ain't Me, I Ain't No Fortunate Son:
ARCHIVISTS, PRIMARY RESOURCES, AND
POLITICAL ACTION (regular)
Primary sources can be a powerful tool to effect
change, and archivists can be the catalysts necessary to
transform public opinion and revise policy. This session
focuses on several instances where archivists and primary
sources helped to produce dramatic changes in public
opinion and governmental policy. The infamous
Tuskegee Syphilis Study, which took place from 1932
until 1972, left in its wake a legacy of deep distrust,
especially among African-Americans. On 16 May 1997,
President Clinton offered an apology to Tuskegee
survivors, and set in motion reforms and initiatives to
turn this shameful legacy into something positive. Two
session participants will discuss the Tuskegee study, the
role of archives, and the legacy. Smoking and tobacco
companies have also been controversial objects of
governmental reform in recent years. One of the session
participants will address the role played by the FDA in
crystallizing public opinion and forcing change. The
moderator will discuss the issues that are raised when a
working archivist is faced with investigators seeking to
track down primary resources that might be useful in
forcing political action.
Jodi Koste (Medical College of Virginia of Virginia
Commonwealth University), Chair; Suzanne White Junod
(U.S. Food and Drug Administration); Joan Echtenkamp
Klein (University of Virginia Health Sciences Center);
Paul Lombardo (University of Virginia, Institute of Law,
Psychiatry, and Public Policy).
CONCURRENT SESSIONS -- 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
(S5) Takin' Care Of Business: APPRAISAL AND
DOCUMENTATION IN INSTITUTIONAL
ARCHIVES (Special Focus)
Business archivists face many complex decisions in
their work, balancing service to the corporation with an
obligation to serve history and humanistic scholarship.
How do corporate recordkeepers make appraisal decisions
that effectively reduce the quantity of extraneous material
in their repositories, while also preserving truly useful
documentation? Participants will also discuss the ways in
which institutional archivists develop strategies to
document the myriad aspects of a company's history.
Other topics for discussion include the political realities
relevant to appraisal, and the impact of current
historiographic trends on the daily documentation
decisions made by corporate archivists.
Bruce Dearstyne (University of Maryland, College of
Library and Information Services), Chair; Marcy
Goldstein (The Document Organization/Lexichron);
Michael Nash (The Hagley Museum and Library); Jessica
Silver (The Winthrop Group, Inc.).
(S6) I'll Take You There: DATABASES AND YOUR
ARCHIVES (Special Focus)
For nearly twenty years now, archivists have used
computers and software programs to track their holdings
and increase access to their collections. But how does
one select a program, given the many available choices?
Do we need archive-specific software, or will flat
databases serve our needs just as well? What works and
what doesn't in database design? What role can a
database play in assisting reference work? This session
will explore many aspects of the wonderful world of
databases, including design, format, the ways in which
archivists can augment finding aids and make them
available on OPACs, and the relationship between local
databases and the World Wide Web.
Dan Linke (Princeton University), chair; Lee Gladwin
(National Archives); Ian Moir (Northwest Territory
Archives, Canada); Jon Reynolds (Georgetown
University).
(S7) Talking Loud And Saying Nothing? ARCHIVAL
LITERATURE, 1972-1997 (Retro)
A large literature has grown around archival topics
since the first MARAC meeting, when participants
organized a session entitled "What How-To-Do-It
Publications We Need and How To Get Them." The
SAA has sponsored two series of basic manuals, an
academic archival theory class has emerged in various
graduate education programs, and specialized monographs
have appeared on various topics. Yet, many in the
profession feel that the literature does not serve their
needs or interests. The panelists, including the current
editor of the American Archivist, the chair of SAA's
Publications Committee, and the Chair of MARAC's
Publications Committee, comment on the past, present,
and future of archival publishing.
Ben Primer (Princeton University), Chair; Philip Eppard
(State University of New York - Albany and editor of the
American Archivist); Susan Hamburger (Penn State
University); Helen Tibbo (University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill).
(S8) American Pie: DOCUMENTING MTV, AND
MODERN LIFE (Regular)
American culture has undergone extraordinary changes
in the past twenty-five years. Some argue that we have
entered a post-modernist age when all coherence is lost.
Clearly, the documentation of contemporary culture
presents new problems and demands that archivists look
beyond traditional sources. These archivists, representing
some of the newer "alternative" non-textual and
multimedia repositories, will address the problem of
documenting American society. From rock videos, to
contemporary film, to modern dance, they are helping
redefine the nature of archives. The chair, who has
twenty-one years of experience at ABC News, will offer
a perspective as well.
Sara Myerson (Consultant) chair; Norma McCabe (MTV
Networks, Videotape Library); William Murphy (National
Archives and Records Administration, Non-Textual
Division); Madeline Nichols (Dance Collection, New
York Public Library Performing Arts Division).
WORKSHOP -- 1:30 to 5:00 PM
(W4) If You Could Read My Mind: ENCODED
ARCHIVAL DESCRIPTION
This will be a hands-on workshop designed for those
will little or no EAD experience. Participants will
examine briefly how finding aids are disseminated over
the Internet via Gopher, Hypertext Mark-up Language
(HTML), and Standard Generalized Mark-up Language
(SGML). They will also gain a basic familiarity with
SGML-authoring software (pending availability); explore
the structure of finding aids and learn how that structure
is represented in the EAD document-type definition;
discover how to access EAD documentation and advice;
and discuss implementation issues and how to assist in
developing a community standard for electronic finding
aids.
Enrollment is limited to 12.
Workshop will be held at the University of Delaware,
Wilmington.
Janice E. Ruth, Library of Congress, Manuscripts
Division; and Helena Zinkham, Library of Congress,
Prints and Photographs Division.
CONCURRENT SESSIONS -- 3:45 - 5:15 PM
(S9) All I Got Is A Photograph: ARCHIVISTS GET
VISUAL (Special Focus)
Photographs are here to stay. In the twenty-five years
since MARAC was founded, many archives have built
significant research collections around visual records.
Some historians have argued that training students to
"think visually" is at least as significant as teaching them
to analyze texts. As these "records" have increased in
importance, descriptive standards, conservation practices,
and changing researcher needs have sharpened our ability
to make collections more accessible. This interactive
discussion session brings together professionals from a
museum, a historical society, and academic institution and
a research institute. All have catalogued, conserved, and--in important ways--served photo collections. Their
helpful tips and assessment of the current state of
knowledge will be helpful to all--especially archivists,
curators, and librarians in small and mid-sized
institutions.
Colleen Byrne (Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies, chair;
Mike Mashon (Library of American Broadcasting,
University of Maryland, College Park); Ellen Rendle
(Historical Society of Delaware); Jon Williams (Hagley
Museum and Archive).
(S10) All The Young Dudes: THE ORIGINAL HITS BY
THE ORIGINAL MARAC ARTISTS (Retro)
Join us for a walk down archival memory lane (or, if
you prefer, into the sinkhole of institutional history),
when we were all twenty-five years younger, when no
one could possibly think that MARAC was really MARC
misspelled, and to a time before lawyers and insurance
companies dried up the hospitality suite (or tried to).
MARAC founders and fogies will reminisce about the
conceptualization, founding and early years of the
organization. They will also discuss their original hopes
and dreams for MARAC, reflect on the ways in which
the organization succeeded and adapted to archival
change, and consider the ways in which it has failed to
achieve its goals. What is the role of a regional archival
organization in 1997? Attend and find out.
Ronald Becker (Rutgers University) chair; Mary
Boccaccio (East Carolina State University); Donald Fisher
Harrison, Ph.D., C.A. (National Archives, retired); Mike
Plunkett (University of Virginia); Bro. Denis Sennett
(Friars of the Atonement).
(S11) Got To Keep The Customers Satisfied: DEFINING
AND RELATING TO YOUR CLIENTELE (Regular)
The archival institutional landscape looks quite
different than it did twenty-five years ago. Do we know
our current customers and their requirements? Are they
satisfied? What instruments, if any, can we use to
measure their satisfaction? Do we identify patrons
adequately and track their ever-changing needs? Are
there procedures for dealing with "problem" patrons?
What impact has technology had on our ability to deliver
information, and are we using it adequately to benefit our
clientele? How consistent is our level of service to all
customers? How do we balance customer needs against
ever-shrinking budgets and staff reductions? As the
demand for instant information increases, has our ability
to deliver increased accordingly? Learn the answers to
these and all of your other customer-related questions
from our distinguished panel of archival experts.
Ira Galtman (American Express Company), chair; Judith
Johnson (Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc.);
Marisa Keller (The Corcoran Gallery and School of Art);
Diana Maull (Westchester County Archives).
(S12) Dancing In The Moonlight: ENVISIONING AN
INTEGRATED ARCHIVAL COMMUNITY (Regular)
Issues of archival cooperation proliferate during a
period of archival growth and diversification within
discrete regions and subject collecting areas. The
speakers will discuss and debate a variety of topics: inter-
institutional cooperation in cyberspace; the evolution of
the concept of archival sharing from physical acquisition
to conceptualizing web exhibits; the role of regional
repositories in keeping historical documents within the
local community; the ways in which State Historical
Records Advisory Boards (SHRABs) can coordinate
archival endeavors and encourage cooperative
planning ["Dancing In The Moonlight"]
Lee Stout (Penn State University), chair; Kay J. Domine
(College of William and Mary); Carolyn Sutcher
Schumacher (Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania);
John Suter (New York Folklore Society).
EVENTS
Spring 1998 And Fall 1998 Program Committee And Local
Arrangements Committee Meetings.
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Homecoming Dance & Buffet
6:30 PM - 10:00 PM
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Saturday, November 8th:
BUFFET BREAKFAST AND BUSINESS MEETING
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
WORKSHOPS
(W5) Whoa-oh-oh, Listen to the Music: ORAL HISTORY
WORKSHOP: RETRIEVING THE IRRETRIEVABLE PAST
9:30 AM - 1:00 PM
As recently as fifteen years ago, oral history was still
considered a new and controversial historical
methodology. Today, it is a standard tool for retrieving,
reconstructing, and analyzing the past. In this workshop,
participants will learn how to begin creating oral history
collections for historical societies, museums, and archives.
We will briefly examine the theoretical uses and misuses
of oral history. Participants will learn the technique of
conducting interviews through observation, role playing,
and other exercises. Finally, we will discuss practical
uses for oral history collections including their role in
exhibitions, research, institutional histories, and public
programming.
Suzanne Wasserman (New York University)
(W6) If You Could Read My Mind: ENCODED
ARCHIVAL DESCRIPTION
8:30 to 12:00
This will be a hands-on workshop designed for those
will little or no EAD experience. Participants will
examine briefly how finding aids are disseminated over
the Internet via Gopher, Hypertext Mark-up Language
(HTML), and Standard Generalized Mark-up Language
(SGML). They will also gain a basic familiarity with
SGML-authoring software (pending availability); explore
the structure of finding aids and learn how that structure
is represented in the EAD document-type definition;
discover how to access EAD documentation and advice;
and discuss implementation issues and how to assist in
developing a community standard for electronic finding
aids.
Enrollment is limited to 12.
Workshop will be held at the University of Delaware,
Wilmington.
Janice E. Ruth, Library of Congress, Manuscripts
Division; and Helena Zinkham, Library of Congress,
Prints and Photographs Division.
CONCURRENT SESSIONS: 9:45 AM - 11:15 AM
(S13) On The Cover Of The Rolling Stone: EXHIBITS: A
RETROSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVE (Special Focus)
In keeping with the conference theme, these discussion
leaders will reflect on a quarter-century of exhibit theory
and practice. Issues such as selection, preservation,
censorship, and political correctness will be explored.
The impact of new technologies and techniques, as well
as conservation advances, will be highlighted. The role
of viewers and audience, and their changing expectations,
will be discussed. If the past is really prologue, what's in
store for the next twenty-five years? The virtual exhibit
for the virtual patron? Our panel, drawn from diverse
disciplines and institutional contexts will share their
insights and solicit yours on exhibits in the coming
millennium.
Steve Dalina (Rutgers University), chair; Margaret Sherry
(Princeton University); Ruth Simmons (Rutgers
University); Lorraine Williams (New Jersey State
Museum); Lorraine Williams (NJ State Museum).
(S14) I Can See Clearly Now: TEACHING, DOING, AND
REGRETTING APPRAISAL, 1972-1997 (Retro)
So what are you doing with all that stuff? Perhaps this
session can help. As institutions have increased in size
and complexity over the past twenty-five years, and as
the relationships between institutions have changed,
records multiply exponentially. And, as records increase,
pressures and demands on appraisal archivists to make the
right choice rapidly take on greater urgency. But how do
you learn to make the right choice? And what happens if
you're wrong? Greg Bradsher will moderate this session
and reminisce about his appraisal mistakes. Greg Hunter
will talk about the ways in which he educates appraisal
archivists. Tom Connors will discuss a new Bentley
Fellowship project on revising appraisal practices for
labor organizations, as unions merge and reorganize.
Greg Bradsher (National Archives and Records
Administration); Thomas Connors (National Public
Broadcasting); Greg Hunter (Palmer School of Library
and Information Sciences).
(S15) If You Got The Money, Honey, I Got The Time:
PROJECT ARCHIVISTS TELL THEIR STORIES
(Regular)
Repositories are becoming increasingly dependent on
grant funding for processing and rehousing materials, as
well as for microfilming and digitization projects. Many
entry-level jobs are project-based. Little analysis exists
concerning the place of such projects in an institution#s
mission, the expectations of grant-funding agencies, and
the role of the individual most responsible for
accomplishing the project's goals--the Project Archivist
herself. Archivists from three diverse institutional
settings will discuss their past and present project
experiences, in an attempt to develop of analytical
framework that will hopefully advance the discussion.
Richard Waldron (New Jersey Historical Commission),
chair; Laura Peimer (The Winthrop Group); Fernanda
Perrone (Rutgers University); Claire McCurdy (Planned
Parenthood Federation).
CONCURRENT SESSIONS: 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
(S16) Reelin' In The Years: PRESERVATION OF VIDEO,
FILM, AND AUDIO (Special Focus)
Repositories are acquiring more and more non-textual
materials, and as communications patterns continue to
evolve this trend shows no sign of abating. Preserving
these materials presents some challenging issues. What
are the definitive works and sources concerning
preservation? How do archivists balance their financial
resources against preservation needs? What are the most
cost-effective options? What would we do if money was
no object? This session will provide some of the
answers. Topics will include: the diversity of non-textual
formats, the desirability of reformatting and migration;
and environmental issues.
Mona Jimenez (Media Alliance), Chair; Chuck Howell
(Library of American Broadcasting, and National Public
Broadcasting Archives, University of Maryland); Alan
Lewis (National Archives and Records Administration);
Elizabeth Schaff (Peabody Institute).
(S17) Stairway To Heaven: DESCRIPTION AND ACCESS,
1972-1997 (Retro)
At first glance, the development of uniform descriptive
standards and changing technologies appear to have
altered the nature of archival finding aids. But how
universal and wide-ranging has this transformation been?
And, has it fundamentally changed the way in which
users approach archives? The panel includes one
archivist who has authored the Society of American
Archivists' basic manual on description, a second who
was involved in the development and implementation of
the USMARC:amc format, and a third who has been a
principal mover in the applying Standard Generalized
Mark-Up Language to archival finding aids. Together,
they will consider the past, present, and future of archival
description, and determine whether the changes are more
apparent than real.
Thomas Frusciano (Rutgers University) chair; Frederic
Miller (National Endowment for the Humanities); Daniel
Pitti (University of Virginia); Kathleen Roe (New York
State Archives and Records Administration).
(S18) Don't Know Much About History: ARCHIVISTS,
HISTORIANS, AND HISTORICAL EDITING IN
THE 1990s (Regular)
Historical editing is back in the archival news. In
November 1996, the National Historical Publications and
Records Commission (NHPRC) issued new funding
priorities that de-emphasized documentary editions in
favor of an emphasis on electronic records. Though the
policy has since been altered, it soon became apparent in
the archival rush to judgment that relatively few archivists
are aware of current trends in documentary editing. This
session will examine the changes in documentary editing
over the past twenty-five years, and specifically the ways
in which technology has altered the appearance of
historical "papers" and the nature of editing.
Maxine Lurie (Seton Hall University) chair; David
Chesnutt (Model Documentary Editions Project); Cathy
Moran Hajo (The Margaret Sanger Papers); Robert
Rosenberg (Thomas Edison Papers Project).
TOURS
(T4) Rockwood Museum
12:15 PM - 2:30 PM
(T5) Hagley Festival of Museum Shopping
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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