Archives Task Force Meeting: September 4, 2024

Zoom / Conference Call

Members attending: Alex Altan (Prairie State College), Jeanette Bruno (City Colleges of Chicago), Rebecca Fitzsimmons (Illinois State University), Matt Gorzalski (Southern Illinois University Carbondale), Pam Hackbart-Dean (University of Illinois Chicago), Ashley Howdeshell (Northeastern Illinois University), Marcella Lees (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville), Elaine Fetyko Page (Elmhurst University), Meghan Ryan (National Louis University)

CARLI Staff Attending: Elizabeth Clarage, Martin Kong

Decisions

• June 24, 2024 minutes were approved.
• The Task force will meet on the second Monday of the month at 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
• Task force will work to develop a workshop on Appraisal and Reappraisal.
• Task force will work to develop a workshop on digitization.

Tasks Assigned

• Minutes taken by Alex Altan.
• Meghan Ryan will check the links in the Resources Page to identify if there are any forms that could be added to the sections for processing and reading rooms.
• Elaine, Pam, and Matt will work on a proposal about an Appraisal and Reappraisal program.
• Rebecca, Ashley, and Marcella will work on a proposal about a Digitization program.

Discussion

• Member Introductions: New TF member Matt Gorzalski from SIU at Carbondale introduced himself to the task force members. Existing members introduced themselves to Matt Gorzalski.
• Archives and Special Collections Resource Page
  • Task force discussed that the Resources Page Forms section for processing and reading rooms currently does not have content. There was a recommendation that someone from task force go through the links in the Resources page and see if they work. Meghan Ryan volunteered to check the links.
  • The task force discussed putting out another call for existing forms that might prioritize resources for these forms and flesh out other sections.
  • Task force could also announce at its September 18 program.
  • TF members brainstormed ideas about adding webinars to the Resources page.
  • One of the topics discussed was putting together a video about what the archives are and what collections the archives collect.
  • CARLI staff will request a new blind for the page to create a space to post the recordings for the upcoming webinars.
  • Task force agreed that that past webinar recordings should be added to the resources page.
• Developing an Archives: Embracing the Messiness of the Real World
  • Session to be held on September 18, 2024. The speakers are Rebecca Fitzsimmons (ISU), Ashley Howdeshell (NEIU) and Meghan Ryan (NLU). Elaine Page from Elmhurst University will be the moderator. Elizabeth Clarage said 120 people registered for the webinar so far. Vast majority of the attendees are from CARLI member institutions.
  • The workshop was announced in last month’s newsletter.
• Monthly Meeting: The Archives Task Force will meet on the 2nd Monday of the month.
• Discussion of 2024-2025 Activities
  • Appraisal/reappraisal
    • Task force discussed an appraisal/reappraisal webinar.
    • We can have either appraisal/reappraisal theory and discussion webinar or an in-person workshop.
    • Task force decided to work on Appraisal and Administration of Processing this fall.
    • Elaine, Pam, and Matt will work on a proposal about an Appraisal and Reappraisal program.
  • Internships
    • TF members brainstormed ideas about internships. Members discussed the oversight needed when creating an internship program. The TF talked about who oversees an intern’s work.
    • Ideas from the task force included creating a webpage about internship programs, putting together a webinar on how to create a mission statement or policy for internships.
  • Descriptive metadata and digitization
    • TF members discussed targeting Spring 2025 for a webinar on Descriptive metadata and digitization.
    • Rebecca, Ashley, and Marcella will work on a proposal about a Digitization program.
  • Processing
    • Task Force discussed planning a webinar on Processing.
      • Getting supplies
      • Writing a processing plan
      • Processing
      • Prioritizing (which archival collections need to be processed first)
  • Another good webinar topic would be incorporating archives into instruction.
• Other topics to be discussed are accessioning in January 2025 and in-person training workshops in early spring.
• The task force discussed the availability of funding for training programs.
• CARLI staff noted that there is funding available through the Program Planning Committee.

Next Meeting Dates and Deadlines

The Archives Task Force’s next meeting will be on October 14, 2024 at 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

Future Meetings:
October 14, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., Minutes taker: Jeannette Bruno
November 11, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., Minutes taker: Rebecca Fitzsimmons
December 9, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., Minutes taker: Matthew Gorzalski
January 13, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., Minutes taker: Pam Hackbart-Dean
February 10, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., Minutes taker: Ashley Howdeshell
March 10, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., Minutes taker: Marcella Lees
April 14, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., Minutes taker: Elaine Fetyko Page
May 12, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., Minutes taker: Meghan Ryan
June 9, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., Minutes taker: to be determined.