Special Collections & Archives Interest Group (SCAIG)

SCAIG 2025

Preserving the Past, Transforming the Future: Expanding Access and Representation in Archival Work

A recording of the event can be found on the ALAO YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkXtmtrcqPc 

Tuesday, May 20, 2025, virtual workshop

The 2025 SCAig virtual workshop, "Preserving the Past, Transforming the Future: Expanding Access and Representation in Archival Work," consisted of three presentations: 

"Who We Remember: Reflections on the 'Uncovering the Diverse History of Massachusetts Eye and Ear' Project"

presented by Vanessa Formato, Archivist for the Abraham Pollen Archives of Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston

How the Abraham Pollen Archives of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear was able to uncover the voices of women and POC physicians and practitioners through a grant project.

"Bridging Barriers to Accessibility of Sources on Delmarva's Black History through the Enduring Connections Digital History Project"

presented by Ian Post, Local History Archivist at the Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture at Salisbury University

How a digital project united records across geographic and institutional boundaries to uncover stories of local Black families and communities in the Delmarva peninsula and combat the whitewashing of history. 

"Lifting Ev'ry Voice: Preserving Black College Radio in an Era of Erasure"

presented by Jocelyn Robinson, Director of the Center for Radio Preservation and Archives at WYSO Public Radio in Yellow Springs, Ohio

How the HBCU Radio Preservation Project works with the radio stations and institutional archives on HBCU campuses to safeguard and preserve their station legacies for future generations.

SCAIG 2024

Amplifying Voices: Inclusivity and Community Building in Digitization and Digital Preservation

Tuesday, June 4, 2024, virtual workshop

The 2024 SCAig virtual workshop, "Amplifying Voices: Inclusivity and Community Building in Digitization and Digital Preservation," consisted of two presentations:

Alyssa Pierce, Digital Preservation Manager, Case Western Reserve University, presenting: "Doing the Work: Incorporating DEI into Digitization and Preservation."

Dr. Jazma Sutton, Assistant Professor, Miami University, presenting: "Teaching with Digital Archives and Local Libraries: The Jennie Elder Suel and Black Women of Oxford Digital Collection."

SCAIG 2023

Growth & Change in the Special Collections & Archives Professions

Tuesday, May 23, 2023, virtual workshop

The 2023 SCAig virtual workshop, "Growth & Change in the Special Collections & Archives Professions," consisted of two presentations followed by a Q&A.

“Queer in the Archives: Documenting Our Ancestors and Honoring Our Own Experiences”

presented by Kieran Robertson, Independent Historian; Data and Development Associate at Equality Ohio

The presenter discussed their own experiences working as an archivist with the Gay Ohio History Initiative, as well as their own continued research, outreach, and experiences as a queer person in this work. The presentation focused on the importance of documenting queer pasts and the importance of queer staff leading these efforts. The presenter also dived into the struggles that complicate this work, including community trust, working with a community in crisis, and the archivists' own secondary trauma.

“Ohio Archives and Climate Change”

presented by Eira Tansey, Memory Rising, Cincinnati

Climate change impacts archives regardless of their location - even in the Midwest. How will climate change impact Ohio's archives? And how can Ohio's archives respond to climate change? This talk examined an international issue at a very local level.

ALAO 2022 Conference

In-Person SCAig Meetup

Friday, November 4, 2022, 1:30-2pm

North Pointe Ballroom 2 - Nationwide Hotel & Conference Center

Come get to know your fellow SCAig members in-person at ALAO 2022! Share what's new, discuss sessions that resonated with you most, & brainstorm potential topics for the annual SCAig Spring Workshop!

You don't have to be a SCAig member to join us - all are welcome!

If you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out to the SCAig co-chairs:

SCAIG 2022

DEI and Digitization

Tuesday, May 17, 2022, virtual workshop

The 2022 SCAig virtual workshop, DEI and Digitization, consisted of two virtual presentations followed by a Q&A.

“Appraisal and Selection for Digital Preservation”
presented by Nathan Tallman, Digital Preservation Librarian, Penn State University
Selection for digital preservation should be a collaborative endeavor between preservation practitioners and collection stewards. Digital preservation practitioners can work collaboratively with collection stewards to make these decisions by providing a framework and criteria for appraising digital content that incorporates representation and agency. Rooted in traditional collection development criteria for both general and special collections, Tallman and Lauren Work (University of Virginia) have previously published Guidelines and Criteria to Select for Digital Preservation (https://osf.io/8y6dc/). This talk will review their framework, implementation of selection for digital preservation at Penn State (including local guidelines), a weighted rubric for evaluating criteria, and an easy-to-use selection form.

SCAIG 2021

Management in Many Forms: Coordinating People and Projects in Remote and Hybrid Environments

Wednesday, May 26, 2021, virtual workshop

The SCAig 2021 Annual Workshop, “Management in Many Forms: Coordinating People and Projects in Remote and Hybrid Environments,” took place virtually on Zoom, and consisted of two one-hour panels:

Panel 1 focused on managing teams and projects within a special collections/archives department in a remote/hybrid environment:

Resource Mapping in Special Collections: Managing Remote Digital Projects Across
Library Departments
Alia Levar Wegner
Digital Collections Librarian, Miami University

Remote and Hybrid Projects with Student Employees
Kayla Harris, Marian Library Librarian/Archivist
Henry Handley, Marian Library Collections Librarian
University of Dayton

Panel 2 focused on managing projects with people outside of the library and archives, including donors, community members, and other stakeholders:

CWRU COVID-19: Tell Your Story
Helen Conger, Archivist
Julia Teran, Archivist
Case Western Reserve University

When Life Hands you a Pandemic: Navigating Donor Relations during COVID-19
Kristina Schultz, University Archivist
University of Dayton

SCAIG 2020 Joint Workshop with the Society of Ohio Archivists

Opening Doors - Outreach with Archives and Special Collections

Thursday May 14, 2020, virtual workshop

Description:   After a history of closed doors and limited access, outreach has become essential to getting the public engaged with special collections and archives. This workshop addressed the various ways that archivists and special collections librarians can better reach out to their users communities and cultivate new user communities.  Five presenters from different types of archives and special collections libraries including academic libraries, government records centers, and local historical societies discussed their outreach efforts and provide their tips and tricks for improving your outreach efforts, no matter the size of your institution and staff. 

Presentations:

• Sharing Time: Carving Out a Space for Collections Outreach - Natalie Fritz, Clark County Historical Society at the Heritage Center
  
• Is That Account Really Necessary? Thinking Differently about Social Media in Libraries and Archives - Steve Ammidown, Browne Popular Culture Library, Bowling Green State University
• Let's Try this Again: Revamping Oral History at Warren County - Jenifer Baker and Jen Haney Conover, Warren County Records Center and Archives
• Outreach in a Time of Overwhelm: How Can We Maintain (or Gain!) Momentum? - Speaker: Miriam Intrator, Ohio University

Slides and Recording Available on the Society of Ohio Archivists Website

SCAIG 2019 Meeting: Teaching with Primary Sources

Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 9 AM - 3 PM

Archives and Rare Books Library, University of Cincinnati

Archivists and special collections librarians are stewards of unique resources. Instruction and reference librarians have in-depth knowledge about online and other print primary sources. This workshop helped participants consider ways that they might develop teaching opportunities for their collections and resources. The workshop was for anyone interested in developing a course-related session, a co-curricular learning opportunity, a for-credit course--there are so many possibilities!

During this workshop participants:

• Considered collection and resource strengths, barriers, and opportunities for teaching
• Identified possible learning outcomes
• Brainstormed active learning teaching scenarios

Workshop instructors were Heidi Gauder, Kayla Harris, and Stephanie Shreffler, archivists and librarians at the University of Dayton and authors of “The Archives as Classroom: A Primary Source Mini-Course" for the Society of American Archivists’ Case Studies on Teaching with Primary Sources series.

View photographs and instructor slides from this workshop.