Your Community, Your Archives

Speaker: Rachel Seale, Special Collections and University Archives, outreach archivist 

Participants will be introduced to community archiving and encouraged to see the value of recording their history for themselves and those who weren’t there to witness it firsthand.  

This workshop is for underrepresented groups and individuals with collective stories to tell and share.

This introductory workshop offers a space for community organizations and individuals who haven't had access to archival institutions.  

Iowa State University Special Collections and University Archives staff will address the principles and purpose of archives and why you should think long-term about archiving the documents and media that tell your story or the story of your social movement. Emphasis will be placed on maintaining materials long-term. We’ll share examples of how to manage and preserve personal archives, family papers, and organizational records. Techniques include inventorying documents and media types and exploring storage and access options as strategies for sustainability. 

There will be time during the workshop to start your archival plan and identify next steps toward preserving your archives. 

Please register for this event here.

Presented in partnership with Ames Public Library, Iowa State University Library, and Ames History Museum.