DHP programs

The Upstate History Alliance, with the Documentary Heritage Program, is excited to announce Archival Fundamentals, UHA's first two-day Archives Conference.

This professional development opportunity for the caretakers of New York's historic records will focus on "back-to-basics", an introduction to the fundamentals of archival management and care for beginner archivists, or archivists-by-accident, while also providing an opportunity for experienced archivists to return to those core values and ideas that are sometimes overlooked in the day-to-day management of an historical records program.

Archival Fundamentals will be taking place at the Corning Museum of Glass on October 15-16, 2007. Join us for workshops, sessions, and networking activities that will be sure to put the fun back into fundamentals.

Preliminary schedule for this conference includes:

Monday October 15, 2007

8:30-9:00a: Registration and Breakfast

9:00a-4:30p: Basics of Archives: A Practical One-Day Workshop for Those Who Work With Historical Records

Presented by: Ray LaFever, Maria Holden, and Gail Fischer

This workshop will answer...

What historical records are—and aren’t?
How to decide what to keep so you have historical records that people want to use?
How to make sure you have legal title to your collections?
How to handle collections when you get them so you know what you’ve got and where it’s at?
How to protect your collections from theft?
How to deal with copyright issues?
What tools you need to create to help users find the information in your collections?
How to take care of historical records so they are preserved and can be used in the future?
How to let people know what you have and how to get people excited about using your collections?
And—where to go when you need help!?!

As a participant, you’ll get practical advice, sample forms and policies and, you will learn basic practices you need to follow so that you can collect, protect, and help people use the historical treasures in your care.

Tuesday October 16, 2007

9:00-10:30a: Registration and Breakfast Discussions
Take this time to check-in, enjoy breakfast refreshments, and examine the following questions with your peers and colleagues:

Why do you do what you do? Why is it important to you?
How is your work affecting your community? How would you like your work to affect your community? How can you achieve those goals?

10:30-11:00a: Welcome and UHA and DHP Updates

11:00a-12:00p: Informative Session: DHP Grants
Documentary Heritage Program Grants are a resource that you can use to aid in identifying historical records and making them accessible to the public. Ray LaFever, Coordinator of Statewide Services at the New York State Archives will talk about granting opportunities, review application procedures and eligibility, and answer your questions about how this grant can be used at your organization.

12:00-1:00p: Lunch

1:00-2:00p: Archive Preservation Issues and Resources
Maria Holden, Head of Archival Services at the New York State Archives will provide an overview of some of the common preservation issues affecting archives, and will explore solutions and resources that are avilable to you.

2:00-3:00p: Archives and Education
As archivists, we all understand the benefits of using primary resources and document based questions as part of a well-balanced education. But how do you actually get archives in the school? John Buchinger, a former teacher and now the Associate Director of Education at the New York State Historical Association, will talk about tools you can use to help bring archives into the classroom, such as the History Day competition. John will also offer tips on how to approach your local school and teachers in an effort to build a collaborative relationship between your community's school and your collection.

3:00-3:15: Break

3:15-4:30: Rapid Information Exchange
Did you ever just wish you had 10 minutes to talk to an expert about arrangement and description/archive preservation/disaster prepardness and recovery/education programs/historical research techniques and resources/researcher relations and policies/grant writing? Now you do! Rapid Information Exchange will allow you and a small group of your peers time with an expert to exchange ideas and brainstorm real solutions. Once you have spent 10 minutes with one expert, a bell will sound and you willmove onto the next table with new issues, ideas, and solutions.

Registration

The cost to participate in Archive Fundamentals is $40 for a one-day registration and $60 to participate in the whole conference. To register for Archive Fundamentals, simply click here for a registration form. You can either mail payment in with this form, or you can pay using paypal by clicking on the link below. If you do use paypal, please be sure to also print and complete the registration form and either fax it to the UHA office at 607.431.9524, or email it to info@upstatehistory.org.

One-Day Registration $40

Full Conference Registration $60

Below is a list of the DHP Workshops that are offered upon request in our region. These workshops can be presented at your organization to your volunteers, staff, membership, or open to your community. For more information, please contact Jenny Rosenzweig, DHP South Central Regional Archivist, at info@upstatehistory.org or at 800.895.1648.

Arrangement and Description of Historical Records
This workshop introduces participants to the basic principles and practices for arranging and describing historical records, including personal and family papers and business and organizational records. Participants will:
-Learn core terminology
-Learn concepts and standards used by the archival profession relating to arrangement and description
-Become more familiar with access tools that can be developed to make historical records available

Basic Elements of a Historical Records Program
Developed for a non-government audience, this workshop introduces participants to the basic components of a historical records program, helps them to access their own programs, and assists them in determining whether or not existing programs address basic components.

DHP Grant Workshop
This workshop focuses on explaining and discussing the DHP grant program, including grant priority areas, types of eligible projects, and how to write a strong grant proposal. Workshop can also be tailored for learning about additional grants available through other New York State grant programs.

How to do a Documentation Project
Documentation is the processof identifying, locating, preserving, and making accessible important historical records. This workshop will address the types of documentation projects, how to carry out such a project, and outcomes of improved documentation. Workshop components include:
-Identifying under-documented groups or topics
-Establishing an advisory board
-Publicizing a documentation project
-Indetifying appropriate repositories for records identified in a documentation survey

Internet Access to New York's Historical Records
This workshop provides participants with information on how to locate historical records using the Internet, explain the type of information relating to historical records available on the Internet, and identifying sites that collect Internet addresses of archives, historical socities, and libraries

An Introduction to Appraisal and Selection of Historical Records
This workshop shows participants how to identify (appraise), evaluate, and finally select records with potential historical value that are in private repositories or settings. It introduces core terminology, concepts, and standards used by the archival profession relating to the appraisal and selection of records that should receive ongoing care.

Processing a Collection
This hands-on workshop takes participants through the process of organizing a collection from beginning to end. Starting with an unorganized collection, participants inventory, sort, and organize a collection. This workshop is often held in conjuction with Arrangement and Description.