President's Welcome

Join Us in SAA's “Sweet Home” to Celebrate 75 Years!

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

Anniversaries are significant milestones in our lives and in the lives of our organizations. They are times to celebrate, reflect, and look forward. SAA has one of those big milestones this year—our Diamond Jubilee—marking 75 years of supporting, promoting, and advocating for the archives profession. So let’s get together and celebrate!

At ARCHIVES 360° you’ll have a chance to experience SAA’s hometown with colleagues from across the country (and around the world) who share your interests, your concerns, your on-the-job challenges. It’s the perfect opportunity to benefit from our diversity of ideas, methods, and experience – and it’s our chance to learn from you.

If you’ve attended SAA Annual Meetings before, you know the excitement that comes from hearing about innovative approaches to archival activities, from exploring new ideas, and from meeting colleagues and renewing friendships. If you’ve never attended an Annual Meeting – or haven’t joined us in recent years – you’ll find a broad array of opportunities to learn, explore, collaborate, and celebrate the world of archives, including:

• In-depth pre-conference workshops and provocative plenary sessions that give you direct access to experts in the field and voices from beyond our professional circles.
• Exciting program sessions (choose from 70 of them!) that deliver the latest ideas and techniques in an environment in which you’ll feel comfortable asking questions. In honor of our 75th Anniversary, one program track will provide perspectives on SAA’s past – and its future!
• Section and roundtable meetings that put you in touch with colleagues who share your specific interests and concerns.
• The THINK BIG! Expo, which provides an unparalleled opportunity to talk with our industry partners, express your ideas and opinions, and learn what’s new in the field.
• And because we don’t believe in “all work and no play,” the Host Committee has lined up a wonderful itinerary of repository tours, open houses, and on-your-own explorations and the All-Attendee Reception will celebrate SAA’s Diamond Jubilee in one of Chicago’s landmark venues!

Whether you’re an experienced archives professional, a newcomer to the field, or somewhere in between, you’re sure to find ARCHIVES 360° to be a rewarding and intellectually stimulating experience. I look forward to celebrating our past, present, and future with you in Chicago!

Helen R. Tibbo
SAA President, 2010-2011