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Highlights of SAA's 2003 Annual Meeting
“Spotlight on Archives: Showcasing the Diversity of the Archival
Enterprise,” SAA's 67th annual meeting in Los Angeles, Aug. 18–24,
drew a record attendance of more than 1,200 archivists, allied professionals,
and students.
The exhilarating week began with ten pre-conference workshops, which included “Copyright:
The Archivist and the Law,” “Archival Perspectives in Digital Preservation,” and “Style
Sheets for EAD—Delivering Your Finding Aids on the Web” and new
offerings, such as “Real World Reference: Moving Beyond Theory” and “Ethical
Problem Solving.”
“All workshops were filled to capacity,” noted SAA Education Co-Director
Solveig DeSutter. “It was very satisfying to offer a variety of choices
that addressed members’ needs and convinced them to come early and take
advantage of in-depth continuing education in a great setting.” The conference
was held at the Century Plaza Hotel and Spa in the Westside neighborhood of
Los Angeles.
A tantalizing slate of 70 sessions reflected this year’s two-fold theme.
Many sessions took advantage of the conference venue and highlighted the film,
sound recording, and entertainment industries that are synonymous with California.
Several sessions explored minority involvement in film and television, preservation
and use of regional black theater collections, women’s home front activities
during WWII, black musicians and the heyday of Los Angeles’s Central
Avenue club scene, Southern California’s surf and car culture, women
architects in Hollywood and Santa Barbara, and the Online Archives of California.
Anniversary commemorations figured prominently in sessions that examined the
35th anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination, the 50th anniversary
of the Brown versus Board of Education case, the 100th anniversary of the publication
of W.E.B. DuBois’s landmark essay, “The Souls of Black Folk,” and
the 125th anniversary of recorded sound. Workplace issues also abounded in
sessions devoted to diversity, job hunting, mentoring, career development,
recertification, volunteer workers, and employer ethics.
Back by popular demand were “unplugged” sessions on topics fundamental
to archival work. This year’s topics, taught by recognized experts in
the field, investigated the basics of moving image archives, security, oral
history, records management, outreach, privacy and confidentiality, and fundraising
and grant writing. Traditional topics, such as acquisitions, appraisal, description,
and reference, were also addressed.
“As I become more focused on archival descriptive practices and standards
in my work, I rely increasingly on SAA meetings as a marketplace for very timely
information,” said Dennis Meissner of the Minnesota Historical Society. “In
that regard, the 2003 conference rewarded me as well as any ever has, bringing
together in a number of different program sessions rich thought and information
from American, Canadian, and European archivists on current practice and emerging
trends.”
Two outstanding plenary speakers captivated capacity crowds in the hotel’s
main ballroom. In a highly entertaining opening general session, Paul Duguid,
co-author of The Social Life of Information,
discussed the continuing value of artifactual evidence in an increasingly digital
age. During the closing general session, private map collector David Rumsey
provided a fascinating example of how to make archival records come alive by
demonstrating his use of historical maps in modern geographic information systems.
Cassette tapes of nearly 70 sessions and both plenary speakers are available
from Convention Recordings.
One hundred twenty-five students—twice as many as attended last year’s
meeting— participated in the L.A. conference. The third annual poster
forum garnered 15 entries and highlighted the research activities of graduate
students from archives and records management programs throughout the United
States as well as projects and activities of several SAA student chapters.
Carina MacLeod, a student at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information
Studies, was a first-time attendee at the conference and found the experience
informative and fun. “I thought sessions were varied and interesting
and it was wonderful to talk to professionals and fellow students at the social
events,” Carina said. “I also found that the exhibit hall gave
me a chance to find out more about the various organizations and companies
associated with archival practice, as potential vendors and even possible employers.”
The International Archives and Technology Exposition drew more than 50 suppliers
of archival products and services and allied professional associations. “The
exhibit hall at the annual meeting is the best place to meet these suppliers,” said
Sue Hodson of the Huntington Institute. “It is the face-to-face interaction
that makes the difference.”
Another unique feature of the conference was the “Archivists Career Center,” which
offered an opportunity to connect individuals seeking employment with those
seeking candidates. Nearly 200 attendees visited the center.
A wide array of tours provided a glimpse of historic Hollywood, downtown L.A.,
street art, architecture, and local archival repositories. Special events included
an awards ceremony (see 2003 awards
recipients and fellows) followed by “Spotlight
on Archives,” a
look at how archivists are portrayed in motion pictures. The world-famous Getty
Center, with its stunning hilltop location, hosted an evening reception and
open house. Attendees were treated to bountiful hors d’oeuvres amid a
unique setting featuring dramatic architecture, tranquil gardens, and breathtaking
views. Various exhibits, including Flemish manuscript painting in Europe and
photographs from the 1960s by Winogrand, Eggleston and Arbus, were available
for viewing. A Saturday evening reception at the Santa Monica Pier Carousel
capped off a busy week. “There was no better way to end this conference
than sunset at Santa Monica beach!” enthused annual meeting assistant
Shari Christy of Anteon Corporation.
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