I know, I know: we’ll actually be in Savannah for the 40th Anniversary and SGA Annual Meeting, and I’m not trying to persuade you to ditch the meeting and spend all of your time sight-seeing. But I imagine that more than a few SGA members will take the opportunity, while in the “Hostess City of the South,” to spend an extra day or two enjoying the city and all (or some) of the cultural and historical venues it has to offer. If you have never been to Savannah, or want to find out about all of the events that will be taking place while we’re in town for the annual meeting, check out the following links:

• Connect Savannah is the free weekly alternative arts and entertainment newspaper in Savannah.
• The wikipedia page for Savannah includes information about its history, points of interest, cultural activities, and sports and recreation
• Savannah Now, the site for the Savannah Morning News, provides information on local news, shopping and events
• The Savannah Area Convention and Visitors Bureau site includes information on tours and local festivals. They have a handy-dandy 124-page visitors guide available online, and can be followed on facebook and twitter or added to your RSS feed.
• Those of you with a weirder sense of adventure may want to check out the Savannah offerings on the Roadside America site (just search for “Savannah”)
• There are lots of cool videos about Savannah tourism, ghosts and history on YouTube, like this preview of a documentary on the First African Baptist Church

Enjoy planning your recreational time in Savannah! Can’t wait to see you there!

*Image courtesy of the Savannah Area Convention and Visitors Bureau website: http://www.savannahvisit.com/media_images.asp, last visited August 25, 2009.

NAME: Luciana Spracher

POSITION: Archivist

INSTITUTION: City of Savannah, Research Library & Municipal Archives

How long have you lived in Savannah and how did you come to live there?

15 years this September! I moved to Savannah to get my undergraduate degree in Historic Preservation from the Savannah College of Art & Design. It was not my intention to stay longer than the required 4 years, but I love Savannah and here I still am. Plus, it’s a great town if you’re interested in history.

What is the focus of the archives where you work?

The City of Savannh’s Library & Archives has three main functions: Municipal Research; Records Management; and Archives. The original mission of this department was to assisst City staff researching municipal issues they were dealing with. Over time, the department has also taken on the role as Records Manager for the City, assisting and training departments in records management principles and practices, administering the City Records Center, and overseeing annual records dispositions according to the State-issued retention schedules. Going hand in hand with that is our Archival collections component through which we house, preserve and describe the City’s archival and historical records, and assist the City staff and the general public in the use of those records.

What is your favorite thing in your holdings?

I’m partial to the Engineering Department’s m,aps, plans and drawings collections which document the growth and development of Savannah and its unique town plan and beautiful buildings.

What aspect of archival work are you most interested in, especially for the future of the profession?

I get great pleasure out of helping people access and use our collections, so anything that furthers that is of interest to me, be it new finding aids, amking collections available online, exhibits, hosting student groups, etc. I enjoy watching people find and discover.

What is you favorite bar or restaurant in Savannah and why?

Savannah is full of both! I don’t have one favorite. Dowtown, I like Saigon (Thai/Vietnamese) on Broughton Street; Olympia (Greek) on River Street; Mistown Sweet Potatoes is good (home cooking) on Water and Eisenhower; Bar Food is new and fun (fusion and tapas) on Habersham Street.

What is the one thing you think all SGAers should do or see in Savannah?

I think you just need to walk the downtown and explore the squares and Forsyth Park, look at the pretty houses and gardens, and browse the local shops on Broughton Street and Bull Street. You can do the tourist circuit and check out River Street, City Market and Tybee Island. We’ve got lots of great museums (visit the Coastal Museums Association website). I particularly like the Owens-Thomas House and Telfair Museum of Art.

*Image courtesy of the City of Savannah, Research Library &Municipal Archives.