While project management offers an array of tools and techniques, how do we lead with a people-centered approach? Digital scholarship increasingly requires work across distributed, cross-functional teams. This workshop will cover how to use hybrid methods to meet the needs of specific projects, grounded in community.
The morning will consist of project management basics and an overview of different methodologies and tools. This section will include practical considerations and scenarios. In the afternoon, we will focus on project management in practice and share lessons learned from existing projects. Participants are encouraged to bring their own projects to the discussion.
Collectively, participants will discuss how to think about the impact of their work and how to build systems of care that can empower their communities.
Instructor:
Cristela Garcia-Spitz is the Digital Initiatives Librarian and Curator for the Tuzin Archive for Melanesian Anthropology at the UC San Diego Library, where she collaborates across areas of the library, campus, and community on projects to ensure the long-term accessibility, use, and preservation of the University’s unique collections available at library.ucsd.edu/dc. Previously, she worked at the Software Engineering Institute Library at Carnegie Mellon University where she gained a foundation in project management principles and methodologies.
Purpose: The Georgia Archives Month Spotlight on Archives Grant is intended to help archives, museums, or heritage institutions in Georgia promote public awareness of their archives and manuscript collections. This grant will help selected organizations fund their events during Georgia Archives Month in October.
Grant parameters: The 2024 award amount will be one award of $500 and a Hollinger Metal Edge Gift Certificate in the amount of $250; award monies are intended to be used by the selected institution to fund an in-person or virtual event to be held during Georgia Archives Month in October 2024. The event should promote archives and manuscript holdings at an archives, museum, or heritage institution. Approved expenses for the Georgia Archives Month event include publicity costs such as printing and mailing expenses; an honorarium and travel costs for a speaker; and food and drinks for the event (only 50% of the total grant award may be used for expenses associated with food and drinks). Any questions about suitable uses of the grant should be directed to the Georgia Archives Month Committee. Past winners can be found here.
Selection process: The Georgia Archives Month Committee will accept applications for Spotlight nominees through October 15, 2024. The application includes a narrative describing how the funds will be used to promote the archives and manuscript collections of the archives, museum, or heritage institution during Georgia Archives Month. Only completed applications will be considered. The grant may be used to support an existing program or exhibit, but a new program or exhibit created specifically for Georgia Archives Month is preferred. Extra consideration will be given to institutions that are promoting diverse collections and to outreach efforts directed towards underrepresented groups. Applicants will be notified of their status by the first week of October. The GAM Committee will award the grant to the successful applicants at this time and coordinate publicity about the awards with the award recipients.
Grantee responsibilities: The grantee will use the funds for the program or event outlined in the original application. The GAM Committee realizes that some change of details can take place, but a radical departure from the original application will result in a withdrawal of funds. In program literature and program scripts, the grantee agrees to mention the 2024 sponsors of Georgia Archives Month for their support (guidelines will be provided). The GAM Committee strongly encourages grantees to send letters to the 2024 GAM Committee sponsors thanking them for supporting the Spotlight on Archives grant program. The GAM Committee will provide the appropriate contact details to the recipient. The grantee will submit to the GAM Committee a summary of their event, photos of the event (if available), and receipts that document expenses by November 30, 2024. The grantee will allow the GAM Committee to use that information in future articles and promotional materials to raise awareness about this program or Georgia Archives Month. Please download this application and send to archivesmonth@soga.org as a PDF when completed.
I had a truly rich and educational experience with the Georgia Archives Institute, and I cannot stress enough how grateful I am to have been given the opportunity to attend the program as the 2024 Carroll Hart Scholar.
Coming from a relatively small repository, I wasn’t sure what to expect from my experience at the Georgia Archives. I applied to the Institute with quite a few assumptions: I thought most of the participants would be like me, not holding an advanced degree. In fact, many in my cohort were already MLIS holders, which, admittedly, intimidated me at first. I was worried that I would struggle to keep up. I’m grateful to say that I found quite the opposite to be true. Both the detail of instruction and the robust participation of the entire cohort revealed to me that we all had something to learn from the program, which both relieved and excited me. I could chime in on best practices that my repository used in North Carolina, while soaking up every bit of information about the theory and practice of archival studies from my instructors and fellow students.
In particular, the group exercises we worked together on gave me so much insight into the daily considerations of trained archival professionals, and really brought the lessons to life for me. In every scenario, hearing the opinions and views from my fellow cohort members gave me a wide variety of perspectives and approaches to each situation. We were able to ask questions about best practices for our own collections, which usually received the inevitable answer from instructor Pam Hackbart-Dean: “Well, it depends.” It also gave me an appreciation for the unique strengths and weaknesses of different repositories, and the value of specialization within the field. I learned that I primarily work as a reference archivist, but I do occasionally work on tasks that would be under the role of a processing archivist or a digital archivist. While I am very lucky to have been trained in multiple types of roles in my repository, GAI’s coursework on the detailed process of digital archiving brought me up to date with practices that we simply don’t employ at my repository, and probably won’t be able to in the foreseeable future (but will be important considerations for our collections management plan).
I also assumed that my repository was small and very understaffed for its size. This assumption was met with the fact that several in my cohort were the lone archivists for their collections, and performed every duty and role associated with maintaining a collection, from collections management to digitization to budgeting. I was completely surprised to learn, for instance, that the National Archives at Atlanta has less than 10 full-time employees. Comparatively, my institution has 4.5 full-time staff members and around 800 linear feet of collection materials. Most of the other attendees were already working at an archive or special collections, many of which were under broader academic institutions. I was the only student from a repository within a public library, which is perhaps why I felt so uniquely equipped with a wide variety of resources and training from my work at Buncombe County Special Collections.
I loved seeing the wide variety of repositories in the institutions that we were able to tour—it was really fascinating to see how each approached their unique collections, and it was interesting to compare each institution’s operations. The sheer size of the NARA’s southeastern division was overwhelming—their facility was completely at capacity, despite warehouse-sized storage rooms filled with stacks that I estimated to be at least 20 feet high. Two of three floors in Emory University’s Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library are dedicated to their special collections storage, while their galleries and research floor boasts gorgeous views of the campus and downtown Atlanta. A tour of the Georgia Archives took us to their conservation lab, which featured impressive, high-tech equipment, and two dedicated manuscript conservationists on staff. And finally, the Kenan Research Center in McElreath Hall at the Atlanta History Center housed over 10,000 linear feet of collections, both manuscript and visual, and featured large freezers for the storage of their fragile film collections.
My internship assignment was at the Atlanta History Center, so I spent my time there working in the Kenan Research Center. Three days was a tight turn around for an internship, but proved to be just enough to process one small part of a collection from start to finish. Kate Daly, the Visual Archivist at AHC assigned me to work on the DeGive family photographs, and I was given one oversize box of unprocessed materials to work with. Kate walked me through the process, and over three days, we checked in with each other to review each step and ensure I was performing my work thoroughly and accurately. The biggest hurdle of the internship was learning a new collections management system—AHC uses ArchivesSpace, whereas my repository uses ArchvEra, so I had a bit of a learning curve with the software.
In the end, I was able to complete a finding aid from start to finish, and arrange, describe and re-house a small collection, which was a new accomplishment for me! The experience was both enlightening and rewarding, and while brief, the internship provided just enough time to apply a fair amount of the coursework we handled in the classroom. Having the opportunity to apply my newly acquired knowledge and develop new practical skills cemented the experience for me, and I found the course as a whole to be thoughtfully designed and well executed. The Institute gave me the opportunity to connect with so many wonderful archival professionals, who I hope to keep in touch with as I continue in the field.
I would like to thank the Society of Georgia Archivists and the Scholarship Committee, the Georgia Archives Institute, our hosts at the Georgia Archives and Atlanta History Center, our instructor Pam Hackbart-Dean, guest speakers Katherine Fisher, Tamika Strong, and Sheila McAlister, and my fellow cohort, who all made my experience at GAI such a positive one!
CHICAGO—Christina Zamon, head of Special Collections and Archives at Georgia State University, will be inducted as a Fellow of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) on August 15 during an awards ceremony at the Annual Meeting of SAA in Chicago, IL. The distinction of Fellow is the highest honor bestowed on individuals by SAA and is awarded for outstanding contributions to the archives profession.
A multi-hyphenate archival practitioner who has held many roles—including solo archivist, department head, educator, fundraiser, author, and mentor—Zamon earned her MA and MLIS from the University of Maryland. To solidify her professional trajectory in archives, she became a Certified Archivist through the Academy of Certified Archivists in 2005. In 2013, she demonstrated her trailblazing mentality by becoming one of the first Digital Archives Specialists through SAA.
Alongside these qualifications, Zamon has spent more than twenty years as a professional archivist, over the course of which she has served in increasingly responsible and challenging positions. She dove into all aspects of the profession as a solo archivist at the National Press Club (NPC) in Washington, DC. In this role, she largely established the archives as an institution adhering to best practices as defined by SAA and other professional organizations. Notably, she was instrumental in finding and acquiring a suitable space to house the NPC’s archival records. Following her successful tenure at NPC, Zamon took on the role of head of Archives and Special Collections at Emerson College in Boston. No longer a solo act, she supervised the work of two full-time staff members as well as student workers and interns. Her work on the American Comedy Archives was pivotal in the establishment of Emerson’s new Comedic Arts Major and Comedy Center. Since 2016, Zamon has led the Special Collections and Archives (SCA) team at Georgia State University. Most recently, Zamon successfully sought and acquired nearly $350,000 in funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities for a new 9,800 sq. ft. media preservation facility, significantly improving the library’s ability to preserve fragile formats. In the past five years, Zamon has helped to secure over $1 million in grant funds for the department, increasing accessibility and preservation of important cultural heritage records.
Zamon’s success is not just limited to these places. Many archivists were introduced to her and her care and concern for archivists and archival work through her seminal work, The Lone Arranger: Succeeding in a Small Repository, published in 2012 by SAA. Created to help archivists working in small, underfunded repositories succeed, the guidance and support articulated in the text transcends institution types and has been used to build and sustain archival programs across the country, thus making it one of the most impactful SAA publications. It’s been so well received that Zamon was asked for a completely revised and new edition that is now re-written, expanded, and retitled. Alone in the Stacks: Succeeding as a Solo Archivist was released in May 2024.
Since joining SAA in 2001, Zamon helped formalize the Lone Arrangers Section, now the Solo Archivists Section. Additionally, she has served as the College and University Archives Section’s vice-chair and chair and co-chair/chair of the Awards Committee. Through these positions, she worked to have the section be responsible for the “Campus Case Studies” peer review process. More recently, Zamon has served on the steering committee and is currently the co-chair/chair of the Archives Management Section. In the past, she founded the Boston Area Archives and Records Consortium, bringing together archivists to support and share resources. She is also an active member of the Academy of Certified Archivists and has served in a variety of capacities with the Society of Georgia Archivists (SGA). Zamon served as the president of SGA in 2023. During her term, she helped move their strategic plan forward and restructured the organization to improve efficiency.
Her high degree of initiative, resourcefulness, commitment, and service to the field and SAA is best described by one supporter who wrote, “Christina is an absolute powerhouse who gives her all for this amazing profession.” Another added: “It would be easy to list Christina’s many professional accomplishments, but it would not do justice to the outstanding and long-lasting impacts that Christina continues to make on the archives profession.”
Zamon is one of seven new Fellows named in 2024. There are currently 198 Fellows of the Society of American Archivists.
In light of recent events at Emory University, the Libraries staff came together to draft this statement condemning the University’s response to the protest.
Provenanceseeks article submissions for upcoming issues!
First-time authors also are encouraged to submit articles for consideration.
Provenance‘s primary focus as a professional journal concerns the theory and practice of the archival profession. Each year the Society of Georgia Archivists awards the David B. Gracy, II Award, a $350 prize which recognizes a superior contribution to Provenance.
For more information on submission rules and requirements, please visit the Policies page.
When you are ready to submit your article, you may do so by visiting the Submit Article page.
The Society of Georgia Archivists is now accepting applications for the 2024 Brenda S. Banks Educational Workshop Scholarship. The application deadline is Early May, date still to be determined.
Starting in 2008, the Society of Georgia Archivists has awarded a scholarship each year for attendance at an SGA-sponsored Spring/Summer Workshop. Past SGA workshops have addressed a variety of themes and issues faced by archivists and archival institutions, including electronic records, exhibits, donor relations, digital collections, diversity, and funding.
This year’s Spring/Summer workshop will be Writing for Impact: Introductory Grant Writing Workshop, providing an introductory session about the basic fundamentals of grant writing, grant research, and the overall grant lifecycle.Speaker: Lilly Heidari (she/they), Grants and Development Manager at the Historic Oakland Foundation, former Manager of Donor and Guest Relations at the High Museum.
Join us for an interactive and informative workshop on the fundamentals of grant writing. Led by an experienced grant writer, this workshop will provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively navigate the grant writing process and provide a space to ask any questions you may have. Throughout the workshop, you’ll learn more about the basics of grant writing, including understanding the terminology and structure of grant proposals, tips for adapting your language to apply for funding from different grant makers, databases with grant opportunities, and more! Whether you’re a beginner looking to learn the ropes or a seasoned grant writer seeking to refine your skills, this workshop will provide you with valuable insights and practical tools to nurture your grant writing abilities. (ZOOM link to be provided)
Meet The Speaker
Lilly Heidari (she/they) is an Atlanta-based grant writer and manager. Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, she holds a B.A. in English and Theatre with a Concentration in Creative Writing from the University of South Carolina. Previously, Lilly worked for non-profit film production company Local Cinema Studios coordinating partner relations, events, and grant writing and management. They have spent the past two years working as Manager of Grants and Donor Relations at the High Museum of Art, managing government, foundation, and corporate grants as well as the museum’s Friends of the Collection donor groups. In April 2024, she started at the Historic Oakland Foundation as their Grants and Development Manager working on grants to fund the Oakland Cemetery’s educational and historical programming as well as conservation and preservation initiatives. A proud Iranian-American, Lilly is also an actor, writer, and musician.
Scholarship parameters: The registration fee for one of the desired workshops will be waived by the Society of Georgia Archivists for the successful scholarship applicant. Additionally, the recipient of the scholarship will also receive an Annual Membership to SGA (or a 1-year renewal if a current member) and a $100 credit to apply to a Society of American Archivists (SAA) class or purchase in the SAA bookstore. Please note that the scholarship winner is responsible for submitting their workshop registration form by the registration deadline. After the workshop, the recipient will submit a brief article on the experience for use in the SGA Newsletter.
Eligibility
Individuals eligible to compete for the scholarship are those engaged in compensated or volunteer archival work at any level in an institution in the state of Georgia, SGA members employed outside the state of Georgia, graduate students preparing for a career in archives at a college or university in Georgia, or SGA student members studying outside the state of Georgia. Preference will be given to applicants who do not have access to institutional support for attending the SGA Spring/Summer Workshop. Individuals may apply or be nominated by a supervisor or instructor.
To Apply
To apply for the Brenda S. Banks Educational Workshop Scholarship, please complete the online application and submit your cover letter and CV or resume to scholarships@soga.org, prior to Early May, date still to be determined.
For more information or if you have any questions (or experience any difficulty with the online form) please contact: scholarships@soga.org
The Interior Design Department at SCAD University in Midtown Atlanta is seeking a few more professional guest critics working in library services from the Atlanta Metro area. Sophomore undergraduate design students have been working hard for the past 5 weeks to create 3D architectural models for a project titled “Beyond the Bookshelf: Atlanta’s Authors in Dimensional Dialogue”, a modern take on a Worlds Book Fair or Book Biennale. The critique is from 9am-11am on Wednesday March 13th, 2024 at the SCAD campus in Midtown. If you’re interested in possibly attending and want to learn more about the event, please email Courtney Ryan, Professor, at cryan@scad.edu for details.
