Announcement from MARAC:
The Erie Local Arrangements and Program Committees invite you to join us in “ERIE-sistable” Erie, Pennsylvania on April 25-27, 2013 for Charting the Waters: The Future and Priorities of Archives. The twenty-first century has brought archivists challenges and opportunities in many forms, yet we often focus on the difficulties which lie before us. We struggle to stay abreast of developments in the field brought about by new technologies, we strive to meet the demands of our researchers, and we endeavor to demonstrate our relevance to users and funders, all while contending with limited resources. In such circumstances, archivists must make hard choices and adapt our programs and services accordingly. Faced with these competing demands, we must learn to swim in new waters. Innovation, collaboration, technology, ongoing professional development, and advocacy and outreach are key factors in advancing our existing work and developing new initiatives.
The sessions offered in Erie are designed to address the multitude of issues that affect both new and experienced archives professionals, offering strategies and discussing outcomes as we negotiate these important professional issues. Several sessions will discuss the incorporation of technologies into our professional routines, while others which focus on advocacy, donor relations, and management issues will aid attendees as they evaluate their own repository’s programs. In light of the recent natural disasters that hit the MARAC region, there will be two sessions which address disaster planning, relief, and recovery. In honor of Erie, our home port for this meeting, we will also feature sessions on local history, the War of 1812, and other aspects of Erie’s and Western Pennsylvania’s industrial, social, and cultural past.
For additional information, visit the MARAC website at http://www.marac.info/.