Category Archives: Meetings

Spring Meeting, April 11: Details and Recap

Our Spring Meeting took place on Thursday, April 11 at noon. Read below about our guest speaker and the recap of the meeting with links and presentation slides.

Mikaela Selley, speaker

Mikaela Selley will share the latest updates from Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage, the archival division of Arte Público Press at the University of Houston. Updates include the forthcoming launch of their new research portal Periodicals in the US-Mexico Border Region, and their bi-annual conference taking place April 25-27, 2024 at the University of Houston-Downtown.

Mikaela Selley is a native Houstonian with ten years of professional experience as an archivist specializing in the preservation of Hispanic and Latina/o heritage records. From 2013 to 2021 she served as the Hispanic Collections Archivist for the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, a special collections branch of the Houston Public Library. Selley works as an Independent Consultant offering research, planning, archival and exhibit design services for cultural heritage projects. She is also Archivist and Program Manager for the Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage Project at Arte Público Press where she oversees the Periodicals in the US-Mexico Border Region, and archival collections.

Meeting Recap

From Salima Bowaniya, AHA! President 2024:

Here is a copy of the presentation slides from the meeting if anyone missed anything or for those who weren’t able to attend. The presentation slides include some of the links mentioned during the meeting.

We’d really appreciate your feedback on this short survey to help us get a better idea of what y’all would be interested in seeing more of from AHA! as we continue to put together the programming schedule for this year.

Lastly, I’d like to give a shoutout to our guest speaker, Mika! Thank you so much for telling us about Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage and the new research portal being launched. I hope we can come visit y’all soon.

I’ve included the links that were shared during Mika’s presentation below:

Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage, the archival division of Arte Público Press at the University of Houston

Periodicals in the US-Mexico Border Region Research Portal

RSVP for the XVII Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage Conference

Hispanic History Research Center Community Forum (04/13)

Spring Meeting, April 11th, @12pm!

Join us for our Spring Meeting, April 11th, @12pm!

Along with a recap of the Archives Bazaar at Old, Weird Houston, we will be discussing our programming schedule, some new updates to the website and social media platforms, our newly established discord server, and an introduction to our new board and committee members. We will also have a guest speaker joining us (more details to come). Hope to see you there!

Day: Thursday, April 11
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Location: Zoom

Link to join the meeting will be provided here at houstonarchivists.org.

2024 AHA! Program Schedule

The 2024 programming schedule is available.

We are busy filling out the year with events, professional development opportunities, repository tours, and get-togethers all over the Houston and Southeast TX area. We’ve already had 2 events this year and planning many more. Hope to see y’all soon!

See the Schedule

Leave a comment in the spreadsheet if you have any questions or suggestions.

AHA! Summer Meeting 2023

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our Summer Meeting, August 10, 2023 at 12pm. A huge THANK YOU to Adrian Melissinos and Amanda Focke for your poster presentations! It was our first poster session of what I hope will be many more.

Adrian Melissinos is an adjunct faculty member at TWU related to nursing history and a Post-Doctoral Fellow on a research grant examining simulation in nursing education. She has been a member of numerous boards including the Cizik School of Nursing Advisory Board and the Friends of Women’s Studies at the University of Houston. She is vice-president of the Friends of the Texas Medical Center Library and has served as chairman for the Texas Medical Center Women’s History Project. She pursues her interest in research with an emphasis on nursing history. Experiences of an end-user of archives utilizing both in-person and digital access of materials.

Amanda Focke, Head of Special Collections for Rice University’s Fondren Library
“Impossible Archives – ethical access to very sensitive records of the paranormal”
the challenges of providing broad access to collections with personally identifying information of experiencers of alien abduction. While the topic is specific, the archival challenges could apply broadly.

Video of the meeting is available online for a limited time.

Chat: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cf6buyKr2rI5W1VyHfjuqmKq7C934q9E/view?usp=sharing

Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DPK9Glt4vnTtg995LwWhRM2678OWrovc/view?usp=sharing

We ran a little past 1pm, so if you missed the Business Meeting portion, you can catch up by watching the video online (start at 28:46)

Amanda Focke, Head of Special Collections for Rice University's Fondren Library presents during the Summer Meeting of Archivists of the Houston Area (AHA!), August 10, 2023.
"Impossible Archives - ethical access to very sensitive records of the paranormal"
the challenges of providing broad access to collections with personally identifying information of experiencers of alien abduction. While the topic is specific, the archival challenges could apply broadly. — Amanda Focke, Head of Special Collections for Rice University’s Fondren Library presents during the Summer Meeting of Archivists of the Houston Area (AHA!), August 10, 2023. “Impossible Archives – ethical access to very sensitive records of the paranormal” the challenges of providing broad access to collections with personally identifying information of experiencers of alien abduction. While the topic is specific, the archival challenges could apply broadly.

Alana Inman, AHA! Secretary and Manager at the Sam Houston Regional Library & Research Center, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, talks about the the plans for the AHA! Holiday Meeting in Liberty, TX this December.

AHA! Spring Meeting 2023

Monday, February 13, Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Zoom

Thanks to everyone who attended our Spring Meeting! It was a packed zoom. It’s always great to see everyone. We covered a lot in our first meeting of the year. The agenda, slides, and chat are available at the end of the post. The presentation slides link out to important information and planning documents.

Special thanks to our guest speakers of from the City of San Antonio, Office of Historic Preservation

Jessica Anderson, Senior Historic Preservation Specialist
Rachel Rettaliata, Senior Historic Preservation Specialist
Jenny Hay, ScoutSA Program Manager

There’s a Story Here

Using ArcGIS and maps that allows community members to share historically relevant stories that are interesting and relevant to the space or location. For more information, https://www.sanantonio.gov/historic/Local-Historical-Markers/Story-Here.

Presentation Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YJnPYNqcWNBDsRMmXw7LLatZSUUPRzzK/view?usp=sharing

Zoom Chat: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1abJEKFc8Fde0DnLL-WoB1DwtIfGCYYXf/view?usp=sharing

Video: https://youtu.be/BXHhg7sMqn4

Screenshot from the AHA! Spring Meeting 2023-02-13, showing There's a Story Here program, City of San Antonio, Office of Historic Preservation. — Screenshot from the AHA! Spring Meeting 2023-02-13, showing There’s a Story Here program, City of San Antonio, Office of Historic Preservation.

Agenda

Welcome & Introductions
Guest Speakers: There’s a Story Here, City of San Antonio, Office of Historic Preservation
President’s Report
Vice President’s Report
Treasurer’s Report
Programming Committee Report
Social Media Report
The Orange Show presents Old, Weird Houston
Old Business
New Business

The AHA Board invites you to our first ever Virtual Open House!

Who should attend?
Anyone interested in becoming a member of AHA! That includes library students, recently graduated, professionals, and archives enthusiasts living or working in the Houston area!

We will present opportunities for networking and connecting with peers in our area!

Meet members of the AHA Board!
Have questions on the history and mission of AHA? Interested in upcoming events? Have questions for us? Join us and chat!

Meeting link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87356017032

AHA! Spring 2022 Meeting

Time: Apr 14, 2022 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (Virtual)

Thank you to all who made it to our Spring 2022 meeting! For those of you that missed it, the Spring Meeting Program included:

SSA Scholarship Recipients Announcement.
Speaker, Matt Richardson, will talked about SSA Local Arrangements and how AHA! members can help. Matt is the Registration chair for SSA 2022 Houston. It’s a great opportunity to hear how we can contribute to the annual meeting.
AHA! Social Media Action! Tips for submitting content and engaging more people through the AHA! social media accounts.

A link to the video of the meeting will be sent to the membership email list. See below for the slides from the presentation and the Zoom chat.

Presentation Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wQ7Q8kV_sybxbyziM8hFTeq3OXjdT7-_/view?usp=sharing

Zoom Chat for links: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15zcmC0ZoIi3kPuAnlSqJgBwMZBvNZpsd/view?usp=sharing

AHA! Hosts Archival Certification Panel

By Joe Lueck, AHA! Secretary

On September 22, 2020, the members of AHA! convened virtually for the second general meeting of the year. The AHA! board overviewed ongoing and future initiatives, including a slate of exciting Archives Month programming for October. Watch your inbox for more information in the coming weeks! If you’re not on the AHA! listserv and are interested in becoming a member, contact the board at houstonarchivists@gmail.com.

Following the business meeting, archivists and AHA! members John Rovell, Sandra Yates, and Amanda Focke shared their experiences and thoughts on the Certified Archivist (CA) and Digital Archives Specialist (DAS) certification programs. The panelists discussed skills and lessons learned, the costs and benefits of each certification program, and answered questions from the group, offering advice to prospective certificate seekers.

The Certified Archivist certification is offered by the Academy of Certified Archivists, an independent organization made up of professional archivists. Obtaining this certification involves coursework, professional service, and passage of an exam covering all aspects of archival enterprise.

The Digital Archives Specialist certification is offered by the Society of American Archivists. This certification pertains specifically to working with born-digital records, involving a customizable curriculum of coursework and a cumulative final exam.

Thank you again to our panelists! If you are interested in viewing a recording of the meeting and panel, contact the AHA! board at houstonarchivists@gmail.com.

AHA! visits the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston!

Stacks area at MFAH Archives. Photo by Joe Lueck.

By Joe Lueck, AHA! Secretary

On March 12th, 2020, the members of AHA! held their first general meeting of the year at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. MFAH archivists Marie Wise and Stratton Meyer graciously hosted the event, and offered a tour of the MFAH archives’ new space in the institution’s administration building at 5100 Montrose Boulevard.

Reading Room at MFAH Archives. Photo by Lilly Carrel.

Under the care of Wise and Meyer, the MFAH archives have reopened for research following a three year closure. The collections include institutional records and manuscript collections from affiliated and local artists, documenting over one hundred years of institutional and local history. Traffic in the reading room has been consistent since reopening, as researchers from inside and outside the MFAH dig into the archives’ rich historical and cultural resources.

Stacks area at MFAH Archives. Photo by Lilly Carrel.

Wise and Meyer worked creatively to configure shelving in the new space, making the most of the former studio spaces now available for archival storage. Using a color coordination system, the archivists deftly managed the move of collection material from two offsite storage locations outside the 610 loop to the museum’s main campus.

Thanks again to the MFAH, Marie, and Stratton for hosting! Visit the MFAH Archives website for more information about hours, available resources, and collections.

AHA! General Meeting – Thursday, March 12, 2020 @ MFAH!

The first general meeting of 2020 will be hosted by our colleagues Marie Wise and Stratton Meyer at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Administration Building (5100 Montrose Boulevard) on Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 6:30 pm! After the AHA! business meeting, Marie and Stratton will lead us on a tour of their recently renovated archives space and share with us their experience of moving the archives to their new location.

Parking & Logistics: MFAH Archives are located in the museum’s Administration Building at 5100 Montrose Boulevard. An uncovered carpark is located behind the building. The Archives are on the 2nd floor and signs will be posted to assist AHA folks getting to the right place! Additional details on parking forthcoming.