Category Archives: Meetings

AHA meeting at the University of Houston, July 12

Join us at 6 pm on Thursday at the University of Houston Library, Special Collections.
Special Collections is located on the 2nd floor at the top of the main circular staircase, through the glass door.
Refreshments will be provided.

The speaker will be Carol A. Skewes, Publisher and Editor of The Vindicator and The Anahuac Progress. She will speak on “How to Get the Word Out: Press in the Digital Age.”

Carol has a BS and MBA from the University of Houston. Since 1989 she has worked for The Baytown Sun, Gibson Printing Company, and Granite Publishing Partners, Inc. She serves as the Publisher of The Vindicator and The Anahuac Progress and has been a graphic designer for over twenty years. She will focus on proper AP style, working with editors, writing within a digital perspective, how to take advantage of free press relations, and how to submit digital photos and electronic copy.

Directions to Special Collections and Archives at the University of Houston’s MD Anderson (Main) Library

If coming from the north/downtown, take I-45 South. Take exit 44-B. Merge toward Spur 5 South. Turn right onto University Drive. Turn left on Calhoun and you will immediately see the Welcome Center & Parking Garage, a yellow brick building with red trim.

If coming from the south, take I-45 North. Take exit 44-A (Elgin/Lockwood/Cullen). Turn left on Cullen. Drive along Cullen, passing the stadium, and turn left on Wheeler. Turn left again on Calhoun. To your left just past the parking lot you will see the Welcome Center & Parking Garage, a yellow brick building with red trim.

Parking rates are hourly. Please remember to take your ticket with you.

Once you’ve parked, walk in towards the center of campus. You will pass the Hilton Hotel on your left and the University Center (student center) on your right. You will find yourself behind the M.D. Anderson Library, a large cream-colored building. You must go around to the front of the building to enter the Library.

Special Collections is located on the 2nd floor at the top of the main circular staircase, through the glass door.

Volunteers needed for AHA table at the Houston History Conference

We’re seeking volunteers to man the AHA! table at the Houston History Conference on Saturday, June 2, 2012 from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm.  Volunteers can also register for the meeting here and arrange to attend sessions and the provided lunch.

Please contact Terry Brown and Robert Schaadt to volunteer or for more information

More information about the conference:

http://www.myhoustonhistory.com/Conference

AHA meeting – April 24 – Archives Digitization Presentation and Roundtable

Please join us for an AHA event in celebration of Preservation Week
Archives digitization presentation and roundtable
Tuesday, April 24, 6-8pm
Rice University, Fondren Library, Kyle Morrow Room

Representatives from University of Houston, Houston Public Library, and Rice University will each present a 10 minute overview of their digitization programs, and then invite open discussion and questions.
Other AHA members who are also engaged in digitization (or would like to be) are encouraged to attend and share their experiences as well. We hope to see you there!

Topics to covered in the overviews:
– what kinds of materials does the repository digitize?
– are they available online? where?
– if material is online, what platform and software are used?
– what is the workflow for such projects?
– how does preservation of these digital objects take place?
–  documentation / guidelines which can be shared
– digitization challenges and victories

Panelists include Roland Lemonius and Amber Seely from Houston Public Library, Valerie Prilop and Nicci Westbrook from the University of Houston, and Amanda Focke, Dara Flinn, and Monica Rivero from Rice University.

Great sessions at TLA!

Greetings all,
There are a number of programs at TLA’s Annual Conference related to Archives and Digital libraries. TLA is held in Houston this year, April 17th-April 20th. We would love to see you there!

Developing a Large-Scale Digital Archives through a Library Consortium
Tue, April 17, 2:00 pm – 3:50 pm
The West Texas Digital Archives, a customized open source repository, contains historical materials including images, text, and video. This program highlights the elements involved in this fruitful collaborative project including the development of content practices, building an online repository, and marketing and sustaining of the archive.
Digital Libraries Round Table (DLRT) business meeting follows the program.

Digitizing Local History: Partnerships and Possibilities
Thu, April 19, 10:00 am – 11:50 am
All history may be local, as some historians claim, but local history is often overlooked. Join academic and public librarians as they discuss their experiences digitizing local history materials during a multi-year training program. Learn what worked, what didn?t, and where you can go for help.
Archives, Genealogy and Local History Round Table business meeting follows the program.

Digitizing Historic Newspapers: What We’ve Learned
Thu, April 19, 1:00 pm – 1:50 pm
Libraries are the primary access points for local newspapers. Speakers outline the Texas Digital Newspaper Program, a partnership among libraries to digitize historical newspapers, and debunk a few myths about digitizing resources. Attendees will find out about resources to help them start and fund their own project.

Metadata Strategies for Getting Objects Online
Fri, April 20 8:00 am – 9:20 am
Does your digitization process always bottleneck at metadata? Do you have a lot of material scanned but a backlog of materials needing metadata? Learn tips and tricks from other librarians who have developed strategies to minimize and reduce the metadata backlog.

Contemporary Collecting: Is Your Archives Keeping up with the Latest Trends?
Fri, April 20, 10:00 am – 11:20 am
In our constantly changing society, archives and cultural institutions should consider collecting materials reflecting modern technologies, trends, and populations. Learn how to develop a selection policy allowing for the acquisition of contemporary materials and to anticipate issues regarding playback mechanisms, migration, and preservation of less common material types.

More information on TLA 2012 conference @ http://www.txla.org/annual-conference

kind regards,
Monica Rivero, DLRT Chair

AHA meeting (March 22) postponed

Due to scheduling conflicts the March 22 AHA meeting and digital media roundtable discussion has been postponed (location and date TBA).

We’re still looking for participants to share information about digitization projects such as:

– what kinds of materials do you digitize?
– are they available online? where?
– if material is online, what platform / software do you use?
– what is your workflow for such projects?
– do you have documentation / guidelines you could share?
– what challenges have you had? what victories?

Also, do you have questions you would like to hear discussed?
Would you like to present on your own efforts?

Please contact Amanda Focke  – afocke@rice.edu or 713-348-2124

AHA Meeting & Digital Media Roundtable – March 22

Join us for the first AHA meeting of 2012 on Thursday, March 22 at 6 pm at Fondren Library, Rice University.

There will be a roundtable discussion about digital media including Woodson Research Center’s Amanda Focke and Dara Flinn, and Monica Rivero from Rice’s Digital Media Center.

Also, please mail your $10 dues to our treasurer:

Terry Brown
Treasurer, AHA!
872 Augusta Drive
Houston, TX 77057

Upcoming meetings:

Our summer meeting will be on July 12. Vindicator Publisher Carol Skewes will make a presentation on “Submitting News and Photos to the Texas Press.”  This will cover the proper ways to submit election news for publication and how to gain publicity for your archives (location TBA).

October is archives month with a dinner, meeting, and an outing and December 5 with be the date of the December Election Meeting and the famous, fabulous Christmas Party.  Terry Brown of the Houston Symphony Archives has been gracious again to offer to host this meeting.

AHA Holiday Party

Join AHA! for some Christmas fun and cheer at the annual Holiday Potluck and Election.

WHEN: Thursday, December 8, 2011, 6-8pm

WHERE: Houston Symphony Archives

1220 Augusta Drive, Suite 250, Houston, TX 77057
Free parking is available on levels 3-6 in the parking garage.
(Building is across from the soccer field of the YMCA on Augusta.)

WHAT: Activities will include:

•Elections – A new board for 2012 will be elected. You must be a member of AHA! to vote. Candidates to be announced shortly.
•Food – It will be a potluck, so please bring something to share. AHA! will provide table ware and drinks.
•Socializing – Chat with old friends and meet new members.
•Games – Test your holiday knowledge and win a prize!
•Ornament exchange – Bring an “archival” ornament to exchange. Use your imagination and be creative!

AHA General Meeting, July 14

AHA General Meeting – July 14 – very special speaker and location!

PROGRAM

April 20, 1836 saw a series of skirmishes triggered by Tennessean Sidney Sherman against Santa Ana’s army, the Toluca Skirmishers, who had led the main attack at the Alamo. Recently recovered battle-related artifacts and maps point to the location of the skirmishes between the Twin Sisters Cannons and Santa Ana’s Golden Standard cannon – events of the day before the Texian Army fostered the cry, “Remember Goliad, Remember the Alamo.” Local historian and consultant Janet Wagner will discuss these discoveries.

Janet is owner of the landscape architecture firm  J. K. Wagner & Company, Inc., whose work also includes research and site analysis for historic preservation projects. She is currently chairman of the Harris County Historical Commission.

TIME/LOCATION

6:00 pm

Bayou Bend’s Lora Jean Kilroy Visitor and Education Center
6003 Memorial Drive at Westcott Street
Houston, Texas 77007

The MFAH’s most recent building project, the Kilroy Center opened in September 2010 with an orientation gallery, a library, a retail shop, two meeting rooms, and public terraces. It is LEED-Silver certified. The Hogg Family Legacy Room and videos in the orientation gallery feature images from the MFAH Archives and other repositories in Houston and Austin, so be sure to check these out! If you can arrive before 5pm, the Shop at Bayou Bend offers a unique assortment of gifts and souvenirs. Parking is plentiful and free.

Do not miss this special event!

AHA General Meeting, March 23

Please join us for AHA’s first general meeting of 2011!

WHO: Adrian Melissinos, a member of AHA! who completed her PhD in Nursing Science at Texas Woman’s University last year, will present on her dissertation.

WHAT: Kezia Payne DePelchin, Nursing, and the Memphis Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878:  How Archives Helped Tell the Tale

Yellow fever raged as an epidemic throughout the South in the summer of 1878. Memphis was overwhelmed with more than 17,000 cases of yellow fever and put out calls for assistance.  Mrs. DePelchin, an untrained nurse (there were no nursing schools in Texas at the time) and survivor of yellow fever, traveled to Memphis to render aid as a nurse in the stricken city.  In a series of letters to her sister, she wrote in great detail of her nursing experiences during the epidemic.  Archives in both Texas and Tennessee were instrumental in preparing this material as a dissertation.

Light refreshments will be provided.

WHEN: 6:00pm, Wednesday, March 23, 2011

WHERE: University of St. Thomas

Ahern Room (located in the Crooker Center)
3909 Graustark, 77006-4696

Information on parking and how to find us are here:

http://www.stthom.edu/Visitors_Community/Maps/Directions.aqf
http://www.stthom.edu/public/getFile.asp?File_Content_ID=1707
http://www.stthom.edu/Visitors_Community/Maps/Index.aqf

AHA! Holiday Potluck and Board Elections, December 9

AHA! wants to help you get the holidays started! Join us for some holiday fun and cheer at the annual Holiday Potluck and Election.

WHEN: Thursday, December 9, 2010, 5:30-8:30pm

WHERE: University of St. Thomas
Ahern Room (located in the Crooker Center)
3909 Graustark, 77006-4696

Information on parking and how to find us are here:
http://www.stthom.edu/Visitors_Community/Maps/Directions.aqf
http://www.stthom.edu/public/getFile.asp?File_Content_ID=1707
http://www.stthom.edu/Visitors_Community/Maps/Index.aqf

WHAT: Activities will include:

  • Ornament exchange – Bring an “archival” created ornament to exchange. Use your imagination and be creative but must be archival in nature.
  • Noshing – It will be a potluck so bring something to share. AHA! will provide table ware and drinks.
  • Elections – A new board for 2011 will be elected. You must be a member of AHA! to vote.
  • Door prizes – Prizes will be drawn throughout the night!
  • Socializing – Chat with old friends and meet new members.
  • More noshing…