2016 was a busy and exciting year for archivists in the Delaware Valley, beginning with our March meeting on the care and management of audio-visual materials at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. We also held a town-hall discussion on the ethics of archival internships at the Wagner Free Institute of Science, explored the ins and outs of records management at the Kislak Center, and ended the year in style with an archives-themed potluck at the William Way LGBT Community Center. Many thanks to everyone who hosted, presented, or attended an event this year – your interest and enthusiasm is what makes our archival community such a vibrant one!
DVAG introduced several new initiatives and special projects this year. Inspired by the town-hall forum on archival internships, we developed a guide for creating and evaluating internships; please check it out as you plan your intern projects for 2017. We also introduced a new pilot program that invites institutions to donate funds towards an additional event, more ambitious and larger-scale than our typical meetings, that will benefit the entire local archival community. The Supporting Partners of DVAG program will officially launch in 2017, so be on the lookout for more information later this year.
We additionally held our annual officer elections and are welcoming a number of new members to the Planning Committee in 2017. Congratulations and welcome to Rayna Andrews (At-Large Member); Jasmine Clark (Communications Manager); Shaun Kirkpatrick (Membership Coordinator); and Chrissie Perella (At-Large Member). Many thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s election and a special thanks to Ken Cleary, who completed a three-year term as an At-Large Member overseeing Archivists Being Awesome and has now assumed the position of Vice-Chair. Finally, as several veteran members of the PC complete their terms, I especially thank them for their contributions, both large and small, to DVAG over the past several years: Celia Caust-Ellenbogen (Membership Coordinator, 2013-2016); Bayard Miller (At-Large Member, 2013-2016); and Sarah Newhouse (Communications Manager, 2015-2016). The PC won’t be same without you!
Finally, Archives Month Philly had its best year yet, with nearly 1,000 people attending more than 20 special events and exhibitions throughout the month of October. Many thanks to everyone who participated this year and helped make the festival such a success. As 2016 draws to a close, the Planning Team is already brainstorming ideas for 2017, AMP’s 5th anniversary!
In close, 2016 was a banner year for DVAG and we’re excited to keep the momentum going in 2017. Happy New Year to all and, if you have ideas for DVAG events or initiatives, please email me (chairDVAG@gmail.com) or share them in the comments below.
Delaware Valley Archivists Group 