October is just around the corner! Are you ready for Archives Month? Every October, archivists around the country commemorate American Archives Month. This month-long celebration is a time for archival and cultural heritage professionals to bring awareness to their collections and spotlight the important work they do for their communities. Last year, the South Carolina Archival Association revived our statewide celebration with South Carolina Archives Month, and this year, we’re continuing the tradition.
The theme for South Carolina Archives Month 2015 is “Bridge Builders: Connecting Archives with Your Community.” Archivists work hard to create and nurture partnerships within the community, and now is the time to promote and celebrate these vital collaborations. From exhibits to workshops, oral history projects to preservation programs, archives and other documentary repositories create a variety of opportunities for South Carolina’s citizenry to access and experience our shared history.
Archives Month is also an excellent opportunity to examine your outreach efforts and identify community groups and individuals that may not normally be part of your service population. Historians and genealogists may be your primary customers, but what about children and school groups, church congregants, or hobbyists?
Think about building programs or highlighting collections that may be of interest to:
- Children and young adults
- Homeschool groups
- Church congregations
- Social justice organizations
- Genealogical societies
- Book clubs
- Senior citizens groups
- College classes
- Civic organizations
- Local businesses
- Hobbyists and enthusiasts (Philatelists, Numismatists, Railfans, Crafters)
- Sororities and fraternities
- Special events organizers (Farmers markets, Local festival organizers)
Remember, archival outreach doesn’t necessarily begin and end at your institution’s front door. Don’t hesitate to go outside your own walls and take history directly into your community!
Reprinted from the Fall 2015 SCAAzette. Written by Katie Gray.
