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In February 2022, the American Association for State and Local History introduced Reframing History, a new set of strategies for more effectively communicating about history. The resources from this project — including a report, toolkit, trainings, and a podcast — are designed to inspire more productive conversations around historical events and collections. Specifically, “one that builds understanding of what inclusive history looks like — especially the histories of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and other historically oppressed groups —…

Our most recent webinar presentation covered very basics of what anti-racism is, how we talk about it, its history, and how we can use the principles of anti-racism to create more robust and engaging organizations. The panelists for this program included Aria Camaione-Lind, Amanda Smith, and Ashley Gantt from Aria Strategies LLC. This webinar is a part of an ongoing collaboration with the Aria Strategies team, with our next program coming up in May. Keep an eye on dhpsny.org/education for future program announcements.

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If you’re getting a little jealous reading about our different services and want your turn, you’re in luck! The deadline to apply for our Spring 2022 Planning & Assessment Services Round has been extended, and we will now be accepting applications until midnight EST on Friday, March 25.

Start an Application Today — There's Still Time!

To help you get started, you can explore our website to learn more about Archival Needs Assessments, …

This blog has previously discussed antiracism and equity work within developing cultural heritage collections, in the specific field of conservation, and in workplaces more generally. In this post, we want to highlight one regional initiative that is promoting antiracism work directly by and for libraries. The Diversity in Libraries Cross County Committee of Nassau and Suffolk County was formed in 2020 “to address the issue of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Libraries.” With the goal to “educate, engage, and create policies and…

While having a top-tier collections care program that adheres to best practices might be seen as a goal for your institution, the reality is that there are often barriers related to time, money, and staffing that prevent us from working to achieve the “best.” In our most recent webinar presentation, Emilia Boehm Emig, Preservation Specialist at the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts, explored instances in which it is perfectly appropriate for institutions to forgo the “best” in favor of “good” and “better” approaches to preservation that help them make incremental steps…

Conducted virtually, DHPSNY Planning & Assessment Services are tailored to your organization’s unique circumstances. Each service aims to improve adherence to preservation best practices and can be utilized to obtain additional funding, increase the accessibility and use of your collections, and more.

Application materials for the following services must be received by Friday, March 18, 2022, to be considered for the spring 2022 application review period:

• Archival Needs Assessments:…

To celebrate Black History Month, we want to highlight some specific resources and events that are happening around New York State. While we believe in centering and promoting Black history throughout the year, this is a great time to get more familiar with historic collections, organizations, and new discoveries that feature the essential role of African Americans in American history.

First, we’re amplifying some educational resources created by the Archives Partnership Trust with the New York State Archives…

We're excited to announce a new Planning & Assessment Services class from our fall 2021 application round as well as a new cohort of Foundational Planning Assistance awardees! We look forward to beginning virtual site visits and assistance for the following institutions in the coming months!

Click here to read the full press release.

Archival Needs Assessments

Mina Rees Library, CUNY Graduate…

Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for the first DHPSNY Dialogue session on January 13, 2022. The Dialogue was facilitated by the team at ARIA Strategies LLC, including Aria Camaione-Lind, Ashley Gantt, and Amanda Smith, and focused on creating a baseline for discussion about Antiracism, Inclusion, and Making Sense of Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Justice in our Field of archives, libraries, and all kinds of historical collecting organizations. 

The facilitators began with creating group agreements…

In our most recent live webinar presentation, Amanda Shepp, Coordinator of Special Collections and Archives, SUNY Fredonia, explored the intricacies of updating existing policies and procedures and how to start the process of creating new ones. This presentation answered questions such as: How often should policies be updated? How do you establish a schedule for this? When should you update a policy versus start over? 

Click here to view the recording. 
Click here to download the slideshow…