Blog

Since the language we use to describe archival materials has such manifold effects on the way those materials are discovered, accessed, and used, inclusive descriptive practices are an important tool in making collections equitable and accessible. Conscious editing initiatives have taken hold in many institutions, and constitute a set of considerations to evaluate previous and future descriptive practices. The University of North Carolina’s University Library is one such institution grappling with ways to include conscious editing in their daily work. Their…

In celebration of Pride, we are pleased to feature projects that focus on recording the history of LGBTQ+ people. This week, we offer a guest post from Dan DiLandro at SUNY Buffalo State on The Dr. Madeline Davis Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBTQ) Archives of Western New York.

While our community and collection initiatives mourn the recent passing of Dr. Madeline Davis, founder of the LGBTQ Archives of Western New York, we are heartened by the collection that she developed and the avenues that her activism led to, regarding further…

The summer of 2021 is officially here and COVID-19 restrictions are lifting—what’s in store for your institution? An excellent way to fast-track your program goals and become even better stewards of the collections in your care is to take part in one of our free Planning & Assessment Services! 

DHPSNY Planning & Assessment Services can help your organization:

• Secure future grants and other funding opportunities
• Gain knowledge of the…

Symposium
Date: Thursday-Friday, October 21-22, 2021
Location: Zoom 

Archivists Roundtable of Metropolitan NY invites session proposals for the 2021 New York Archives Week Symposium. This year’s New York Archives Week Symposium theme is RESILIENCE to acknowledge our struggles, celebrate our successes, and explore how we can continue to move forward. 

It is no secret that the past year has been full of new challenges for everyone. Navigating a global pandemic, continuing the fight against racism and oppression in all forms, and coping with…

As we approach the summer of 2021 and start settling into the new normal, an excellent way to get your institution on a fast track to reaching program goals is to take part in one of DHPSNY’s Planning & Assessment Services! Offered free of cost to New York institutions, each of our services are tailored to fit your organization’s needs and can be utilized to obtain funding, increase the accessibility…

A subject heading is a word or group of words used to describe a topic or concept. Since 1898, the Library of Congress has maintained the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), a thesaurus for use in bibliographic records, to catalog materials in its holdings. The LCSH is used by most libraries and archives throughout the United States. Each institution uses the same subject headings so individuals looking through various online catalogs do not have to search multiple name variations of the same subject to find resources…

In DHPSNY’s most recent live webinar presentation, Lauren Lyons, Chartering Coordinator, New York State Museum, discussed the differences between consolidating and merging a museum charter in New York State, what these application processes look like, and what the best options are for different circumstances. In order to combine resources or services, museums or historical societies might decide to merge or consolidate their charters. Or, due to various causes, an institution may decide to dissolve their charter altogether. Merging, consolidating, and dissolving…

We're excited to announce a new Planning & Assessment Services class from our first application round of 2021! We look forward to beginning virtual site visits for the following institutions in the coming weeks.

Click here to read the full press release.

Archival Needs Assessments 
Desmond-Fish Public Library –…

As we head into our Summer 2021 Planning and Assessment Services Application Round and prepare for a new class of awardees, we decided to step back and reach out to some of our 2020 sites to learn more about their virtual assessment experience and its impact on their institutions.

In response, Christine Gibbons, Board member and the Communications Chair of the Orchard Park Historical Society, a 2020 DHPSNY virtual Archival Needs Assessment…

In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month we are pleased to feature projects that focus on recording the history of Asian Americans in New York State and Nationwide. This week, we offer our first guest posting from Amita Manghnani and Laura Chen-Schultz of the Asian/Pacific/American Institute at New York University. 

Established in 2008, the Asian/Pacific/American Archives Survey Project was the first systematic attempt to map…