SOCIETY OF CALIFORNIA ARCHIVISTS NEWSLETTER Number 144 ISSN 1931-5473 Fall 2012 A TribuTe: JAmes V. mink he James V. Mink and SCA’s workshop programs TScholarship may be stemmed from his convictions, familiar to many, but the as did the development of the person for whom it is named Western Archives Institute. will be familiar to only a few His known emphasis on current SCA members. Jim local professionals having the Mink was instrumental in the opportunity to participate in founding of both the Southwest archival organizations formed Oral History Association the basis for SCA establishing and the Society of California the James V. Mink Scholarship Archivists. He served as the over two decades ago. first president of SCA and was Every year since 1987 involved in the development of someone has been announced the organization for many years as the winner of the James after completing his term. V. Mink Scholarship November 11 will which provides funding for mark the second anniversary of attendance at the SCA Annual his passing. His legacy at SCA General Meeting and related will continue for years to come workshops. Occasionally with the scholarship program. there have been two recipients. Jim, who served as University James Eason, the current SCA Archivist at UCLA for over president was a recipient in twenty years was a strong 1994 and past SCA president believer in archival education Jennifer Martinez Wormser and the strength of the archival was awarded the scholarship in community in California. James V. Mink 1997. In his early years as University (credit: UCLA University Archives) Chuck Wilson Archivist, much of the archival University Archivist profession and the professional organizations seemed to University of California, Riverside be east of the Mississippi and nearly all of the professional meetings and workshops took place there. Jim felt there was In This Issue a sufficiently strong archival group within California and the A Tribute: James V. Mink 1 News & Announcements 11 adjacent states to support a regional organization and develop President’s Message 2 SCA News 18 our own educational programs. James V. Mink 4 He worked with a small group of like minded archival Collection Spotlight 6 professionals to establish the Society of California Archivists Number 144 SCA NEWSLETTER Fall 2012 P r e s i d e n T ’ s m e s s A g e Have you renewed your membership? Membership is Gottlieb and Donna McCrea participated on behalf of SAA, the key to serving on or chairing committees, receiving the and Gregor Trinkaus-Randall, who sparked the event as SAA Archives Month poster, and registering at the lowest rate president, served as scribe. for our fall workshops. Membership is also essential to Facilitating the session was George Soete, a consultant eligibility for the Walter P. Gray III Education Endowment and former librarian. He led us through a five-hour interactive Fund Scholarship, which provides financial assistance for exercise involving flip charts, markers, and self-sticking dots. workshops coordinated by our Education Committee. Believe As the afternoon wore on the ranks of observers thinned. it or not, this scholarship sometimes goes unclaimed, so keep This was understandable given the nature of the proceedings- it in mind when workshops are announced. -watching a half-dozen small groups talking among themselves The “Summit of Regional Organizations and SAA Leaders” must be akin to observing paint dry. was one of many preconference events during the Society of After brief introductions, our facilitator got things rolling American Archivists 2012 annual meeting in San Diego last by asking each of us to jot down our vision of the summit’s August. As you may recall from the last SCA Newsletter, SCA outcomes, which might be programs, products, or events. We co-hosted the summit with SAA. Representatives of more shared those ideas with everyone and Gregor recorded them than fifteen regional, state and local archival organizations on a flip chart. Then we narrowed the list of outcomes to participated, while others observed on the sidelines. Former those we thought of greatest benefit. We next broke into small president Julie Graham and I participated for SCA. Peter groups to think of actions that might achieve the beneficial outcomes. Coming back together, each group shared its list of actions with everyone. Finally, we placed each action on a The SocieTy of california archivists, inc. matrix involving degree of impact and ease of implementation. The Society of California Archivists, Inc. exists to support and Having analyzed the ease and impact of all the possible develop those who collect, care for, and provide access to the actions, George brought the summit to a close by directing documentary heritage of California and adjoining areas. us to focus our efforts on those that had the greatest impact To this end it: while being easiest to implement. The group expanded on 1. acts as a vehicle for dissemination of information about this to also pursue some outcomes that were more difficult to archival collections, issues, and methodology to the achieve but were also of great value. profession and the public; My very unofficial list of these actions includes: (1) 2. provides a forum for the discussion of matters related to the Forming an official SAA group to facilitate communication creation, preservation, and use of historical documents; and a variety of efforts among the regionals (“regionals” is 3. develops, offers and supports archival education programs; my shorthand for all the regional, state and local archival 4. cooperates with individuals and organizations on matters of common concern; and organizations); (2) Developing a listserv and other shared 5. advocates the identification, collection, preservation, use, space for communication among regionals; and (3) Creating and appreciation of historical records and manuscripts. an advocacy toolkit through joint work by SAA and advocacy officers designated by the regionals. The SCA Newsletter is published quarterly in January, April, July, You’ll note the emphasis on inter-regional communication. and October. All submissions, advertisements for future issues, letters to the editors, and inquiries regarding the newsletter Many participants thought sharing of activities and ideas should be directed to the Editors of the Newsletter: would be beneficial to their organization. While we all wished to learn from what others were doing, it was especially Newsletter Editors sobering to hear about the struggles of some. One group at The Bancroft Library the state level had around forty members, only half of which University of California, Berkeley could travel to a meeting or workshop; it had a paucity of Berkeley, California 94720-6000 workshop instructors and could not fall back on support from Email(s): [email protected] its state historical records advisory board because that SHRAB Copy Deadlines: September 1, December 1, March 1, & June 1 was essentially defunct. This representative was excited to discuss joint meetings with organizations in neighboring Format for Submissions: Articles and other items submitted states, somewhat like our Western Roundup (which is next for consideration should be sent via e-mail attachment. scheduled for Denver in 2015). While SCA is doing well in Newsletter editors and layout designers: Jean Pasco, Lara comparison, I marveled at the robust city organization in New Michels, Amy Croft, Elizabeth Borchardt York, which boasts significantly more members than SCA www.calarchivists.org ©2012 (continued on p. 17) 2 Number 144 SCA NEWSLETTER Fall 2012 3 Number 144 SCA NEWSLETTER Fall 2012 A TribuTe: JAmes V. mink James V. Mink, Pioneer in the Oral History, Archival and Library Worlds 1923-2010 It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Jim was UCLA’s university archivist from 1952 to 1983, James V. Mink. Jim received his archival education at UC one of the founders and then director of the Oral History Berkeley and the American University, Washington, D.C. Program from 1965 to 1972, and head of the Department of He served on the ad hoc committee Special Collections from 1972 to his to form the Society of California retirement in 1983. During his years Archivists (1971-72) and was its first in the UCLA Library he was active president. In 1985, SCA established in the Librarians Association of the the James V. Mink Scholarship to University of California (LAUC) in provide support for a student to various capacities. Jim’s University attend the annual meeting. service included numerous Jim was a true giant and pioneer committee assignments throughout in oral history. It was he who, in the library and the campus. He also 1966, convened oral historians from served on numerous boards and across the nation at the First National committees of the American Library Colloquium on Oral History at Association, California Heritage Lake Arrowhead, a meeting that Preservation Commission, Historical led to the founding of the Oral Society of Southern California, Los History Association. He was equally Angeles City Historical Society instrumental in the founding of the and the National Trust for Historic Southwest Oral History Association. Preservation. Those of us who knew On an airline flight returning from Jim as a mentor, teacher, colleague the OHA conference in Durango, and, most importantly, a friend, will Colorado, Jim, Art Hansen, Larry truly miss him. de Graaf and Shirley Stephenson discussed the need for a regional (credit: UCLA University Archives) Alva Moore Stevenson oral history organization. SOHA Program Coordinator was founded in 1981 to serve practitioners of oral history UCLA Library Special Collections in Arizona, Southern California, Nevada, New Mexico and and Center for Oral History Research contiguous areas. Since 1984 the Southwest Oral History & Association has awarded the James V. Mink Award for President, Southwest Oral History Association outstanding achievements in the field of oral history.