The- Ohio Archivist VOL. 26 NO. 1 e SPRING 1995 Innovative sessions spark Columbus meeting April 6-8 -PAGE2 Artist's conception of a prototype motorcycle from 191 owhich was never built. This was to have been the first of a line of Schwinn motorcycles. Tour the Motorcycle Heritage Museum during the spring meeting. COURTESY MOTORCYCLE HERITAGE MUSEUM, WESTERVILLE From creepies and crawlies to motorcycle tnuseums ... SOA's spring meeting (Thursday, April 6 house, the Freda Koch National Camp Meet- sponsorship by the Ohio Historical Society. through Saturday, April 8) at the Ohio His- ing Musewn, and the Ohio Genealogical Other sessions will deal with disaster torical Society is offering some opportunities Society). Also, the Saturday morning work- planning, the efficient use of part-time and never before seen at our meetings. Uda shop, on the use of primary sources in studertt staff, scheduling electronic records, Owrchville, (fonnerAUCUbrarian)will present teaching history and research methods, fol- archival exhibits, new technology for scan- a session on the Archives Library Information lOYJS up on suggestions made by Ohio school ning and imaging, and the major Ohio Center at NARA, with its enormous and teachers to SOA at the time of our 25th repositories for Civil War material. A ban- critical database. We will take a look inside anniversaiy. Continuing education units (CEUs) quet will be held on Thursday evening some unusual Ohio collections (the Motor- will be available to participants in this session, (speaker to be announced), and there will be cycle Heritage Musewn, the James Thurber which is an SOA "first" achieved through co- an open Hospitality Suite (i.e., the tradi- PRESIDENT'S COLUMN------------------ SQA Annual Report for 1994 he Society began itssecondquar- applauded for their control of expenses and and George Bain, Roland Baumann, Den- ter century of service to archi- foresight in planning meetings that drew nis Harrison, and George Parkinson (es- vists, curators, and the citizens of good attendance. The Ohio Archivist re- say authors) for their contributions to the . Ohio, whose records and history mains the most expensive recurring cost; this distinguishedandhandsomevoh.me, From Twe keep, with the continuing vitality and must be expected to maintain its excellent History to Pre-History-Archivists Face enthusiasmthathave marked recentyears. quality. In monetary terms, 1994 must be the Future: Essays on Honor ofthe 25th Our meetings offered substantive con- judged a success. Anniversary of the Society of Ohio Ar- tinuing education to our professional chivists. This publication was honored members. Our workshops provided both with the Ohio Special Libraries needed information and outreach to non- MAJOR ACTlVITIES Association's Research Award, an ac- members. Fmally, we engaged the larger Meetings knowledgment most appreciated as it issues facing the profession, both nation- comes from an allied profession. The ally and in the state, in the nomination of Our string of successful meetings contin- authors and editors generously donated the Archivist of the United States and the ues unbroken. Charles Arp and Douglas the cash award to the SOA treasury. Ohio Public Records Law. Ishould like to McCabe reprised their 1993 spring meeting review the year in detail. with quite as ambitious a program in 1994, Archives Week drawing 95 participants to sessions and work- Under the direction of George Bain, shops. Special thanks go to Anne Gilliland- and with the assistance of Regional Coor- FINANCES Swetland of the University of Michigan (and dinators Gary Arnold, Jennifer Simmons, Beginning balance (as of 1/14/94) former SOA Council member) who gener- Jennifer Songster-Burnett, Jim Marshall, $5833.37 ously donated her time and expertise in Kathleen Spray, and Dawne Dewey, Ar- conducting the Advanced Computer Work- chives Week activities were conducted Ending balance (as of 1/13/95) shop. Program chairs Kevin Grace and Kevin $3939.74 . throughout the state. Also, SOA created Proffittand local arrangementschairJonathan itsfirst statewideartifactfor Archives Week, While the treasury declined from the Dembo hosted a substantive fall meeting at a handsome poster on the theme of"Sports previous high, much of the expense the Cincinnati Historical Society in and Recreation in the Archives," tying the stemmed from activities tied to our 25th Cincinnati's magnificent Musewn Center, commemoration to Ken Burns' PBS docu- anniversary, especially the publication of drawing 7 5 participants. Special thanks also mentary, "Baseball." We especially thank From History to Pre-Hlstory-Archi- go to the Ohio Preservation Council for its the Ohio Historical Society for the gener- vists Face the Future. Additionally, final joint sponsorship of Janet Heller's paper ous donation of graphic design for the bills from the fall '93 meeting came in preservation workshop. SOA likewise thanks poster. Work began on Archives Week after last year's final report, artificially the several chairs for jobs well done. 1995, with the theme "Letters Home" inflating the previous year's final ac- commemorating the 50th anniversary of camt. Further expenses included the Membership the end of World War 11. We hope that printing of the Archives Week poster and Dennis Harrison, Membership Commit- ArchivesWeek.continues itssteadygrowth. approval of $250 in dues to the National tee chair, reported a 1994 year-end roster of Coordinating Council for the Promotion 183 individual and 37 institutional members Local Government Records of History. (the highest total of individuals ever, and the Program (OHS) In 1994, basic operations continued second highest combined since 1976). An In a joint meeting regarding efforts to on a basis of fiscal prudence. Both spring introductoryhalf-fee membershipofferproved expand the LGR program, Council and and fall meetings showed surpluses a success. the Ohio Historical Records Advisory ($564.94 and $465.49, respectively, Board agreed to examine other statewide including income from the Cleveland 25th Anniversary Publication programs (e.g., New York and Kentucky) Archives 101 workshop). Program and Special thanks go to Raimund Goerler for applicability to Ohio. Further efforts local arrangements chairs in 1994 are (editor); Barbara Floyd (production manager); are forthcoming. 2 Ohio Archivist • Spring 1995 SOA's spring meeting offers something for everyone! tional mixer) following that. archives, historical societies, and private con- tions and environmental monitoring and con- For further information on the SOA pro- sultants. Three recognized authorities tawill trol systems. Dr. Michael A. Vincent, curator gram, contact program chair Jennifer Song- present "Creepies, Crawlies and Bloomers: of the ivillard Turrell Herbarium at Ohio's ster-Burnett at the Youngstown Museum of Environmental Management for Ubraries, Miami University, will provide an overview of Industry and Labor (OHS), at 216/743- Archives and Historical Societies." Usa Fox, toxicity, allergies, and fungal growth in mate- 5934 (internet: [email protected]). a private preservation consultant in Atlanta, rials exposed to water and humidity. The fee On Friday, SOA is also proud to join the will focus on mold and mildew prevention for this will be approximately $20. Contact Ohio Preservation Council in sponsoring a and treatment. Dr. Thomas A. Parker presi- Clara Ireland, State Ubrary of Ohio (tel: second all-day preservation workshop. OPC dent of Pest Control Services, Inc., (Ohio only) 800/686-1533; FAX: 614/466- is a statewide group representing librru1es, Lansdowne, Pa., will deal with pest infesta- 3584; internet: [email protected]). Ohio Public Records Law archival experience. Council decided instead open to all members, is intended to capi- The Society opposed Senate Bill 696 to write Sen. John Glenn, chair of the com- talize on our current momentum, and to amend the records law. The provisions mittee responsible for the nomination, in define our organizational goals for the for access and punitive fines would have support of the provision of the United States future. had disproportionate impact on ,Code that requires appropriate experience of underfunded, understaffed governmental the Archivist. Mr. Hardesty has since with- Ohio Archivist archives. The bill died in committee, due drawn his name from consideration. Frederick Lautzenheiser concluded an- primarily to opposition from the several other outstanding year as editor of our county officials' associations. However, Merit Award publication. Fred continues to solicit thoughtful, substantive articles, such as the legislation has been resubmitted and The first SOA Merit Awards, recognizing Dawne Dewey's piece on OhioUnk. OA will likely constitute the most important extraordinary effort for the benefit of ar- evolved beyond the status of a news- issue for SOA in 1995. We shall need to chives and manuscripts, were presented at has letter, and bears many earmarks of a achieve a consensus among our members the spring meeting to: Dr. George Bain of journal. and relay our view with hopes of affecting Ohio University, for his work in establishing the terms of the legislation. and coordinating Archives Week in Ohio; Nancy Johnston, the Attorney General's SOA Listserv Open Government Coordinator, for her work CONCLUSION Special thanks go to Raimund Goerler on the Attorney General's Open Govern- can be seen, the Society was and Ohio State University for establishing ment Task Force; and Detective Richard very active in 1994