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Workshop Catalog

The New York State Archives offers archives and records management training statewide. If your preferred workshop is not available near you, please contact us at archtrain@nysed.gov to request it.

You can filter the catalog by topic, type and audience. Click on the arrow next to each title for more information.

Workshop Description Type Audience Topic More Information
Accessioning! 

Presenter: Clare Flemming, Consulting Archivist. Accessioning is a crucial step in acquiring materials at any collecting institution, as the process by which legal and physical ownership is transferred to the organization. This webinar will address the importance of accessioning, as well as essential components of an accessioning policy, accessioning workflows, and how to handle “found in collection” items.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Management, Historical Records See Accessioning!  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
After the Inventory: What Do We Do Now?

You’ve completed a records inventory. You’ve disposed of obsolete records. You’re done! Or are you? An important outcome of a records inventory is a records management plan. This webinar will teach you how to analyze all the inventory data you’ve collected and use it to create a records management plan.

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Inventory, General Records Management, Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See After the Inventory: What Do We Do Now? for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Alienated Records

Lost records have left their original owner's custody without permission. These records may have been stolen, forgotten, or accidentally left behind, and are now in the custody of new owners.

This workshop:

  • Examines how records become lost
  • Shows how to keep records in custody
  • Outlines strategies to regain custody, if necessary
  • Discusses issues to consider when donating archival records to another organization
Classroom Training Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies Historical Records See Alienated Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
All Booked Up: Care and Access for Book Collections

Ask us anything about book preservation and learn the basics of caring for and creating access to bound materials in your collections. This webinar will cover common storage and housing recommendations, handling and access, and general considerations for preservation in exhibits for books. You will leave with a better understanding of the structure of a book, common materials used in bookmaking, and how these elements play a role in preserving these materials.

Have a question for a conservator? This program will include plenty of time to ask questions of CCAHA Senior Book Conservator Eliza Gilligan. Questions with photographs can be submitted prior to the webinar by emailing amurray@dhpsny.org. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions live during the session.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See All Booked Up: Care and Access for Book Collections for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
An Introduction to Antiracist Policies

In this webinar, co-facilitators Aria Camaione-Lind and Meredith Horsford will use the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum Alliance as a case study to explore organizational policy that yields antiracist results. Aria and Meredith will introduce sample statements and policies that have supported antiracist action at other organizations, and invite conversation and participation around creating statements and policies for organizations in attendance.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See An Introduction to Antiracist Policies for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Antiracism from the Indigenous Perspective: Practical Applications

Museums, libraries, archives, and cultural heritage organizations are reckoning with their relationships to and with the indigenous communities of New York State. This program is designed for people who work in or volunteer for museums, libraries, archives, and cultural heritage organizations and for sites looking for practical opportunities to center indigenous voices, experiences, and perspectives in collections, programming, and community engagement.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Antiracism from the Indigenous Perspective: Practical Applications for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Applying for an LGRMIF Shared Services Grant

The State Archives provides grants to local governments through its competitive grant program, the Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF). This webinar is an introduction to the Shared Services type of grant. Shared Services projects involve two or more local governments working together with one government acting as the lead. This is Part 2 of a six part series on the LGRMIF program.

This webinar focuses on:

  • Defining Shared Services projects
  • Explaining their advantages 
  • Providing examples of projects
  • Showing how to write a strong application
Webinar Local Governments LGRMIF Grant Program See Applying for an LGRMIF Shared Services Grant for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Appraisal of Historical Records

This workshop will introduce techniques to identify records that are necessary for adequate documentation of local governments and the communities they serve. Identifying records which have enduring value is one of the most challenging tasks of an archival program.

Through lectures, cases studies, and exercises, participants will explore the current methodology for appraising records, learn how to use State Archives schedules in identifying archival records, and discuss how to apply the techniques to their own local governments' records.

Classroom Training Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies Historical Records See Appraisal of Historical Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Archives 101
Archives 101 is a 4-week, asynchronous course intended for individuals who manage cultural collections, with a focus on individuals who are new to working with archives, who may not have had formal archival training, or who are looking to refresh their knowledge of archival management basics. Topics covered in this online course include essential archival policies and procedures; fundamentals of appraisal, acquisitions, and accessioning; basic processing techniques and considerations; and access to collections. 
 
With a flexible learning environment, this course combines the convenience of on-demand, virtual education with the benefits of interactive learning. Each week, content will be released focusing on a different sub-topic of archives management, and participants will then be able to work through this content at their own pace while interacting with instructors and fellow classmates throughout the week. Each weekly module will include the following:
 
  • Series of brief, pre-recorded, lectures presented by DHPSNY staff 
  • Mini-quiz checkpoints to test your knowledge 
  • Interactive discussion boards 
  • Comprehensive resource guides
Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Archives 101 for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Ask Us Anything About Electronic Storage

October is National Archives Month and the State Archives is marking the occasion by holding a forum where state agencies and local governments can ask their most pressing questions about electronic records storage. Our focus for this session will best practices in selecting and managing electronic records storage.

Panelists for this event will consist of New York State Archives staff in Local Government Advisory Services & Scheduling and State Agency Services.

Come prepared with your questions or just join us to hear what others want to know and learn more about this topic.

If you’d like, you can send in your question early to recmgmt@nysed.gov (link sends e-mail) with the subject line “Ask Us Anything” and we’ll answer them during the webinar.

 

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Electronic Records See Ask Us Anything About Electronic Storage for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Ask Us Anything About LGRMIF Grants

The Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) is a competitive grants program that helps local governments establish records management programs or develop new program components. This webinar will provide you with:

  • the latest information about the 2022-2023 grant cycle,
  • resources to help you prepare your application and navigate the eGrants system, and
  • an opportunity to ASK US ANYTHING about LGRMIF grants.

Presenters:  Sarah Durling, Monica Hauck-Whealton, Lorraine Hill, Michael Martin, Maria McCashion

 

Webinar Local Governments LGRMIF Grant Program See Ask Us Anything About LGRMIF Grants for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Ask Us Anything About Planning a 2024-25 LGRMIF Grant Application

Are you thinking about submitting a Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund grant application in the 2024-2025 grant cycle? Not sure when or how to get started? Then join us on this webinar where State Archives’ staff will be available to answer your questions, such as

  • What kind of information do I need to include in the application?
  • How should I organize it?
  • What resources are available to help me?
Webinar Local Governments LGRMIF Grant Program See Ask Us Anything About Planning a 2024-25 LGRMIF Grant Application for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Ask Us Anything About Records Appraisal

October is National Archives Month and the State Archives is marking the occasion by holding a forum where state agencies and local governments can ask their most pressing questions about appraising their records for historical value.

Our focus for this session are the following areas:

  • Why is appraisal important
  • How to appraise records

Panelists for this event will consist of New York State Archives staff in Local Government Advisory Services & Scheduling and State Agency Services. It is recommended that attendees watch the State Archives records appraisal training sessions listed below prior to attending the training.

Come prepared with your questions or just join us to hear what others want to know and learn more about this topic.

If you’d like, you can send in your question early to recmgmt@nysed.gov (link sends e-mail) with the subject line “Ask Us Anything” and we’ll answer them during the webinar.

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Historical Records, Appraisal See Ask Us Anything About Records Appraisal for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Ask Us Anything About Records Inventory
Description: April is National Records Management Month and the State Archives is marking the occasion by holding a forum where state agencies and local governments can ask their most pressing questions about records inventories and why they are critical to any well-functioning records management program. 
 
During this session, we will focus on the following:
  • Why records inventories are important
  • How to conduct records inventories
  • What governments should do with the results of their inventories
 
Panelists for this event will consist of New York State Archives staff in Local Government Advisory Services & Scheduling and State Agency Services. It is recommended that attendees watch the State Archives records appraisal training sessions listed below prior to attending the training.
 
 
Come prepared with your questions or just join us to hear what others want to know and learn more about this topic.
 
If you’d like, you can send in your question early to recmgmt@nysed.gov(link sends e-mail) (link sends e-mail) with the subject line “Ask Us Anything” and we’ll answer them during the webinar.
 
Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Inactive Records, Inventory See Ask Us Anything About Records Inventory for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Ask Us Anything About Records Management Policies

April is National Records Management Month and the State Archives is marking the occasion by holding a forum where state agencies and local governments can ask their most pressing questions about creating and using records management policies and procedures.

Panelists for this event will consist of New York State Archives staff in Local Government Advisory Services & Scheduling and State Agency Services.

Come prepared with your questions or just join us to hear what others want to know and learn more about this topic.

If you’d like, you can send in your question early to recmgmt@nysed.gov with the subject line “Ask Us Anything” and we’ll answer them during the webinar.

 

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management, Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Ask Us Anything About Records Management Policies for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Ask Us Anything About The New Services Model
For many years, the New York State Archives has provided records management advice and assistance to all New York State local governments.  To help enhance our services, the State Archives is changing the way we serve you.  Starting January 1, 2022, the State Archives will provide services based on government type, rather than by region.  Please join us to learn how this new model will work and how it is advantageous to you. You will have an opportunity to ask questions. 
 
Webinar Local Governments General Records Management See Ask Us Anything About The New Services Model for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Ask Us Anything About Updates to the Local Government Retention Schedule

This session will go through and discuss the changes made to the Local Government Retention Schedule (LGS-1) as part of the Spring 2022 update and offer attendees the opportunity to ask any questions they have about records retention.

Webinar Local Governments Retention and Disposition See Ask Us Anything About Updates to the Local Government Retention Schedule for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Ask Us Anything... About Archival Records
October is National Archives Month and the State Archives is marking the occasion by holding a forum where state agencies and local governments can ask their most pressing questions about archival records.
 
Our focus for this session are the following areas:
  • Historical records identification
  • Appraisal
  • Disposition
 
Panelists for this event will consist of New York State Archives staff in Local Government Advisory Services & Scheduling and State Agency Services.
 
Come prepared with your questions or just join us to hear what others want to know and learn more about this topic. 
 
If you’d like, you can send in your question early to recmgmt@nysed.gov with the subject line “Ask Us Anything” and we’ll answer them during the webinar. 
Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Appraisal, Retention and Disposition See Ask Us Anything... About Archival Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Ask Us Anything… About Records Management

April is National Records Management Month and the State Archives is planning to mark the occasion by holding a forum where state agencies and local governments can ask their most pressing records management questions.

Join us in this webinar to Ask Us Anything…About Records Management.

Come prepared with your questions or just join us to hear what others want to know and learn more about records management.

If you’d like, you can send in your question early to recmgmt@nysed.gov with the subject line “Ask Us Anything” and we’ll answer them during the webinar. 

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management See Ask Us Anything… About Records Management for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Assessing Your Records Program (Spring Cleaning 2)

Determine whether your organization’s program meets basic requirements and includes key functions to properly manage records and protect your organization from potential risks.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management See Assessing Your Records Program (Spring Cleaning 2) for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
AV Collections: Planning a Reformatting Project

Presenter: David Neary, Project Manager, Media Preservation Initiative, Whitney Museum of American Art. Audiovisual materials are abundant in collections - from moving images on film or video, to audiocassettes, CDs and DATs. Despite their constant presence on the shelf, the data they hold is at risk from the threats of degradation and obsolescence. Transferring to more durable formats will help ensure their preservation, but where do you start? Reformatting projects can be overwhelming, and this webinar is intended to help you get started. Topics addressed will include what you need to know before planning a reformatting project, reformatting in-house, and knowing when to seek out a vendor.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Management See AV Collections: Planning a Reformatting Project for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Avoiding the Paper Avalanche: The Quest for the Paperless Office

Today most records are created electronically yet many state agencies and local governments still struggle to manage mounds of paper. This webinar will explore some of the reasons this problem persists, and suggests some practical solutions that will help agencies and governments reduce the amount of paper to be managed and better manage their digital records.

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management See Avoiding the Paper Avalanche: The Quest for the Paperless Office for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Black, White, and Read All Over: Addressing Newspaper in Collections 

Presenters: Gillian Marcus, Preservation Specialist, DHPSNY; Jennifer Palmentiero, Digital Services Librarian, Southeastern New York Library Resource Council. Many collecting institutions have newspaper in their collections, from clippings to entire runs of publications. There are myriad issues with newspaper collections that can impede access to important information. This webinar will focus on the common problems with newspaper collections and what steps institutions can take to prevent deterioration. Presenters will also discuss the importance of digitization, microfilming and current programs that support this work for newspaper collections.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Black, White, and Read All Over: Addressing Newspaper in Collections  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Board Governance: Committee Infrastructure

Presenter: Susan Weinrich, Vice President of Organizational and Community Development, New York Council of Nonprofits. Boards can use committees to get their work done effectively and efficiently- or they can become frustrated by the lack of leadership, engagement, and clearly defined purpose. This session will explore best practices and creative strategies for using committees to increase engagement, focus, and productively.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Board Governance: Committee Infrastructure for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Board Governance: Fund Development for Boards 

Presenter: Andrew Marietta, Vice President of Regional Development, New York Council of Nonprofits. This session will provide an overview of how board members can foster a pro-active approach to financial resource development including policy making, planning, fundraising, and strategy development. We will also define and explore the various active roles board members can play as donors, ambassadors, advocates, and askers.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Board Governance: Fund Development for Boards  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Board Governance: Membership Program Revitalization

Membership programs can offer plenty of benefits to organizations, however, it can be more difficult to build a thriving membership program than many nonprofits expect. This presentation will cover steps organizations can take to revitalize their membership programs, including understanding the value of a membership program; surveying the membership on their engagement; reviewing and reenergizing membership benefits; and rethinking the membership relationship from a transaction for benefits to an investment and partnership.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Board Governance: Membership Program Revitalization for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Board Governance: Recruitment 

Susan Weinrich, Vice President of Organizational and Community Development, New York Council of Nonprofits. Board leadership and engagement isn’t happened upon through luck, nor is it something to be taken for granted. Board building should be an ongoing process with year-round activities and clear strategic goals. In this session we will explore board recruitment, engagement, and assessment, strategies, and identify and recognize what motivates board members to excel in their roles.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Board Governance: Recruitment  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Choose Your Own Adventure: A Metadata Assessment Tool for Oral History Projects
Since 2013, the Oral History Association Metadata Task Force (MTF) has developed tools for archivists and other practitioners to describe oral histories in their collections and to make informed metadata choices for legacy and new projects. In this program, the MTF will guide attendees through their metadata assessment toolkit, a process meant to help both new projects set up quickly with descriptive rigor, and offer longstanding projects a structured way to address missing pieces to their metadata puzzles. By the end of the session, attendees will be ready to bring knowledge back to their project teams and institutions.
 
This program is for anyone working at any stage or in any role in an oral history project’s life cycle, as all practitioners have important questions to answer about what information they need to capture and preserve about their oral histories. The toolkit offers a holistic way of thinking about metadata that moves away from technical lingo and toward a shared understanding of what is useful to know about oral histories: no technical expertise is required for participation!
Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Choose Your Own Adventure: A Metadata Assessment Tool for Oral History Projects for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Collection Management Policies 

Presenter: Amelia Parks, Archives Specialist, DHPSNY. Having essential policies and procedures in place is crucial for a properly functioning and thriving collection. This webinar focuses on one of these, the Collection Management Policy (CMP).

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Management, Historical Records See Collection Management Policies  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Collections Care Basics

Presenter: Anastasia Matijkiw, Program Coordinator, DHPSNY. This webinar provides an introduction to collections care basics through the ten agents of deterioration: physical force; theft and vandalism; fire; water; pests; pollutants; light; incorrect temperature; incorrect relative humidity; and custodial neglect.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Collections Care Basics for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Collections, Catalogs, and Clouds: How to Choose a Collections Management System

Choosing a Collections Management System (CMS) can be daunting for any institution. Every institution has different needs for a CMS and there are lots of great systems on the market. When choosing a CMS, everything from staff size and make up, to hardware capabilities, to public use must be considered. No one wants to end up with a CMS that does not suit them five years down the road. This workshop can help any sized institution be prepared to choose potential contractors and have meaningful conversations with them by providing tools for you to define what your institution needs, find potential CMS contractors, and ensure you are prepared to work with them. 

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Collections, Catalogs, and Clouds: How to Choose a Collections Management System for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Collections, Catalogs, and Clouds: How to Choose a Collections Management System

Choosing a Collections Management System (CMS) can be daunting for any institution. Every institution has different needs for a CMS and there are lots of great systems on the market. When choosing a CMS, everything from staff size and make up, to hardware capabilities, to public use must be considered. No one wants to end up with a CMS that does not suit them five years down the road. This workshop can help any sized institution be prepared to choose potential contractors and have meaningful conversations with them by providing tools for you to define what your institution needs, find potential CMS contractors, and ensure you are prepared to work with them. 

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Collections, Catalogs, and Clouds: How to Choose a Collections Management System for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Common Collection Conditions: Assessing the Condition of Your Book Collections 

Presenter: Amber Hares, Book Conservator, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. The second presentation in our Common Collection Conditions series, this webinar discusses how to identify common condition problems found in book collections and introduce five priority levels that can be utilized to categorize collection items based on the urgency of conservation needs.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Common Collection Conditions: Assessing the Condition of Your Book Collections  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Common Collection Conditions: Assessing the Condition of Your Collection's Housing

Presenter: Benjamin Iluzada, Housing Technician, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. The third presentation in our Common Collection Conditions series, this webinar will discuss common housing issues found within an institution's collection, as well as recommendations for how to address them both in-house and externally.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Common Collection Conditions: Assessing the Condition of Your Collection's Housing for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Common Collection Conditions: Assessing the Condition of Your Paper-Based Collections 

Presenter: Heather Hendry, Senior Paper Conservator, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. Every collection will have some condition issues, and every organization has limits on the level of collections care they can institute. However, by both understanding the overall condition of a collection and identifying urgent items, organizations can determine how to best allocate resources within an overall preservation plan. This webinar will discuss how to identify common condition problems found in paper objects and introduce five priority levels that can be utilized to categorize collection items based on the urgency of conservation needs.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Common Collection Conditions: Assessing the Condition of Your Paper-Based Collections  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Common Collection Conditions: Assessing the Condition of Your Photograph Collections

Presenter: Barbara Lemmen, Senior Photograph Conservator, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. The fourth presentation in our Common Collection Conditions series, this webinar will discuss how to identify common condition problems found in photograph collections and introduce five priority levels that can be utilized to categorize collection items based on the urgency of conservation needs.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Common Collection Conditions: Assessing the Condition of Your Photograph Collections for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Conducting a Basic Inventory 

Presenter: Kate Philipson, Archives Specialist, DHPSNY. Inventorying collections is one of the most crucial parts of any collections management program. A thorough inventory underpins good intellectual control, emergency preparedness and response, security, and helps to determine preservation priorities. This webinar will discuss the process and principles for carrying out a basic inventory of your archival, library, or museum collections.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Management, Inventory See Conducting a Basic Inventory  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Conducting an Inventory of Paper Records

To have an efficient and functional records management program it is critical for governments to maintain an up-to-date inventory of their records. This webinar introduces participants to the planning, implementation, and analysis of a records inventory for paper records.

The program will discuss:

  • How a records inventory can help you control records
  • How to plan for and carry out a records inventory
  •  Identifying records to inventory
  • Collecting meaningful inventory data
  • Analyzing the results of the inventory
  • How to identify retention periods for records
Webinar Local Governments Collections Management, Inventory See Conducting an Inventory of Paper Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Creating File Plans

This webinar will present strategies for filing records that you can apply to paper or electronic records. It will focus on how to develop a filing system that will keep your records organized, accessible and easy to identify for disposition.

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Active Records, Indexing See Creating File Plans for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Creating Physical Access: Setting Handling Guidelines

As collection caretakers, we often have to balance the primary goals of care and access. Setting safe boundaries for physical access to collections can be accomplished by providing consistent handling procedures for anyone using collection materials. In this webinar, DHPSNY Preservation Specialist Amanda Murray will discuss writing handling guidelines, training both staff and researchers on how to properly handle materials, determining specific guidelines for particularly fragile materials, and housing considerations for heavily used materials.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Creating Physical Access: Setting Handling Guidelines for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Demystifying Cold and Frozen Storage 

Presenter: Barbara Lemmen, Senior Photograph Conservator, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. This webinar covers the types of materials that benefit most from or are unsuited to cold storage conditions, concentrating on photographic materials. The differences between cold and frozen systems, such as equipment types and preparation and access to a collection, are also explored.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Demystifying Cold and Frozen Storage  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Developing a Policy for Managing Email

Local governments and state agencies rely on email to share information, in a myriad of ways, as a part of regular business. For example, to:

  •  Authorize specific actions
  • Disseminate policies and procedures
  • Approve payments
  • Interpret terms of contracts
  • Correspond with the public, customers, or constituents
  • Communicate with staff 
  • Circulate memoranda related to official business
  • Discuss work schedules and assignments
  • Share agendas and minutes of meetings
  • Issue final reports or recommendations

Email used for business must be managed as a record and it should be included in an organization’s overall records management policy. Effective management relies on policies such as those that promote end user cooperation, system automation, retention, and disposition. This webinar will present some practical approaches to managing email with related policies, and procedures to help implement them.

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Electronic Records, Email See Developing a Policy for Managing Email for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Developing an E-records Action Plan
The goal of this session is to provide you with the justification and tools to conduct an electronic records inventory and develop a plan for preserving your digital materials.
 
We have a number of outcomes:
 
  • This class will help you develop your knowledge of the scope of your electronic records collection – its size, the range of formats, and the themes it covers.
  • Provide tool to inventory e-records
  • It will help you understand which records in your collections are at the highest risk for degradation and most in need of preservation.
  • Finally, the class will help you to develop an Action Plan to address E-Records priorities.
 
While you may not be able to immediately implement all of the elements of your action plan, simply having one will guide your future digital preservation work.  You can also use it as an advocacy tool to alert your board or your supervisor to digital preservation issues and request the necessary resources to address them.  
Classroom Training Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments Electronic Records See Developing an E-records Action Plan for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Developing Office Schedules

This session is intended to help State Agencies and Local Governments develop office schedules that they can use to simplify records retention.  You will learn:

  • What office schedules are
  • Why they're effective
  • How to start creating one to meet your organization's needs
Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Policies and Procedures, Retention and Disposition See Developing Office Schedules for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Developing or Renewing a Records Management Plan

This webinar identifies the key components for developing, renewing, or reviving a successful records management program. Each program may be a little unique due to the size of the government and its resources, but a successful program is not a task to be tackled by the records management officer acting alone.

Webinar Local Governments General Records Management See Developing or Renewing a Records Management Plan for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
DHPSNY Dialogue: An Introduction to NYS Field Guide and Indigenous History is New York’s History

The DHPSNY Antiracism Programming in 2024 is structured around both the AASLH Making History at 250 Field Guide and the New York State 250th Field Guide Our guiding question for 2024 is: How do we make our collecting organizations interdisciplinary and representative of the realities of our many New York histories? The February program focuses on an introduction to the field guides and a discussion of Indigenous history as New York history. This program invites participants to grapple with Indigenous history and (historic/contemporary) experiences of Indigenous people and communities as an opportunity for organizations facilitating difficult and necessary conversations about their site’s and collection’s relationship to Indigenous communities in what is now New York State. This program is designed for anyone who works in or volunteers for a library, archive, museum, historical society, or history/culture site in New York State.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See DHPSNY Dialogue: An Introduction to NYS Field Guide and Indigenous History is New York’s History for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
DHPSNY Dialogue: We the People/American Experiment: Intersectionality and the 250th

The upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026 is a crucial moment for New York collecting institutions to advance the field through intentional commemoration planning and programming. Inspired by the AASLH Making History at 250 Field Guide and the New York State 250th Field Guide, the focus of the DHPSNY’s 2024 antiracism programming revolves around building an inclusive 250th and the guiding question: "How do we make our collecting organizations interdisciplinary and representative of the realities of our many New York histories?"
This March, we invite you to explore the intersectional narratives of "We the People" and the American Experiment in what is present-day New York State during 250th commemoration and beyond. We encourage participants to critically examine their organizations' collections, exhibits, programs, and institutional planning through the lens of intersectionality. How will we reach all of our audiences? How do we get hard to reach people involved in this work? How do we keep folks engaged over multiple years? This program is designed for anyone who works in or volunteers for a library, archive, museum, historical society, or history/culture site in New York State.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See DHPSNY Dialogue: We the People/American Experiment: Intersectionality and the 250th for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
DHPSNY's Planning & Assessments: A Crash Course

The DHPSNY team is excited to continue to offer Planning & Assessment Services in 2021, having spent time in 2020 perfecting our approach to a safe, virtual delivery. On March 10th, Join Program Manager Anastasia Matijkiw to learn more about DHPSNY’s Planning & Assessment Services, including what virtual assessments entail, how to apply, and more.

DHPSNY’s Planning & Assessment Services consist of Archival Needs Assessments, Preservation Surveys, Condition Surveys, and Strategic Planning Assistance. In each instance, our services aim to improve adherence to best practices and are tailored to an organization’s unique circumstances. The deadline for the next round of applications for DHPSNY planning and assessment services is March 26, 2021.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records, Policies and Procedures See DHPSNY's Planning & Assessments: A Crash Course for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Digital Imaging
Imaging, Scanning or Digitizing: Whatever you call it, how you can make your paper records accessible electronically.
 
Scanning paper records and making them available to the public via a content management system will increase access and allow sharing of important information. This webinar will introduce the basic principles of digital imaging. 
 
This webinar focuses on:
 
  • How to select records to scan
  • How to plan for and carry out a successful imaging project
  • Discussion of Imaging Guidelines/standards
  • Determining who will do the work of records preparation, scanning, verification and project management
  • Discussing the costs of scanning: in house vs a vendor
  • How to establish and maintain an imaging program/system
Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies Imaging See Digital Imaging for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Digital Preservation for Small Repositories

Presenter: Bonita Weddle, Coordinator of Electronic Records, New York State Archives This webinar focuses on simple, practical first steps small repositories can take toward digital preservation and points you to a wide array of helpful resources.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Imaging and Microfilming, Historical Records See Digital Preservation for Small Repositories for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Disaster Planning and Response

Disasters are all too common in New York State. Each year, records are damaged and information is lost as a result of floods, arson, fires, collapsed roofs, or computer viruses. Participants will complete, as part of the workshop, a draft disaster plan that can become the outline of a final plan focused on the protection of their organization's permanent and vital records.

This workshop will explain:

  • How to judge your organization's risk of experiencing a disaster
  • How to reduce the chances that a disaster will destroy your records
  • How to prepare your organization for a disaster
  • How to respond to a disaster safely and effectively
Classroom Training Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies Disaster Planning See Disaster Planning and Response for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Disaster Response for the Records Manager

Are you prepared for disaster? Do you have a plan ready to avoid or recover from a records disaster quickly, safely, and effectively? This webinar will present actual disaster and recovery examples to illustrate how to respond to a disaster to your records. It will also discuss planning to mitigate damage that could occur to your organization's records management operations.

 

Webinar Local Governments Disaster Planning See Disaster Response for the Records Manager for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Document Scanning Essentials

Although imaging systems can store and quickly retrieve a large volume of documents, they can rarely be justified on that basis alone. To make optimal use of this technology, state agencies and local governments must understand standards and best practices for scanning records and maintaining them in these systems.

This workshop will cover:

  • Current imaging and scanning practices
  • What you need to know to prepare for a scanning project
  • How to incorporate Records Management principles into scanning your records
  • Strategies and best practices for conducting your own scanning project 
Classroom Training Local Governments, State Agencies Imaging and Microfilming, Electronic Records See Document Scanning Essentials for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Duties and Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards 

Presenter: Susan Weinrich, Vice President of Organizational and Community Development, New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc. This session provides a broad overview of the fiduciary, ethical, and policy making responsibilities of the board. It covers the key functions of the board and provides practical guidance and an overview of best practices for board members to individually and collectively achieve excellence in governance performance. Participants will gain an understanding of how to develop and maintain an engaged board focused on ensuring mission alignment, planning for the organization’s future, ensuring adequate resources and strong financial oversight, and for those organizations with employees, building a strong working partnership with staff leadership.‌

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Duties and Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
E-Records Storage Options and Overviews

Along with the growing numbers of electronic records being created in government today comes the growing need to provide appropriate data storage. This non-technical workshop is intended to provide records managers with a basic overview of common ways electronic data is stored and an understanding of how it fits in with records management.

This workshop will cover:

  • Terms and strategies commonly used
  • How electronic data storage fits in with records management
  • How to determine your data storage needs
Classroom Training Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies Imaging and Microfilming, Electronic Records See E-Records Storage Options and Overviews for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Electronic Content Management Systems

Many people believe that an electronic content management system (ECM) is merely an electronic document imaging system, but it is actually a software system that allows for the creation, indexing, management, and retrieval of documents in various formats (including image files) through a single interface.

After a brief introduction to electronic documents, the bulk of this workshop will address:

  • Types of technologies and strategies required for their management
  • How governments can determine whether or not they need an ECM
  • How to plan for, implement, and maintain an ECM
Classroom Training Local Governments, State Agencies Imaging and Microfilming, Electronic Records See Electronic Content Management Systems for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Electronic Records Boot Camp
This webinar is meant for all who have put one toe in the electronic records water and felt it to be a bit chilly for them, or maybe a little overwhelming. We will strip away the IT jargon and get down to exactly what you need to know to feel comfortable in the emerging world of eRecords management. Maybe we will share something of a discussion together on these important issues, have some fun, and come away with enough knowledge to be a little dangerous. You’ll definitely go home with a confident IT swagger!
 
Some of the topics discussed include email management, legal issues surrounding management of electronic records in all their forms, imaging and document management systems, cloud computing, viewing social media as records,  securing a seat at your IT steering committee, electronic records preservation, and much more. 
 
The goals of this webinar are to expose participants to key issues of electronic records management:
 
  • RMO and IT decision making
  • Cloud Computing
  • email management
  • social media and local government
  • preserving electronic records
  • eRecords and the law
  • inventorying automated systems
  • policies and procedures
Webinar Local Governments Electronic Records See Electronic Records Boot Camp for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Electronic Records Disaster Planning and Recovery
This webinar focuses on electronic records disasters. Electronic records are susceptible to damage from water from floods and fires, heat from fires, power surges, computer viruses, and accidental or intentional destruction of data. Participants will learn how to mitigate these risks and respond to these disasters.
 
This webinar will explain how to:
 
  • Assess your organization's risk of experiencing an electronic records disaster
  • Reduce the chances that a disaster will damage your electronic records
  • Salvage various types of electronic media
  • Recover data stored on damaged electronic media
Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Disaster Planning, Electronic Records, Questions for IT, General Records Management See Electronic Records Disaster Planning and Recovery for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Electronic Records Inventory

Many governments have inventoried their paper records. For a number of reasons, however, governments tend not to inventory their electronic records. As the volume of electronic records continues to grow, it is increasingly important for governments to know their electronic records and develop a plan for managing them systematically. This workshop will provide an overview on how to conduct an electronic records inventory and the action steps to take when the inventory is complete.

Topics will include:

  • Reasons to conduct an e-records inventory
  • Identifying records to inventory
  • Collecting meaningful inventory data
  • Analyzing the results of the inventory
  • Developing an e-records plan and program
Classroom Training Local Governments Disaster Planning, Electronic Records, Inventory See Electronic Records Inventory for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Email Essentials

Email messages can be official records when created or received in the transaction of public business. The workshop will discuss how to

  • Identify emails that are records
  • Identify the retention period for e-mail records
  • Consider the best retention strategies
  • File, maintain, and preserve e-mail
  • Develop an e-mail policy covering the management and acceptable use of e-mail
Classroom Training Local Governments Electronic Records See Email Essentials for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Email Essentials (Winter Webinar Series 2020)
Email messages can be official records when created or received in the transaction of public business. The webinar will discuss how to:
 
  • Identify emails that are records
  • Identify the retention period for e-mail records
  • Consider the best retention strategies
  • File, maintain, and preserve e-mail
  • Develop an e-mail policy covering the management and acceptable use of e-mail
Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Electronic Records See Email Essentials (Winter Webinar Series 2020) for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Email Preservation and Transfer

Approximately 95% of New York’s government records, spread throughout its local governments and State agencies, are scheduled for eventual destruction.  What about the other 5% whose business, research, or historical value require that they remain accessible forever?  And, more specifically, what about the emails that fall within this category?

 During this webinar, we will discuss emails as permanent records, the challenges of maintaining access to them, and differing roles of local governments and State agencies in the preservation process.  We’ll also talk about how the State Archives manages the emails in its collections to ensure that they will remain available for future researchers and business users. 

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Electronic Records, Email, Historical Records See Email Preservation and Transfer for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Emergency Planning: Working with First Responders

When an emergency strikes the simplest tasks can seem overwhelming, even when you have a clear preparedness and response plan in place for your collections. While you cannot prepare for everything, understanding how local first responders handle emergencies can influence your own preparedness plan and leave you more prepared for the situations you may encounter. This webinar will highlight what to expect when working with local first responders during an emergency and advice for ensuring coordinated responses that are as smooth as possible.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Emergency Planning: Working with First Responders for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Emergency Preparedness Basics: Getting Started 

Presenter: Amelia Parks, Archives Specialist, DHPSNY
One of the most important steps any cultural institution can take to safeguard its collections is to be prepared in the event of an emergency or disaster. How do you get started on this process? This webinar will focus on the first steps an institution should take, including drafting a Pocket Response Plan (PReP), determining salvage priorities, and establishing a cache of disaster supplies.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Disaster Planning See Emergency Preparedness Basics: Getting Started  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Environmental Monitoring: Getting Started

What should you think about when establishing an environmental monitoring plan? What is a datalogger, and how do you select the right one? What are the basic tools needed to implement an environmental monitoring plan? Join Chloe Houseman, Paper Conservator at the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts, as she explores the importance of managing the environment in collections spaces and offers guidance on how to do so.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Management, Historical Records See Environmental Monitoring: Getting Started for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Establishing Records Management Policies and Procedures

Written policies and procedures establish a permanent foundation for records management programs. They are an essential key to success as a Records Management Officer. This webinar will explore practical ways to develop and implement basic records management policies and procedures, discuss important components, how to use them as a training tool, and evaluate real-world samples.

Webinar Local Governments General Records Management See Establishing Records Management Policies and Procedures for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Files Management

Fast and accurate retrieval of active office records is critical for the efficient operation of government.

This workshop will discuss how to:

  • Assess how well your filing system is working
  • Conduct space planning for filing systems
  • Use color coding to improve filing systems
  • Maintain file security
  • Revamp and improve paper and electronic filing systems

The workshop will also provide a number of tips and tools for people who must manage the ever-increasing volume of information that crosses their desks or awaits them each morning on their personal computers.

Classroom Training Local Governments Inventory See Files Management for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Finding Aid Basics: An Introduction to DACS

Presenter: Amelia Parks, Archives Specialist, DHPSNY. This workshop covers the basics of collection-level finding aids and focus on content and formatting as governed by Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS), the descriptive standard for archival materials.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Management, Historical Records See Finding Aid Basics: An Introduction to DACS for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Finding Aids: Tools and Tips for Basic Description

Join DHPSNY Archives Specialist Kate Philipson as she explores practical steps to help you create finding aids on a basic level. In this webinar, Kate will discuss how to prioritize the required elements of a finding aid so that archival description feels attainable, while building upon the 2017 DHPSNY webinar about finding aids. She will also share further details about Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) by discussing the DACS update process, and examining how the DACS Principles help to frame description work. We will look at some examples of finding aids and take questions, but we will also invite you to a future conversation on September 22, 2021 where we can more directly address your active description challenges and questions about producing finding aids for your organization.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Finding Aids: Tools and Tips for Basic Description for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Five Year Plan (Spring Cleaning 6)

Learn the importance of defining a five-year plan for your records management program, how to get your plan started and keep the momentum going once you get it off the ground.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management See Five Year Plan (Spring Cleaning 6) for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Forget the Best: Good and Better Approaches to Preservation

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.” Using a model that breaks the larger best practices into smaller, attainable benchmarks, participants will be encouraged to think differently about how they approach collections care efforts. This webinar will explore 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 towards improved collections care.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Forget the Best: Good and Better Approaches to Preservation for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Foundations of Inactive Records Management

Without some system to manage inactive records, you are not dealing with a core issue of records management. When we speak of an inactive records system, we are envisioning a life cycle—an annual process of transferring less active records from office filing equipment to an inactive records storage site, disposing of obsolete records, and providing appropriate storage conditions so that records can be preserved. In addition to this cycle, one must be able to find inactive records in a timely and efficient manner. This webinar will introduce the basic principles of managing inactive records.

This webinar focuses on

  • Developing an inactive records storage site
  • Environmental and security control of storage areas
  • Supplies and equipment needed to manage inactive records
  • Transferring records to inactive storage and disposition of obsolete records
  • Preservation of permanent and historical records
  • Improving access to inactive records 
Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Inventory See Foundations of Inactive Records Management for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Foundations of Scanning Historical Photographs

Photographic materials in all their variety are among the most difficult records to manage and make accessible. With the dawn of new digital technologies, you are now able to share your historical photographs with a wider audience and save wear and tear on the originals. Digitizing your photographic collections opens the door to creative and interesting applications never before dreamed possible. Consider the blossoming world of blogging, websites, e-publications, social media, and so forth as natural venues to share your visual historic treasures. But there are many issues to consider as one prepares for such an endeavor. This webinar will introduce the basic principles of scanning historical photographs.

This webinar focuses on

  • What photographic materials you can scan and how
  • Selecting a scanner and software to use and how to get the best possible image from them
  • How to plan for and carry out a successful photographic imaging project step by step
  • State Archives technical standards for file format, image resolution, bit depth, and compression
  • Creation of metadata and descriptive information for images
  • Options to increase access to your digital images
Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies Imaging and Microfilming See Foundations of Scanning Historical Photographs for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Funding for Collections Care 

Presenter: Lee Price, Director of Development, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. Viewers of this webinar will learn how to effectively develop and implement a funding strategy to raise money for collections, including the planning process that funders want to see in place and the elements of a successful grant proposal.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Funding for Collections Care  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Funding: Crafting a Successful Narrative

Presenter: Lee Price, Director of Development, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. In DHPSNY’s second webinar in our funding series, learn more about crafting a successful narrative for your grant applications. With examples drawn from success stories at museums, historic sites, libraries, and archives, this webinar will explore the delicate balancing act of meeting all guideline requirements while telling a compelling story.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Funding: Crafting a Successful Narrative for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Funding: New York State’s C/P and DHP Grants

Presenters: John Diefenderfer, Archival Advisory Services, New York State Archives; Barbara Lilley, Library Development Specialist, New York State Library. This informational webinar presents two funding sources available to collecting institutions in New York through state funding: The New York State Discretionary Grant Program for the Conservation and Preservation of Library Research Materials (C/P Grants) and the Documentary Heritage Program (DHP) Grants. Presenters discuss eligibility, fundable activities, and the application process for their respective programs.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Funding: New York State’s C/P and DHP Grants for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Get a Move On: How to Relocate Collections

Whether your relocation project requires moving objects within your building, to temporary storage, or to a new institution; moving archival collections can be a big undertaking for institutions. In 2017, a team from the New York State Archives moved roughly 1500 cubic feet of civil court records from the New York County Clerk's Office in New York City to the New York State Archives in Albany. The collection included 1,100 boxes of records, around 900 volumes that were not in boxes, and about 500 rolls of microfilm to be packed and moved. In this webinar, Maria Holden, former Preservation Officer at the New York State Archives, will share her experience with this major moving project, as well as tips and tricks for how to plan your own move. Aside from the physical move, other considerations that may need to be taken into account when relocating collections, including cost, data collection, intellectual control, and contingency planning will also be discussed.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Get a Move On: How to Relocate Collections for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Good Housekeeping 

Presenter: Amelia Parks, Archives Specialist, DHPSNY. Having a regular housekeeping program is essential to the preservation of collections. Clean conditions are important for long-term collections care and for good emergency preparedness. This webinar will address how to develop and maintain a housekeeping program for small- and medium-sized institutions, including policies, schedules, and recommended cleaning products.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Good Housekeeping  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Housing Material Basics 

Presenter: Gillian Marcus, Preservation Specialist, DHPSNY. This webinar guides you through the process of becoming an informed consumer in an often confusing world of products marketed as “archival” or “conservation-grade.”

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Housing Material Basics  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
How to Process and Purge Inactive Records

“Process and purge" - magical words for those who love records management! But what about the rest of us? Faced with mountains of boxed records, how does one process these for efficient storage and access? And how does one appropriately separate obsolete records that may be purged from those that must still be retained? This webinar will walk you through this journey from start to finish sharing 25 years of processing and purging tips and tricks along the way. We will touch on transferring records to inactive storage, identifying and organizing records, applying retention schedules, destroying records, and so much more. Leave your fears behind as you learn to dive into records like the deep end of a swimming pool!

 

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Inventory See How to Process and Purge Inactive Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
How to Use eGrants: The Application Process

The State Archives provides grants to local governments through its competitive grant program, the Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF). The eGrants system is the State Archives online application portal for the LGRMIF. It is separate from the New York State Grants Gateway. The eGrants system is designed to manage your grant from application to final reports. This webinar covers the application process only, including getting a user account, navigating the application sections, and forms that are particular to submitting an application. Separate webinars are available for managing a grant in eGrants. This is Part 3 of a six part series on the LGRMIF program.

This webinar focuses on:

  • Steps to getting and setting up a user account
  • Explaining the Narrative sections and tips on how to complete them 
  • Navigating eGrants: The Checklist and Forms Menus
  • Breakdown of the electronic forms
  • Application printouts and attachments
  • Providing guidance on submitting electronic and paper forms
Webinar Local Governments LGRMIF Grant Program See How to Use eGrants: The Application Process for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Identifying Endangered Media Formats

Endangered media formats such as floppy disks, U-matic tapes, and data tapes pose difficult preservation questions for collecting institutions. These increasingly obsolete media formats are sometimes pushed to the side when organizing and preserving archival collections, simply because we often don't know what to do with them. Join Julia Novakovic, Archivist at The Strong National Museum of Play, as she shares her experience with identifying and caring for endangered media formats. This webinar will also address topics such as developing surveys for media collections, finding reference information on these formats, and determining next steps for what you might want to do once you have these numbers.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Electronic Records, Historical Records See Identifying Endangered Media Formats for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Internal Advocacy

Presenter: Dyani Feige, Director of Preservation Services, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. Advocacy is not only external—it is crucial for collecting institution staff to be able to advocate internally as well, to co-workers, board, and administration, in order to assure that resources are best allocated. This webinar will explore routes for both external and internal advocacy with a focus on collections care: securing time and funding for preservation initiatives and conservation treatment. It will also discuss opportunities for incorporating information about preservation into all advocacy efforts.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Internal Advocacy for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Introduction to Digitization 

Presenter: Tamara Talansky, Preservation and Imaging Coordinator, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts
This webinar provides a basic overview of some of the considerations institutions should make when digitizing materials, including prioritization and selection criteria, handling practices while scanning or photographing, and storage concerns for digital media.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Imaging and Microfilming, Historical Records See Introduction to Digitization  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Introduction to Electronic Records Management
This webinar will introduce the basic principles of electronic records management. One of the biggest challenges facing records and office managers is the complexity of issues surrounding the management of electronic records. The manager’s goal should be to determine the most efficient way to manage electronic records so that access for their entire retention period is ensured.
This webinar focuses on how to:
  • Manage electronic record keeping systems of varied sizes and types
  • File and maintain access to electronic records
  • Control the retention and disposition of electronic records
  • Develop security and other management controls over electronic records
  • Preserve electronic records over long periods of time
 
Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Electronic Records, Questions for IT See Introduction to Electronic Records Management for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Introduction to Emergency Planning and Preparedness

Presenter: Samantha Forsko, Preservation Specialist, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts Emergency preparedness is one of the most important steps any cultural institution can take to safeguard its collections. This webinar provides a “big picture” overview of emergency planning and preparedness.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Disaster Planning See Introduction to Emergency Planning and Preparedness for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Introduction to Historical Records

Historical or archival records have long-term value not only for the organization that created them, but also for use in research.

This workshop will discuss methods to ensure that these records are identified, organized, properly stored, available for use, and preserved. It will also suggest ways to develop support for these activities. Attendees will be encouraged to discuss issues related to their historical records with the instructors and with other attendees.

Classroom Training Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies Historical Records See Introduction to Historical Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Introduction to Information Governance

Information Governance. What is it? How can it help your organization? This session will introduce the concept of information governance, explain what it includes and how it will strengthen your records management program. And it will outline how to implement an information governance program. 

Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management, Program Administration See Introduction to Information Governance for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Introduction to Information Technology for Records Managers
With more and more records generated (created and received) electronically, today’s RMO needs to understand more about information technology. What is it? What does it encompass? How is it used? It can be challenging to know where to start. 
 
This webinar is an introduction for records managers to the basic concepts, tools, and technologies that they will encounter in their jobs and will provide them with a solid base of knowledge to move forward with.
Webinar Local Governments Electronic Records See Introduction to Information Technology for Records Managers for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Introduction to Integrated Pest Management 

Presenter: Gillian Marcus, Preservation Specialist, DHPSNY. This webinar provides an introduction to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for cultural institutions. Topics include the basic principles of prevention, monitoring, identification, and response/recovery, as well as resources for setting up a pest management program.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Introduction to Integrated Pest Management  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Introduction to Managing Audiovisual Records

This webinar is an introduction to the management of audiovisual records. We will discuss what makes these records unique, learn about some of the records management challenges they pose and what can be done about them. We will take a look at the different kinds of audiovisual records you will likely encounter, their storage and retrieval, when and how to reformat and migrate them, as well as other related issues.

 

Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies Electronic Records, Active Records See Introduction to Managing Audiovisual Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Introduction to Records Management for State Agencies
By State Education Department regulations, each state agency must have a Records Management Officer (RMO) who is responsible for managing its records management program. This workshop offers an informative overview of the roles and responsibilities of the RMO including:
 
  • The attributes of a good records management program
  • Tips for building a records management program and maintaining support over the long term
  • How a records inventory can help control records
  • How to plan for and carry out a records inventory and analyze the results of the inventory
  • How to develop, apply, and update schedules and examine the schedule review and approval process
  • A review of the services offered by the State Archives to organizations that want to establish a records management program

 

Classroom Training State Agencies General Records Management See Introduction to Records Management for State Agencies for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Inventorying Your Electronic Records (Winter Webinar Series 2020)

Managing electronic records is one of our most timely challenges. It’s increasingly important for records managers to know their electronic records and develop plans to manage them. An effective way to begin this process is to conduct an electronic records inventory. This webinar will discuss how to identify key e-records systems, collect meaningful data, analyze the results, and develop an e-records management plan.

Webinar Local Governments Electronic Records, Questions for IT, Active Records, Indexing, Inventory See Inventorying Your Electronic Records (Winter Webinar Series 2020) for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Keeping Current: Tips & Tricks for Policy Updates
Collecting institutions often have a whole army of policies and procedures. From collections to reading rooms to disasters, there is a policy for almost every aspect of a collecting institution. And once these policies and procedures are written, that doesn't mean it's over. Regular policy updates are a key step to protecting an institution's collections. How often should policies be updated? How do you establish a schedule for this? When should you update a policy versus start over? In this webinar, Amanda Shepp, Coordinator of Special Collections and Archives at SUNY Fredonia, will answer these questions by diving into the intricacies of updating existing policies and procedures and how to start the process of creating new ones.
Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Keeping Current: Tips & Tricks for Policy Updates for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Keeping Up With COVID-19 - Maintaining Your Pandemic Records

The COVID-19 public health emergency has resulted in an unprecedented level of documentation - both of the pandemic’s impact on communities and governments' response to the pandemic. Local governments and state agencies seeking guidance on managing and preserving these records are welcome to join us as we provide some insight on managing records in a remote environment, applying appropriate retention schedule items, and identifying records of enduring historical value.

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Electronic Records, Active Records, General Records Management, Retention and Disposition See Keeping Up With COVID-19 - Maintaining Your Pandemic Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Know Your Collections: Collections Management 

Presenter: Dyani Feige, Director of Preservation Services, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. This presentation covers key collections management topics such as acquisition, appraisal, documentation and deeds of gift, inventory, and deaccessioning. Issues such as “found in the collection” items and abandoned property are also addressed.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Management, Historical Records See Know Your Collections: Collections Management  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Legal Discovery: the Role of Records Management

Records managers are often their organization’s subject matter expert on the types of records created by the entity, who owns them, and where they’re located.  This makes them an invaluable resource when their employer needs to quickly identify, locate, review, and prepare for release records related to pending litigation.

This webinar - designed for non-attorneys, will focus on the role of records managers in supporting their government employer’s response to litigation-related document requests, from document creation or receipt through disposition.

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management See Legal Discovery: the Role of Records Management for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Legal Issues: Copyright 101 for Archivists and Librarians

Presenter: Anne Karle-Zenith, Associate Director of Business Development, Metropolitan New York Library Council; Jennifer Palmentiero, Digital Services Librarian, Southeastern New York Library Resource Council. This webinar provides an introduction to copyright law for archival and special collection managers. Fair use and special exemptions for libraries and archives are also covered. The presentation concludes with a discussion of copyright considerations related to deeds of gifts, donor agreements, reuse of collection materials, and permission and fee policies.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Legal Issues: Copyright 101 for Archivists and Librarians for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Legal Issues: Ethics 

Presenters: Clare Flemming, Consulting Archivist; Brandon Zimmerman, Consulting Archivist. Collecting institutions are regularly faced with ethical decisions, from questions of access and privacy to authenticity and copyright in collections. This webinar will discuss some of the more common ethical issues and the professional codes of ethics governing archives and libraries.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Legal Issues: Ethics  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Legal Issues: Old Loans and Unknown Sources

Presenter: Erin Richardson, Director of Collections, Farmers’ Museum. Designed for any staff or volunteers involved in collections care, this webinar is a primer on how institutions should address their trickier holdings: old loans, abandoned property, and materials “found in the collection.”

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Legal Issues: Old Loans and Unknown Sources for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
LGRMIF Application Forms and Various Tips

The State Archives provides grants to local governments through its competitive grant program, the Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF). Applying for an LGRMIF grant requires the submission of various forms, some of which are hard-copy and some of which are online-only. This webinar identifies those forms and how they should be submitted. This presentation is Part 5 of a six-part series of informational webinars on this grant program.

This webinar:

  • Offers a brief overview of the LGRMIF grant program.
  • Walks through the various forms needed to apply for an LGRMIF grant.
  • Closes with general tips for the application process.
Webinar Local Governments LGRMIF Grant Program See LGRMIF Application Forms and Various Tips for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
LGRMIF Grant Application Information Session

The purpose of Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) grants is to help local governments establish records management programs or develop new program components. 

  • We will provide an overview of our eGrants system, which will allow you to apply online for an LGRMIF grant
  • We will talk about what is new with our grants program, provide tips on preparing an effective application, and describe the review process
Classroom Training Local Governments LGRMIF Grant Program See LGRMIF Grant Application Information Session for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
LGRMIF Grants Kickoff Meeting
Thinking about applying for a Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) grant? Then join us for this grants kickoff meeting where we will review:
 
  • how to prepare for grant writing season
  • important dates and requirements you need to know
  • the resources and contacts you’ll need to prepare a strong application.
Webinar Local Governments LGRMIF Grant Program See LGRMIF Grants Kickoff Meeting for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Lighting: Beyond Standards 

Presenter: Heather Hendry, Senior Paper Conservator, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. Light is one of the ten agents of deterioration, making it especially crucial that collecting institutions know how to control and mitigate exposure to light during storage and exhibition. This webinar discusses basic principles of managing light exposure in collections, including identifying light sources commonly found in institutional storage, measuring and understanding visible and UV light values, current standards for light exposure during exhibition, and preventive measures to avoid unnecessary exposure to light. The light sensitivity of materials commonly held in archives, museums, and libraries is also discussed. Several case studies will show how small and large real world institutions have protected their collections.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Lighting: Beyond Standards  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Local Government records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF): An Introduction

The State Archives provides grants to local governments through its competitive grant program, the LGRMIF. The LGRMIF provides grants to local governments to assist them in either establishing a records management program or enhancing an existing one. This webinar provides a basic introduction to the LGRMIF program and is Part 1 of a six part series of informational webinars on this grant program.

This webinar focuses on:

  • The purpose of the LGRMIF
  • Discussion of the eligibility requirements local governments must meet
  • An exploration of the different types of grants local governments can apply for
  • An overview of the 5 grant project categories and the requirements for each category
  • Suggested next steps as you develop your proposed project and application
Webinar Local Governments LGRMIF Grant Program See Local Government records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF): An Introduction for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Local Historian’s Role in Identifying and Promoting Historical Records

Local history provides such color and depth to an otherwise bland panorama of dates, events and places. It offers unique information and creates a context for regional, state and national history. But what is the documentary basis for excellent local history and what is the local historian’s role in identifying and promoting historical records in a community context? This webinar will explore these questions as they relate to the primary roles of local historians – interpreting the past through research and writing, teaching, organizing, advocacy and historic preservation. We will consider the nature and challenges associated with local records, where they may be located, and options to preserve and make accessible these local treasures. This presentation will be valuable to records management officers, historians, and all those charged with overseeing the rich history of their communities.

Webinar Local Governments Historical Records See Local Historian’s Role in Identifying and Promoting Historical Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Maintaining an Inactive Records Storage Area

Managing the annual flow of records from active offices to inactive storage and their regular disposition is the foundational principle of records management. This is the pivotal key to maintaining an inactive records storage area or facility. In the end, having this process down will determine the quality and efficiency of your entire records program. If managed well, this one thing will make you look like a records superstar, otherwise – not so much.

This one-hour webinar will review amazing tips and tricks that will help you manage the annual flow of records like a champ. We will discuss all of the tasks required to maintain a well-run inactive records facility, from small vault areas up to gigantic warehouse-sized programs. It will touch on maintaining organization and access, disposition of obsolete records, and a few ideas on archiving historical records.

This webinar will definitely be appreciated by all individuals who manage inactive records.

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Inventory See Maintaining an Inactive Records Storage Area for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Making Your Website Accessible

How accessible is your institution’s website? Removing barriers to people with physical and situational limitations can help make your institutional website open to a large variety of users, researchers, and potential visitors. This webinar will guide participants through analyzing their institution’s website for accessibility and taking concrete steps to become more accessible.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Making Your Website Accessible for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Managing Born Digital Records

Today, most records are born digital, but many are still printed to paper, often unnecessarily. This workshop will explore strategies to manage these records digitally throughout their lifecycle and make the printer obsolete. This workshop will discuss the challenges of managing born digital records and give participants practical solutions to the problems of managing born digital records including access, retention, disposition, and preservation of these valuable records.

Classroom Training Local Governments, State Agencies Electronic Records See Managing Born Digital Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Managing Case Files
Case files come in many different forms: legal files, personnel folders, student records, real-property files, among others. They also have many similarities: they are difficult to manage, they contain a variety of materials, many of them are confidential, and handling their disposition is often complicated. This webinar is intended for anyone who is responsible for managing case files and interested in improving the management of those records.
 
This presentation will:
 
  • Identify pitfalls and benefits associated with case file management
  • Consider methods to improve access
  • Show how case file retention schedules can simplify disposition
  • Examine modern storage equipment and filing strategies
  • Evaluate benefits of digital imaging and electronic case file management

 

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Active Records, Indexing See Managing Case Files for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Managing Court Records

Many New York State municipalities have courts. The records these courts create pose special challenges for these local governments. Court records are governed by different rules than the rest of local government records, including separate records retention and disposition schedules. Geof Huth, Chief Records Officer for the Office of the New York State Unified Court System, will explain how to use these schedules, how to organize files, how to properly dispose of court records, and other special rules those who manage court records should be aware of.

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Active Records, General Records Management, Retention and Disposition, Indexing See Managing Court Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Managing Inactive Records for Local Governments

Careful management of inactive records storage is critical to the success of a records management program.

This workshop will discuss:

  • The importance of inactive records storage
  • The basic steps involved in setting up a facility, whether in-house or off-site
  • Ownership and custody of inactive records
  • Equipment, supplies, and safety concerns
  • Cost-benefit analysis, and space planning
  • How to develop inactive records facility policies and procedures A case study approach will be used as workshop participants plan an inactive records storage facility.
Classroom Training Local Governments Inventory See Managing Inactive Records for Local Governments for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Managing Inactive Records for State Agencies

Careful management of inactive records storage is critical to the success of a records management program, allowing agencies to more efficiently manage their records and office space.

This workshop will discuss:

  • Discuss the importance of inactive records storage
  • Discuss the State Records Center and its services
  • Review the basic steps involved in setting up a facility, whether in-house or off-site
  • Provide an overview of records ownership and custody issues
  • Discuss how to develop inactive records facility policies and procedures
Classroom Training State Agencies Inventory See Managing Inactive Records for State Agencies for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Managing Oversized Maps, Plans and Drawings
Managing over-sized maps and architectural drawings is one of those challenges we wish would just go away. They are bulky, often are subject to lengthy retention periods, and can easily become an unruly headache. Depending on the size and nature of your government, they can be a monstrously large set of records.
 
In an attempt to bring these challenges into perspective and make these records more manageable, this webinar will address the key elements of maps, plans, and drawings, including the significance of these records to efficient government operations. We will describe common characteristics of these types of materials such as format, media, and sizes, and how these characteristics affect the management of these records. We will explore how to conduct an initial assessment to better understand the scope and scale of your records management issues when dealing with over-sized materials. Finally, we will discuss some strategies in how to process these records in order to get physical and intellectual control over them, as well as storage options, reformatting, and ways to facilitate access. 
 
In one hour we can only scratch the surface, but hopefully this webinar will provide some basic, common sense approaches to managing maps, plans, and architectural or engineering drawings.
Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies Active Records, General Records Management, Historical Records, Inventory, Indexing See Managing Oversized Maps, Plans and Drawings for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Managing Social Media Records

Many state and local government entities in New York State engage the public through social media, but few of those properly manage the records created on social media platforms. This webinar will demonstrate how social media content can be a government record and provide guidance on using social media effectively. A major focus of the webinar will be how to capture and preserve social media records to ensure the retention of the records for the full extent of their retention periods.

Topics covered by this webinar will include:

  • Managing social media content as official records
  • Assessing the risks of engaging in social media
  • Developing a social media plan
  • Writing social media policies
  • Retaining and preserving social media records 

 

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Electronic Records See Managing Social Media Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Managing Your Digital Collection 

Presenter: Maggie Downing, Manager of Digital Imaging, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. This webinar will focus on the basics of managing digital collections and will address born-digital material as well as items that have been converted to digital format. Maggie Downing, Manager of Digital Imaging at the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts, will discuss scalable strategies that can be implemented by institutions of all sizes.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Imaging and Microfilming, Historical Records See Managing Your Digital Collection  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Managing Your Historical Photographs

This workshop presents strategies for taking physical and intellectual control of photographs to ensure their long-term access and use.

This workshop:

  • Discusses methods of organizing and making accessible photographic material
  • Provides preservation guidelines for photographs
  • Outlines reference, exhibition, and outreach strategies
Classroom Training Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies Historical Records, Active Records, Inventory See Managing Your Historical Photographs for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Managing Your Institutional Records

Presenters: David Lowry, Head, Local Government Advisory Services, NYSA; Jennifer O’Neill, Supervisor, Scheduling and State Agency Services, NYSA. Institutional records are crucial for administrative, legal, and operation requirements. A records management program allows institutions to have systematic control over the creation, use, maintenance, and disposition of their records. This webinar will cover the basics of implementing and managing a records management program at a collecting institution, regardless of size.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Management, General Records Management See Managing Your Institutional Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Managing Your Records Management and Archives Projects
Maintaining programs for managing records and archives can involve a myriad of short and long-term projects undertaken with or without grant funds. Common projects include inventories, digitization to improve access, preserve originals or create an online exhibit, and arrangement and description of archival records. 
 
Project management and planning is essential for projects of any size and when preparing an application if a grant is involved. For a good outcome, projects should begin with a well-defined plan and assign a project manager to oversee the work and anticipate and address any issues that may arise to ensure project goals are accomplished on time and within an established budget.    
 
This joint DHPSNY and NYSA webinar will provide key considerations for planning and managing records management and archives projects. 
 
Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments Collections Management, General Records Management See Managing Your Records Management and Archives Projects for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Metadata Matters: The Basics

Presenter: Dacia Metes, Digital Archives Manager, Queens Public Library. What is metadata? And why does it matter? This webinar will answer these questions and more! Intended to help those just getting started with metadata, topics covered will include best practices for item- and collection-level metadata, file naming, and systems for capturing metadata. Dublin Core and Encoded Archival Description (EAD) will also be addressed.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Management, Historical Records See Metadata Matters: The Basics for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Minorities & Women in Business Enterprise (M/WBE): A Light Introduction

The State Archives provides grants to local governments through its competitive grant program, the Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF). When applying for an LGRMIF grant, any proposals over $25,000 should strive to incorporate a certain percentage of goods and/or services from M/WBE vendors. Join us for an explanation of the M/WBE program and a walk-through of how to submit a complete program packet. Please note that this is a separate (but related) process from the application for grant funding. This presentation is Part 6 of a six-part series of informational webinars on this grant program.

This webinar:

  • Gives a brief overview of the M/WBE program.
  • Explains the levels of compliance/participation.
  • Reviews the various forms necessary for each participation level.
Webinar Local Governments LGRMIF Grant Program See Minorities & Women in Business Enterprise (M/WBE): A Light Introduction for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Mold: Prevention, Detection, and Response 

Presenter: Gillian Marcus, Preservation Specialist, DHPSNY. This webinar covers the basics of mold: what it is, why it happens to archival and library materials, how to recognize it, as well as strategies for prevention and recovery. Resources for responding to a mold outbreak are also discussed. Note: In the slide titled “Inactivating Mold: Freezing,” it should say “Below -20°C/-4°F” instead of “Below -20°F.”

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Mold: Prevention, Detection, and Response  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
More than CDs and Thumb Drives: Real Life Stories in the Adventures of Preserving Digital Records

Maintaining electronic records is just the first part of preserving these digital records for their entire retention period.  Preservation involves different steps to ensure these files are accessible for the long term, including permanent. It is more than just uploading the records to a server and forgetting about them.

The panelists in this webinar will discuss their experiences in preserving electronic records. It will include short demonstrations of the tools they use to maintain, migrate, and preserve electronic records as well as answer questions afterwards.

Presenters:

Maureen Reynolds, County Clerk, Tompkins County

Bonita Weddle, Coordinator, Electronic Records Unit, New York State Archives

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Electronic Records, Inactive Records See More than CDs and Thumb Drives: Real Life Stories in the Adventures of Preserving Digital Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Museum Chartering 101: What is Chartering?
A museum or historical society in New York that wishes to organize as a nonprofit private education corporation must be issued a charter from the Board of Regents. But how does that process work? What are the different types of charters available? What are the benefits of being issued a charter? 
 
Museum Chartering 101: What is Chartering? Is the first webinar in a series designed to help institutions better understand the processes involved in New York's chartering program.
Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Museum Chartering 101: What is Chartering? for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Native Experiences and Perspectives in Non-Native-Led Organizations

This facilitated dialogue will explore the relationships between non-Native-led museums, archives and libraries and contemporary Native makers, artists, academics, and researchers. This program is designed for people who work in or volunteer for non-Native-led museums, libraries, archives, and cultural heritage organizations and/or sites who are working to center Native perspectives and experiences in their programs and collections interpretation. At the end of this facilitated conversation, participants will have a clear understanding of the ways in which they can collaborate with Indigenous and Native makers, artists, academics, and researchers to co-develop programming and collections interpretation that centers Indigenous and Native experiences and perspectives.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Native Experiences and Perspectives in Non-Native-Led Organizations for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Not-So-Impossible Choices: Determining Priorities for Collection Salvage

Identifying collections materials that are priorities for salvage is an important part of an organization’s emergency preparedness and response plan. Often in an emergency, we cannot save it all, and decisions will have to be made. But how do we go about choosing what items to save first? This can seem like a daunting task, but by establishing guidelines and planning, collection salvage priorities can become not-so-impossible choices. In this webinar, we’ll look at what makes collections most vulnerable to damage and how that can inform our parameters for salvage priorities. Types and formats of materials to prioritize during recovery efforts will be discussed, along with how this information can be used to benefit an institution’s emergency preparedness. 

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Not-So-Impossible Choices: Determining Priorities for Collection Salvage for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Photographs in the Archive: Arranging and Describing Visual Materials 

Presenter: Amanda Murray, Preservation Specialist, DHPSNY. Visual materials are a ubiquitous part of many collections that pose specific challenges to providing access. This session will discuss important considerations for the successful arrangement and description of visual materials in order to gain intellectual and physical control, improve accessibility, and provide for preservation.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Management, Historical Records See Photographs in the Archive: Arranging and Describing Visual Materials  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Photographs in the Archive: Caring for Photographic Collections
From tintypes to color prints, photographic collections require specific collections care methods. In this presentation, Preservation Specialist Amanda Murray offers guidance on basic preservation of photographic collections including strategies for storage, housing, and handling.
 
This presentation offers guidance on basic preservation of photographic collections including strategies for storage, housing, and handling.
Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Photographs in the Archive: Caring for Photographic Collections for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Photographs in the Archive: Digitizing your Photographic Collections

Digitizing photographic collections can improve access and minimize handling of fragile materials, but certain collections materials such as photo albums and scrapbooks can present unique challenges. What considerations are needed before embarking on a digitization project? How are bound photographic materials digitized differently than other collections? In this webinar, Maggie Downing will discuss methods and processes for digitization of these unique photographic materials that ensure accessible digital content while also keeping in mind proper handling and care of the original materials.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Photographs in the Archive: Digitizing your Photographic Collections for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Photographs in the Archive: Photo Album Preservation

If your institution houses any family history collections, chances are you have some photo albums stored in your stacks. Preserving photo albums poses unique challenges, as you need to be able to care for both the photographs inside and the book itself. In this webinar, Barbara Lemmen, Senior Photograph Conservator at the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts, will go over some basic preservation techniques to help care for photo albums in your collection. Topics covered will include handling techniques, storage and housing recommendations, and resources for dealing with condition problems. This webinar is a part of an ongoing series, Photographs in the Archive, which highlights preservation strategies for photographic collections.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Photographs in the Archive: Photo Album Preservation for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Policies and Procedures Essentials

Many local governments and state agencies begin records management improvements with great gusto and enthusiasm, but over time they begin to lose control of their records and their systems begin to backslide. Often this is caused by a lack of policies and procedures, or a situation where these procedures are not followed. During the workshop, participants will write draft policies and procedures and discuss them as a group. The workshop will also provide participants with a sample policy manual covering all aspects of records management.

This workshop focuses on:

  • The value of documenting policies and procedures
  • How to develop policies and procedures and make sure they are followed
  • How to keep policies up to date and relevant
  • Why to develop records management policies and procedures
  • How to write records management policies and procedures
  • How to develop and promote a records management policy manual
Classroom Training Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management See Policies and Procedures Essentials for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Policies and Procedures for Deaccessioning

Presenter: Dyani Feige, Director of Preservation Services, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. Permanently removing accessioned materials from your holdings can be daunting. However, deaccessioning is an important collections management tool, particularly for institutions that are overcrowded or have accepted every donation that came their way. This webinar will address best practices when it comes to deaccessioning, including policies and suggested workflows.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Management, Historical Records See Policies and Procedures for Deaccessioning for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Preservation 101
Preservation 101 is a 3-week hybrid course. The course is intended for individuals who manage cultural collections, with a focus on individuals who are new to preservation practices, may not have had formal preservation training, or are looking to refresh their knowledge of preservation basics.
 
This online course will present specific preservation topics under larger themes that speak to the related nature of this work. Specific topics covered include storage and housing for various paper materials; environmental considerations and monitoring; exhibition guidelines for preservation; essential preservation processes and procedures; and the basics of prioritizing preservation needs. Instruction will be provided through recorded videos, online resources, and live Q&A sessions. Participants are expected to be active in course discussion boards, complete relevant assignments, and attend live sessions.
 
Instructors:
  • Amanda Murray, Preservation Specialist, DHPSNY
  • Margalit Schindler WUDPAC Preventive Conservation Fellow, CCAHA
 
Dates: Wednesday, March 16 - Wednesday, April 6
 
Register by Wednesday March 9, 2022. Please note that this program has limited registration and is only offered to constituents representing institutions in New York. If you are registering from outside of New York State your registration may be denied.
Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Preservation 101 for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Preservation in Exhibits 

Presenter: Amelia Parks, Archives Specialist, DHPSNY. This webinar covers strategies for planning and installing exhibits of archival collections using preservation quality materials and following best practices for preservation strategies.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Preservation in Exhibits  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Preservation of Electronic Records

With ever-changing technology and the short life expectancy of the media on which they are stored, electronic records pose a special challenge to governments' preservation. Governments' electronic records can be found not only on computer media, but also on audio tapes and videotapes.

This workshop will discuss:

  • different types of electronic media
  • techniques for preserving electronic records
  • how to maximize longevity of electronic storage media
  • how to preserve electronic media through proper storage techniques
  • how to maintaining intelligible access to electronic records
Classroom Training Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments Electronic Records, Historical Records See Preservation of Electronic Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Preservation Planning: A Primer

Effective preservation planning is key in ensuring time and resources are budgeted adequately in support of the collections. A Preservation Plan is an essential institutional document that helps collecting institutions thoughtfully and carefully chart a course for the preservation of their collections. 

In this online course, participants will be introduced to preservation planning and will learn the steps necessary for writing one for their institution. Topics addressed will include: 
 
  • Why preservation planning is important. 
  • Components of an effective preservation plan 
  • Methods of assessing and prioritizing preservation needs 
  • How to design effective implementation strategies and establish realistic benchmarks 
  • How to advocate for preservation planning within their organization.  
 
This course will be presented over a three-week period. In the first week, participants will be provided with pre-recorded lectures and resources. The second week will consist of a collaborative, interactive live session during which course instructors will guide participants through a series of exercises applying concepts from week one. In the final week, an open Q&A session will be held for participants along with additional pre-recorded lectures and resources. At the conclusion of the three-week period, participants will have the building blocks of a preservation plan for their own institution.  
 
Instructors
 
  • Laura Hortz Stanton, Executive Director, Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts 
  • Anastasia Matijkiw, Program Manager, Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York 
  • Amanda Murray, Preservation Specialist, Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York  
 
Register by Thursday, October 21, 2021. Please note that this program has limited registration and is only offered to constituents representing institutions in New York. If you are registering from outside of New York State, your registration may be denied.

 

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Preservation Planning: A Primer for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Preserving Collections with Limited Resources
Do you find yourself asking, what do I have and how do I even begin preserving my collection? This presentation will guide you on the best approaches to understanding and preserving your collection within limited resources such as budget, staffing, and time. Tips and resources will be shared to so that you can work with confidence.
 
Presented by Cher Schneider, Head of Conservation, NYSED Office of Cultural Education.

 

Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments Historical Records See Preserving Collections with Limited Resources for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Preserving Electronic Records
With ever-changing technology and the short life expectancy of the media on which they are stored, electronic records pose a special challenge to governments’ preservation efforts. Governments’ electronic records are found, not only on computer media, but also on audio tapes and videotapes. This presentation will be helpful for all government officials responsible for the preservation or maintenance of electronic records stored on computer media, audio tapes, and videotapes.
 
This webinar will:
 
  • Describe the different types of electronic media
  • Provide practical guidelines about various preservation techniques
  • Provide information about proper storage methodologies
  • Discuss how to maintain access to records
Webinar Local Governments Electronic Records, Historical Records See Preserving Electronic Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Promoting Your Records Program (Spring Cleaning 1)
A program for managing records is required by law and good for business! This session will help you promote the importance of records management and identify partners and resources to help you support and maintain a program in your organization. 
Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management See Promoting Your Records Program (Spring Cleaning 1) for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Providing Access to Your Records

Providing access to records to the public is a frequent occurrence at local governments and state agencies. This workshop will discuss access responsibilities such as making information available while protecting the records at the same time. Information will also be provided on the use of FOIL (Freedom of Information Law), the Patriot Act and FERPA (Family Rights and Privacy Act).

This workshop will

  • Define access and its value
  • Review physical vs. intellectual access
  • Determine when access is allowable
  • Discuss how to provide a functional research area
  • Identify types of researchers
  • Assist in handling challenging researchers
  • Offer access options such as reformatting and donating or depositing records
Classroom Training Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management See Providing Access to Your Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Quality Control and Verification of Digital Imaging

Verifying that each page of each document was scanned and a true legible copy of the original is the most important step in any imaging project, but the one that is most often ignored. This webinar will explain why this step is so critical to any successful imaging project and review each step in the process of quality control and verification.

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Imaging and Microfilming, Electronic Records See Quality Control and Verification of Digital Imaging for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Real Life ECMS Examples in Local Governments and State Agencies

Electronic content management systems (ECMS) enable organizations to scan and store images of documents to improve access to records, as well as eliminate paper. ECM systems are also software systems that allow for the creation, indexing, management, and retrieval of documents in various formats through a single interface.

This workshop will present three examples of different ECM systems currently being used by local governments and state agencies. The presenters will demonstrate how their systems manage records and discuss various aspects of how to plan for, implement, and maintain an ECMS. The presentations will be followed by time for questions.

Presenters:

Katie Palmer-House, Town of Dover Town Clerk. Katie will provide practical advice for ECMS scanning projects related to her town’s implementation and use of shared Laserfiche system.

Chuck Piotrowski, Knowledge Management Team, New York Power Authority. Chuck will discuss his work digitizing large format records of the NYS Canal Corporation and managing them with SharePoint.

Joanne Fazzari, Corporate Records Manager, New York Power Authority. Joanne will explain their use of shared metadata across platforms and how this has allowed them to get the most out of their ECM, OpenText Content Server.

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Electronic Records, Active Records See Real Life ECMS Examples in Local Governments and State Agencies for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Real Life Use of ECMS in Local Governments
Electronic content management systems (ECMS) enable organizations to scan and store images of documents to improve access to records, as well as eliminate paper. This software also allows for the creation, indexing, management, and retrieval of documents in various formats through a single interface.
 
Presenters in this webinar will share computer screens and demonstrate how, in real life, their governments are using ECMS to manage records. The demonstrations will be followed by time for questions.
 
Presenters:
 
Katie Palmer-House, Town of Dover, Town Clerk
Ricardo Wright-Ramos, Archivist, Albany County Hall of Records
Anastasia O’Neill, Electronic Records Management Technician, Albany County Hall of Records
Webinar Local Governments Electronic Records See Real Life Use of ECMS in Local Governments for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Appraisal for Records Managers
How do you decide which records have historical value? The answer is through an appraisal process.  
 
This webinar introduces records managers to the process of archival appraisal. You will learn the basic principles and practices of appraisal and how to identify records having historic or secondary value.
Webinar Local Governments Historical Records See Records Appraisal for Records Managers for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Disposition Days (Spring Cleaning 3)

Discover all the ways regular, routine disposition of records will benefit your organization!

Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management See Records Disposition Days (Spring Cleaning 3) for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Facilities Management For Your Organization
Managing records is about more than just the records themselves.  There is also the management of the facilities where records are stored and preserved. This webinar will discuss some of the basics and provide some helpful solutions to the challenges presented by managing records storage facilities. It does not matter if records are stored in a small vault with a few shelves or a large warehouse, the webinar will cover the same fundamental information needed to maintain a well-run records facility. 
 
This webinar will discuss organization and access of records, disposition of records past their retention period, selection of a records facility, and working with stake holders and vendors to ensure that records are safe and easily retrieved. The webinar will also discuss some best practices in use at the New York State Records Center in Albany to provide real life examples.
Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies Collections Storage​, Inactive Records See Records Facilities Management For Your Organization for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Liaisons (Spring Cleaning 5)

This session will discuss RMO responsibilities, the benefits of setting up a team of records liaisons and what their roles – as liaisons – can be in terms of achieving your records management goals and making your records program strong and efficient.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management See Records Liaisons (Spring Cleaning 5) for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Management Essentials

This workshop discusses the importance of records management, general records management principles and activities, and tips and strategies to help your organization move forward with implementing the things you learn.

Classroom Training Local Governments General Records Management See Records Management Essentials for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Retention Module #1: Introduction to Retention Schedules

This session will introduce key concepts such as what is a retention schedule, what are the supporting laws and regulations, and why retention schedules are a critical tool for records managers. 

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Retention and Disposition See Records Retention Module #1: Introduction to Retention Schedules for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Retention Module #2: How to Use Retention Schedules for State Agency Records

This session will discuss the use of retention schedules for state agency records, including how to use the State General Schedule and agency-specific individual retention disposition authorizations, review exceptions to the retention schedules, and demonstrate how to identify which is the correct schedule to use. 

Webinar State Agencies Retention and Disposition See Records Retention Module #2: How to Use Retention Schedules for State Agency Records for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Retention Module #3: Using the Local Government Retention Schedule (LGS-1)

This session will provide an overview of the Local Government Retention Schedule (LGS-1), explain how local governments can use it to manage their records, and demonstrate search strategies for identifying the correct retention schedule item. 

Webinar Local Governments Retention and Disposition See Records Retention Module #3: Using the Local Government Retention Schedule (LGS-1) for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Retention Module #4: Developing Agency-Specific Retention Schedules

This session will discuss how New York State agencies may work with the State Archives to develop agency-specific records retention and disposition schedules to assist them in managing their records. 

Webinar State Agencies Retention and Disposition See Records Retention Module #4: Developing Agency-Specific Retention Schedules for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Retention Module #4: Developing Agency-Specific Retention Schedules

This session will discuss how New York State agencies may work with the State Archives to develop agency-specific records retention and disposition schedules to assist them in managing their records. 

Webinar State Agencies Retention and Disposition See Records Retention Module #4: Developing Agency-Specific Retention Schedules for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Retention Module #5: Office Retention Schedules

This session will discuss how New York State agencies and local governments can build customized, office-specific retention schedules using existing State Archives retention schedules.  

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Retention and Disposition See Records Retention Module #5: Office Retention Schedules for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Retention Module #6: Records Disposition

This session will discuss how New York State agencies and local governments can manage and dispose of their records once they have passed their legal retention period.

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies Retention and Disposition See Records Retention Module #6: Records Disposition for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Retention Module #7: Appraisal - Local Context

This session is part one of two sessions discussing what records appraisal is and how New York State local governments should evaluate and appraise their records for historical significance. 

Webinar Local Governments Retention and Disposition See Records Retention Module #7: Appraisal - Local Context for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Retention Module #8: Appraisal - Local Scenarios

This session is part two of two sessions discussing what records appraisal is and how New York State local governments should evaluate and appraise their records for historical significance. This session focuses on providing example scenarios of when local government records should be appraised. 

Webinar Local Governments Retention and Disposition See Records Retention Module #8: Appraisal - Local Scenarios for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Records Retention Module #9: Appraisal - State Agencies

This session will discuss records appraisal and go over the New York State Archives records appraisal process for New York State agencies. 

Webinar State Agencies Retention and Disposition See Records Retention Module #9: Appraisal - State Agencies for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Risk Assessment for Collecting Institutions 

Presenter: Samantha Forsko, Preservation Specialist, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts
This webinar explores the basics of conducting a risk assessment at your institution. Conducting a risk assessment is one of the first steps an institution can take in the preparation and updating of an emergency preparedness and response plan.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Disaster Planning, Historical Records See Risk Assessment for Collecting Institutions  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Scanning Your Historical Photographs

Scanning (digitizing) your historical photographs is the perfect way to increase use, share and preserve these visual treasures. But there is a lot to consider in terms of scanners, software, file formats, image resolution, bit depth, compression, preservation . . . the list goes on and on. Anyone can create a digital image from a photograph, but in this workshop, we will unveil the secrets to creating the highest possible quality scans of your photos. We will provide everything you need to know to take your scans from blase to brilliant in a very practical, informal presentation. Come and have some fun learning the true art of scanning. Whether you are a newbie or have serious experience scanning, this workshop will open your eyes to new techniques that will dramatically improve your digital results.

Classroom Training Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies Electronic Records, Imaging and Microfilming, Historical Records See Scanning Your Historical Photographs for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Security for Collections 

Presenter: Gillian Marcus, Preservation Specialist, DHPSNY. This webinar provides an overview of collections security with a focus on protection from theft and vandalism. Topics will include secure storage, protection of materials while in use, and security policies and procedures.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See Security for Collections  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Social Media: Instagram & Facebook

Presenter: Jason Henn, Manager of Marketing & External Relations, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts
Social Media is an excellent platform for sharing information about your organization and highlighting the collections under your care. This webinar will address the basics of establishing a social media presence for your organization on two popular platforms, Instagram and Facebook, and how they can be used to build audiences, share stories, and promote events.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records, Outreach See Social Media: Instagram & Facebook for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Space Planning: Getting Started

Presenter: Maria Holden, Preservation Officer, New York State Office of Cultural Education. Archives, libraries, and museums of all sizes face challenges when considering how to make the most of collections storage spaces, particularly when space is limited. The presenter will discuss strategies for making the most of precious storage space as well as ways to prioritize best practices and current standards for housing and storing institutional collections.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Space Planning: Getting Started for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Spreading the Word

Presenters: Amy Heuer, Manager of Marketing and Engagement, CCAHA; Lee Price, Director of Development, CCAHA
This webinar looks at fresh strategies to build audiences, promote collections, and connect with new audiences, with additional discussion of how to leverage your stories for fundraising.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Outreach See Spreading the Word for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Staff Training (Spring Cleaning 4)

Find out what you need to focus on to ensure staff understand what records they are creating, what records management is, and their role in it. 

Webinar Historical Records Repositories, Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management See Staff Training (Spring Cleaning 4) for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
State Agency and Local Government RMO Meeting
The State Agency and Local Government Records Management Officers (RMO) Meeting provides the opportunity for New York State government agency and local government RMOs and other interested staff to share experiences and to learn about and discuss current industry trends, best practices and upcoming initiatives related to records management. 
 
Classroom Training Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management See State Agency and Local Government RMO Meeting for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
State Agency RMO Meeting
The State Agency Records Management Officers (RMO) Training Meeting provides the opportunity for agency RMOs and other interested staff to share experiences and to learn about and discuss current industry trends, best practices, and upcoming initiatives relating to records management.
Classroom Training State Agencies General Records Management See State Agency RMO Meeting for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Stories from the Field: Electronic Media Preservation at The Strong Museum of Play

Join Julia Novakovic and Beth Merkle from the Strong Museum of Play as they discuss steps that smaller institutions can take to begin basic digital preservation on their electronic media. The Strong was awarded RRLC Technology grants for “Preserving Endangered Media Pilot Project,” which focused on floppy disks, in 2017 and then “Preservation of Endangered Media: U-matic Tape Pilot Project” in 2018. Drawing from lessons learned during these projects, this webinar will cover topics such as preservation tactics for electronic media formats on hardware and accessioning born-digital collections from donors via file transfers, as well as an overview of the helpful resources and tools used at the Strong to ensure access to digital files for the next generation. 

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Stories from the Field: Electronic Media Preservation at The Strong Museum of Play for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Stories from the Field: Implementing Cold Storage Solutions at Storm King Arts Center

Implementing cold storage solutions at your institution can pose unique challenges. Obtaining funding, purchasing equipment, packaging collections, and figuring out how to monitor temperatures are just a few of the hurdles involved in this process. In this webinar, Christine Perche will share insight and lessons learned from the implementation of cold storage solutions at Storm King Arts Center.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Stories from the Field: Implementing Cold Storage Solutions at Storm King Arts Center for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Stories from the Field: Mold at RPI

Presenters: Tammy Gobert, Preservation and Access Archivist, Institute Archives and Special Collections, RPI Jenifer Monger, Assistant Institute Archivist, Institute Archives and Special Collections, RPI Dealing with a large mold outbreak is one of the most difficult situations an institution can face; in this webinar, staff from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Library share insight and lessons learned after they tackled a large mold outbreak in the collections.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Disaster Planning, Historical Records See Stories from the Field: Mold at RPI for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Stories from the Field: Oral Histories at Queens Memory Project

Founded in 2010, Queens Memory is a community archive project done in collaboration with the Queens Library and Queens College that focuses on building their current archives by collecting oral histories from Queens residents. In this webinar, Natalie Milbrodt, Director of Queens Memory, will tell the story of this project as well as provide some tips and tricks for how to navigate your own oral history projects.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Stories from the Field: Oral Histories at Queens Memory Project for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Stories from the Field: Transcribing the John Torrey Papers at the New York Botanical Garden

In an effort to make the correspondence of Dr. John Torrey more accessible to researchers, the New York Botanical Garden initiated a project called Digitizing and Transcribing the John Torrey Papers: Natural Science and Exploration in 19th Century America. This NEH-funded project has focused on preserving, digitizing, and transcribing letters from over 350 correspondents, which previously were only able to be seen by visiting the LuEsther T. Mertz Library and Archives. This webinar will highlight the process of the project; including the grant received, project goals, staffing, crowdsourcing process, and some of the pitfalls.

This webinar is a part of the "What Did You Do? Stories from the Field" webinar series that highlights the stories from archives professionals throughout New York State, particularly focusing on unique collections care solutions.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Stories from the Field: Transcribing the John Torrey Papers at the New York Botanical Garden for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Stories from the Field: Volunteer Management at Queens Memory Project

Volunteers are integral to many collecting institutions, providing time and insight that an organization may not otherwise have access to. However, many organizations have little or no formal process or program in place for managing a volunteer program. In this webinar, Merel Agish, Community Coordinator, will cover volunteer engagement, training and retention at the Queens Memory Project.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Stories from the Field: Volunteer Management at Queens Memory Project for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Temperature & Relative Humidity in Collections Care

Presenter: Gillian Marcus, Preservation Specialist, DHPSNY
Providing stable environmental controls is one of the most important steps an institution can take to preserve its collections. As strict parameters for temperature and relative humidity can be expensive and difficult to implement for many institutions, efforts should be focused on maintaining environmental conditions that are attainable, sustainable, and cost-effective over the long term. This webinar will cover the impact temperature and relative humidity can have on collections, as well as ways to mitigate the risks posed by fluctuations or extremes. Establishing and maintaining an environmental monitoring program will also be addressed.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Storage​, Historical Records See Temperature & Relative Humidity in Collections Care for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The Basics of Maintaining Your Inactive Records Storage

Ensuring the access and preservation of your inactive records in the correct environment is one of the essential elements of a good records management program. During this webinar, we will discuss some of the basic principles involved in maintaining your inactive records storage area. We will also give you some helpful solutions to the different challenges these records present. Whether you work with records in a vault, a warehouse, or just have a few shelves in a corner, the basic information you need to maintain a well-run inactive records facility is the same.  This webinar will talk about organizing and ensuring access for your inactive records.  As well as, discussing the disposition of records past their retention and creating the best environment to ensure the preservation of these records well past your retirement.  People with all levels of knowledge of records management are encouraged to attend. 

Webinar Local Governments Inventory, General Records Management See The Basics of Maintaining Your Inactive Records Storage for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The Basics of Records Management

Sometimes it’s important to get back to the basics. If you’re looking for a refresher course or you’re new to records management this webinar is for you. We’ll discuss why records management is so important, the basic principles of records management, and basics of records management activities such as retention, access and preservation.

Webinar Local Governments General Records Management See The Basics of Records Management for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The Importance of Strategic Planning 

Presenter: Susan Weinrich, Vice President of Organizational and Community Development, NYCON. Does your institution have a strategic plan? If not, this webinar will convince you to start the process!

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Policies and Procedures, Program Administration See The Importance of Strategic Planning  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The Legal Aspects of Records Management
The law has a great impact on records. It influences how we manage them, access them, secure them, and how long we keep them. This course will explore how statutory laws and court decisions affect records management programs and the importance of a good records management program in protecting your organization during law suits. 
 
This workshop will: 
  • Explain the legal requirements of a records management program;
  • Review federal and state laws that greatly impact records management 
  • Review court cases that affect records management; 
  • Explain how the legal discovery process works;
  • Explain the consequences of not preserving records; and 
  • Provide practical steps for going forward.
Classroom Training Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management See The Legal Aspects of Records Management for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) Grant: How to Amend Your Budget After Receiving an Award
Project budgets undergo an extensive analysis during the grant review process, and for the most part grantees are able to conduct their project according to their original budget. During the course of completing the project, however, you may find that you need to change or amend your budget due to unforeseen circumstances. Certain kinds of amendments are allowed, and this webinar will walk you through the process of requesting, completing, and submitting an amendment to your budget.
 
This webinar focuses on:
  • Providing tips on filling in the following forms: Budget Amendment Summary and the FS-10-A/Proposed Amendment for a Federal or State Project 
  • A step-by-step demonstration in filling in both forms
  • An explanation of the difference between a “formal” and “informal” amendment
  • Getting approval for your amendment
  • How to submit your amendment
 
Webinar Local Governments LGRMIF Grant Program See The Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) Grant: How to Amend Your Budget After Receiving an Award for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) Grant: How to Close Out a Grant - Filing the FS-10-F Final Budget Form

If you have received a grant through the LGRMIF program, you are required to file a set of Final Reports after you have completed your project. This webinar covers the Final Project Budget and the FS-10-F/Final Expenditure forms, two of the forms that make up your Final Reports. It is part of a series that walks you through the forms that make up your Final Reports. The webinars in this series all contain a live demonstration in the eGrants system.

This webinar focuses on:

  • Providing tips on filling in the Final Project Budget
  • A step-by-step demonstration in filling in budget codes
  • An explanation of the difference between encumbrance dates and check dates
  • An overview of the forms that make up your Final Reports
  • How to Submit your Final Reports

 

Webinar Local Governments LGRMIF Grant Program See The Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) Grant: How to Close Out a Grant - Filing the FS-10-F Final Budget Form for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The New LGS-1 Featuring Records for the General Administration of all Local Government
The new Retention and Disposition Schedule for New York Local Government Records or LGS-1, will launch on August 1, 2020. ALL previous local government schedules (CO-2, MU-1, ED-1, and MI-1) will be replaced by the LGS-1 on January 1, 2021. Local governments must formally adopt LGS-1 before January 1st to continue legal destruction of records. Join us for a series of five webinars created to introduce the new LGS-1, explain its role in your government and provide you with an overview of changes related to your records, followed by Q&A.   
 
This session is one of five.   This particular session will feature records for the general administration of all local governments. 
 
Webinar Local Governments Retention and Disposition See The New LGS-1 Featuring Records for the General Administration of all Local Government for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The New LGS-1 Featuring Records of Cities, Towns, Villages, and Fire Districts
The new Retention and Disposition Schedule for New York Local Government Records or LGS-1, will launch on August 1, 2020. ALL previous local government schedules (CO-2, MU-1, ED-1, and MI-1) will be replaced by the LGS-1 on January 1, 2021. Local governments must formally adopt LGS-1 before January 1st to continue legal destruction of records. Join us for a series of five webinars created to introduce the new LGS-1, explain its role in your government and provide you with an overview of changes related to your records, followed by Q&A.   
 
This session is the third of five. This particular session will feature the records of cities, towns, villages, and fire districts. 
 
Webinar Local Governments Retention and Disposition See The New LGS-1 Featuring Records of Cities, Towns, Villages, and Fire Districts for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The New LGS-1 Featuring Records of Counties
The new Retention and Disposition Schedule for New York Local Government Records or LGS-1, will launch on August 1, 2020. ALL previous local government schedules (CO-2, MU-1, ED-1, and MI-1) will be replaced by the LGS-1 on January 1, 2021. Local governments must formally adopt LGS-1 before January 1st to continue legal destruction of records. Join us for a series of five webinars created to introduce the new LGS-1, explain its role in your government and provide you with an overview of changes related to your records, followed by Q&A.   
 
This session is the second of five. This particular session will feature the records of counties. 
 
Webinar Local Governments Retention and Disposition See The New LGS-1 Featuring Records of Counties for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The New LGS-1 Featuring Records of Miscellaneous Governments
The new Retention and Disposition Schedule for New York Local Government Records or LGS-1, will launch on August 1, 2020. ALL previous local government schedules (CO-2, MU-1, ED-1, and MI-1) will be replaced by the LGS-1 on January 1, 2021. Local governments must formally adopt LGS-1 before January 1st to continue legal destruction of records. Join us for a series of five webinars created to introduce the new LGS-1, explain its role in your government and provide you with an overview of changes related to your records, followed by Q&A.   
 
This session is the last of five. This particular session will feature the records of miscellaneous governments. 
Webinar Local Governments Retention and Disposition See The New LGS-1 Featuring Records of Miscellaneous Governments for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The New LGS-1 Featuring Records of School Districts, BOCES, and other Educational Governments
The new Retention and Disposition Schedule for New York Local Government Records or LGS-1, will launch on August 1, 2020. ALL previous local government schedules (CO-2, MU-1, ED-1, and MI-1) will be replaced by the LGS-1 on January 1, 2021. Local governments must formally adopt LGS-1 before January 1st to continue legal destruction of records. Join us for a series of five webinars created to introduce the new LGS-1, explain its role in your government and provide you with an overview of changes related to your records, followed by Q&A.   
 
This session is the fourth of five. This particular session will feature the records of school districts, BOCES, and other educational governments. 
Webinar Local Governments Retention and Disposition See The New LGS-1 Featuring Records of School Districts, BOCES, and other Educational Governments for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The Process of Processing: Creating and Implementing Processing Plans 

Presenter: Kate Philipson, Archives Specialist, DHPSNY. Processing archival collections, which is the work of arranging, describing, and housing materials, can sometimes feel overwhelming. Creating an initial processing plan helps to make these activities more manageable, as it proposes a clear guide to understanding any given collection and the resources that are necessary to make it accessible. This webinar will address the reasons for utilizing processing plans in your workflows, as well as the details of how to write one and implement it effectively.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Collections Management, Historical Records See The Process of Processing: Creating and Implementing Processing Plans  for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The Records Lifecycle

The records lifecycle is the basic concept records managers use to build records management programs. This presentation will review the concept and explain each phase of the records lifecycle. It will also provide suggestion on which records management activities should take place in each phase of the lifecycle. 

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management, Retention and Disposition See The Records Lifecycle for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
The Role of a Local Government Records Management Officer (Winter Webinar Series 2019)

Congratulations, you are an RMO! Welcome to the role of Records Management Officer. This webinar will explain why this essential position exists, what its key responsibilities are, and how you and others in your organization can work together to build and maintain a strong records management program.

Webinar Local Governments General Records Management See The Role of a Local Government Records Management Officer (Winter Webinar Series 2019) for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Understanding Anti-Racism as Collecting Organizations

This program will cover the very basics of what anti-racism is, how we talk about it, it's history and how we can use the principles of antiracism to create more robust and engaging organizations. This webinar will include large group learning and discussion, building on prior experience and constituent interest, as well as participatory opportunities to understand the material more deeply.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Understanding Anti-Racism as Collecting Organizations for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Understanding NYS Conservation/Preservation (C/P) Grants

Elevate your grant writing skills with Barbara Lilley, New York State Library's seasoned Conservation/Program officer, as she unravels the intricacies of the Conservation/Preservation Grant application process. In this presentation, Barbara will empower participants with the essential knowledge needed to craft a successful application. Participants will discover the key project types that are eligible for funding, as well as the materials and expenses covered by the grant. Barbara will expertly navigate each section of the application, providing guidance for completing them effectively. As a bonus, we've allocated dedicated time for a Q&A session, allowing participants to seek advice on specific project applications.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Understanding NYS Conservation/Preservation (C/P) Grants for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Understanding the 10 Agents of Deterioration

Understanding the 10 Agents of Deterioration is a 2-week, virtual course that will cover basic knowledge needed to identify and understand the 10 Agents of Deterioration that may threaten your collections: Light; Incorrect Temperature; Incorrect Relative Humidity; Fire; Water; Pests; Pollutants; Physical Forces; Theft & Vandalism; and Custodial Neglect. Risk assessment and mitigation strategies will also be discussed.

This online course is intended for individuals who manage cultural collections, with a focus on those who are new to archival preservation, who may not have had formal preservation training, or who are looking to brush up on their knowledge.

Instructors:

  • Amanda Murray, Preservation Specialist, DHPSNY
  • Dyani Feige, Director of Preservation Services, CCAHA
  • Emelia Boehm Emig, Preservation Specialist, CCAHA
  • Kate Philipson, Archives Specialist, DHPSNY
  • Liyah Desher, Education & Outreach Specialist, DHPSNY

Dates: Monday, September 27 - Friday, October 8, 2021

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the DHPSNY Understanding the 10 Agents of Deterioration Online Course, participants will:

  • have an increased awareness of what the 10 agents of deterioration are and the risks they pose to collections
  • gain an understanding of basic strategies to manage and/or mitigate these risks
  • be able to successfully implement planning tools such as security and disaster recovery plans at their institution

Register by Sunday, September 19, 2020. Please note that this program has limited registration and is only offered to constituents representing institutions in New York. If you are registering from outside of New York State, your registration may be denied.

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Understanding the 10 Agents of Deterioration for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Updates to the State Agency General Schedule
An updated version of the General Retention and Disposition Schedule for New York State Government Records (General Schedule) was issued in September 2016. This webinar will discuss in detail the 2016 revisions to the General Schedule which included: 
 
  • updates to the Fiscal Operations section of the Schedule to cover records related to the Statewide Financial System (SFS) and to standardize most retention periods to 6 years         
  • waiver of the imaging certification statement and requirement that agencies submit a separate  records disposition request for destruction of original records after scanning or microfilming
  • updates to existing items based on changes to legal requirements since the last revision of the Schedule
Webinar State Agencies Retention and Disposition See Updates to the State Agency General Schedule for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Using Historic Records in the Classroom: Consider the Source New York

ConsidertheSourceNY.org is a new online education resource from the New York State Archives Partnership Trust. The website provides access to thousands of primary sources and learning activities to help educators bring local historical records into their classroom. Local communities are filled with valuable, informative records that reflect the rich and diverse history of New York State. However, getting these resources into the hands of educators and students in a format that they can easily incorporate into the curriculum is often challenging. Join us to learn how you and your organization can make your records more accessible to educators and students.  

 

Webinar Historical Records Repositories Historical Records See Using Historic Records in the Classroom: Consider the Source New York for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Using Local Government Records for Local and Family History

The historical records of towns, villages, cities, counties, school districts and other local governments are among the most amazing treasures for those conducting family and local history. They have the ability to paint beautiful panoramas, providing detail and color to otherwise bland lists of names, dates and places. But accessing these records, knowing what is available and where to find them, can be rather daunting.

This one-hour webinar will outline the types of historical records available at many local governments. It will explore where you may find them and the kinds of information they contain. We will also discuss some of the challenges and approaches you might use to successfully access these treasures.

This webinar will be really valuable for researchers, historians, and for all individuals who care for and make accessible historical records in local governments.

Webinar Local Governments Historical Records See Using Local Government Records for Local and Family History for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Using State Agency Records in the State Archives' Holdings

The New York State Archives is responsible for storing state agency records with long-term historical value, and is critical in ensuring their preservation and access for future New Yorkers.  This workshop will discuss the importance of transferring your agency’s archival records to the State Archives. It will outline the transfer process, review policies and procedures for requesting and using materials at the State Archives, and examine the conditions under which records may be loaned back to agencies.

 

Classroom Training State Agencies Historical Records See Using State Agency Records in the State Archives' Holdings for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Using State Archives Local Government Retention Schedules (Winter Webinar Series 2019)

The New York State Archives develops retention schedules to help local government officials efficiently dispose of records they no longer need to keep, but we sometimes feel a little uneasy about this process. This webinar will introduce the foundational principles of using state archives retention schedules.

This webinar focuses on

  • How to use State Archives local government retention schedules effectively
  • How to identify specific records in a schedule
  • How to avoid common pitfalls using retention schedules
  • How to develop office retention schedules
  • How to appropriately dispose of obsolete records

 

Webinar Local Governments Retention and Disposition See Using State Archives Local Government Retention Schedules (Winter Webinar Series 2019) for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Using State Archives’ State Agency Retention Schedules

This one-hour webinar will outline the importance of retention and disposition schedules to state agencies.  We will discuss how to develop, apply, and update schedules, examine the review and approval process, and explore why retention scheduling is such an integral part of an agency’s overall records management program.

Webinar State Agencies Retention and Disposition See Using State Archives’ State Agency Retention Schedules for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Using the State Records Center

The New York State Records Center (SRC), operated by the New York State Archives, provides efficient, low-cost, inactive records storage and retrieval for New York State agencies. This workshop is intended to provide agencies with further information on how the SRC operates and how they may utilize its services.

This workshop will:

  • Provide step-by-step instructions for transferring paper records, microfilm, and computer media to the SRC
  • Demonstrate how to prepare records for transfer to the SRC
  • Discuss how to gain access to records stored at the SRC
  • Review records disposition and destruction at the SRC
  • Provide an overview of the billing process and recent changes in billing
  • Review changes in records center policies and procedures
Classroom Training State Agencies Inventory See Using the State Records Center for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
What about that Room? Maintaining an Inactive Records Storage Area

Moving records from active offices to inactive storage and their regular disposition is essential to maintaining an inactive records storage area or facility. This webinar will discuss some of the basics and provide some helpful solutions to the different challenges inactive records present. It does not matter if you work with records stored in a small vault with a few shelves or a humungous warehouse, there will be some of the same fundamental information you need to maintain a well-run inactive records facility. This webinar will discuss organization and access of inactive records, disposition of records no longer needed and how to create the best environment to ensure you have the best records storage area you can. Anyone who deals with inactive records is bound to learn something new.

Webinar Local Governments, State Agencies General Records Management, Inventory, Retention and Disposition See What about that Room? Maintaining an Inactive Records Storage Area for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
What Does the Genealogist Want from You? And How to Provide it

Genealogist are, by far, the largest user group of New York State local government historical records. This webinar will help local government officials understand what the genealogist is looking for and why. It will provide tips and strategies on records access that help make things easier for you and the genealogist.

Webinar Local Governments Historical Records See What Does the Genealogist Want from You? And How to Provide it for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Writing the LGRMIF Grant Narrative

The State Archives provides grants to local governments through its competitive grant program, the Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF). Writing the narrative proposal is one of the most detailed parts of applying for an LGRMIF grant. The narrative also carries the most weight in points, so this webinar explains how to address that part of the application successfully. This presentation is Part 4 of a six-part series of informational webinars on this grant program.

This webinar:

  • Gives a brief overview of the LGRMIF grant program.
  • Reviews general writing tips.
  • Addresses topics that must be covered in the grant narrative.
  • Offers tips for success.

 

Webinar Local Governments LGRMIF Grant Program See Writing the LGRMIF Grant Narrative for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Your Role as Local Government Records Management Officer

By State Education Department Regulations, Local Governments must have a designated Records Management Officer (RMO) who is responsible for its Records Management Program. This webinar will explain why this essential position exists and review the role of the RMO. In addition, this webinar will discuss the attributes of a good Records Management (RM) program and provide the tools necessary for building and maintaining a successful program. Finally, we will review the services offered by the State Archives and other organizations that can help provide support for your Records Management program.

Webinar Local Governments General Records Management See Your Role as Local Government Records Management Officer for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.
Your Role as State Agency Records Management Officer

By State Education Department regulations, each state agency must have a Records Management Officer (RMO) who is responsible for managing its records management program. This session looks at the role and responsibilities of the RMO.

This workshop will:

  • Identify the challenges and responsibilities of the RMO
  • Review steps for getting started as an RMO
  • Discuss the agency partnerships necessary for the implementation of a successful records management program
  • Discuss the importance of partnership with the State Archives
  • Provide tips for setting records management goals
Webinar State Agencies General Records Management See Your Role as State Agency Records Management Officer for upcoming availability, webinars, and more.