Upcoming Webinars
Register for free by clicking the links below and join us for our informative webinars!
Archival Needs Assessments
Sometimes, the hardest part of a project is getting started, and establishing or maintaining archival programs can feel insurmountable. In this webinar, Backlog archivists will explain their Archival Needs Assessment service, which pairs individual attention with recommendations for applying archival standards. They will describe the one-on-one discussions and evaluation of an archival repository's needs, strengths, and vulnerabilities and outline how they consider the uniqueness of an institution in writing its customized report. Archival Needs Assessments are appropriate for any institution eager for an outside perspective on their operations, regardless of the archive's size, staffing, or collections.
Monday, June 17th @ 5 pm CT via Zoom.
What’s Your Damage
All memory workers encounter collections materials that are physically damaged or beset by mold or pests. Knowing how to identify problems and having a plan to respond quickly to them makes for better stewardship so that collections are usable into the future. This webinar will cover the identification of common problems that threaten collections, give some guidance on when to get professional conservators involved, and explain methods to better protect collections by preventing risks.
Monday, July 22nd @ 5 pm CT via Zoom.
St. Louis Deeds and Vital Records
Since 1804, both famous St. Louisans and regular people have recorded deeds, chronicling business loans, land transfers, and even last wills and testaments. In this webinar, Chris Naffziger will show you how to search for and access the wealth of historical and genealogical information available to researchers in deeds recorded in every courthouse in the United States. Additionally, he will discuss how to view vital records, including birth, death, adoption, and marriage records.
Monday, August 19th @ 5 pm CT via Zoom.
Open Source Software
Join us to learn more about open source software and why it might be the perfect fit for your archives. In this webinar, we'll explore the advantages of using open-source software over proprietary alternatives, focusing on its long-term benefits for archival management.
As archivists, we are stewards of our collections, responsible for ensuring their preservation and accessibility for future generations. Open-source software supports this mission by offering greater flexibility, transparency, and community-driven improvements. Unlike proprietary software, which can become obsolete or unsupported, open-source solutions are continuously developed and maintained by a global community. This means you can trust that the platforms you choose will remain robust and adaptable, even as technology evolves.
Monday, September 16th @ 5 pm CT via Zoom.
Archival Arrangement + Description
Join Backlog for a webinar on how to organize an arrangement and description project. Drawing on her experience at the Bernard Becker Medical Library Archives, Laura will discuss becoming familiar with archival procedures and workflows; learning about a collection's creators and context; and creating a detailed processing plan. She will focus especially on how she approached creating an intellectual and physical arrangement for two large collections, and how she undertook the process of describing their contents according to archival standards.
Monday, October 21st @ 5 pm CT via Zoom.
Email Archiving
We all think of archives as containing lovely handwritten correspondence from long ago. But contemporary correspondence needs to be collected, too - and that means tackling the challenge of archiving email. Whether you work for an archive that collects modern correspondence, or you just want help knowing what to do with your own email, this webinar can help. We'll go over techniques, archival practices, and tools and software you can use to manage this new archival format.
Monday, November 18th @ 5 pm CT via Zoom.
Reach out for more information or a free consultation.
Follow Backlog on social media for news, resources, and upcoming events.