Call for Nominations for the 2026 Merit Award

The SOA Membership & Awards Committee seeks nominations for the 2026 Society of Ohio Archivists Merit Award.

The award is given to individuals or organizations that have by excellence in deeds, actions, or initiatives improved the state of archives in Ohio over the past year. The award will be announced at the SOA and MAC Joint Annual Meeting, which will be held on May 14-16, 2026, at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

A fillable PDF Merit Award nomination form is available to download. The Merit Award rubric is available for your reference. Deadline to apply is March 13, 2026.

Nominations should include the following information:

Name of nominee;
Nominee’s employer or institution;
Nominee’s mailing address, phone number, and email address;
Brief reason for nomination;
The nominator’s contact information so that the awards committee may contact you for additional information.

See the list of past awardees on the Merit Award page.

Applications and inquiries can be emailed to Membership & Awards Committee co-chairs Stephanie Shreffler and Julia Teran.

Last Updated on January 23, 2026 by Emily Gainer

Call for Nominations to SOA Leadership 2026

The SOA Nominating Committee announces a call for nominations for:

Vice President/President-Elect,
Treasurer,
Member of Council, and
JEDAI Committee Co-chair.

Self-nominations and peer nominations are welcomed and encouraged. We also encourage nominations from new professionals and/or individuals seeking to get involved in a professional organization for the first time. All positions are for two-year terms of office, except for the VP/President/Past President cycle, which is one-year in each position (a total commitment of three years).

If elected, you must be a current SOA member in good standing by the beginning of your term and willing and able to attend monthly council meetings and business activities (virtually or in person).

The election will be held during the SOA Annual Business Meeting, which will occur during the SOA Annual Meeting on May 14-16, 2026. Prior to the election, candidates will be required to respond to a question printed in the Ohio Archivist.

More details about responsibilities and terms can be found in the SOA Constitution and Bylaws.

Please send nominations or questions to the Nominating Committee Chair Matt Francis by Friday, February 26, 2026.

Last Updated on January 20, 2026 by Emily Gainer

Annual Meeting: Call for Poster Presentations 2026

The Midwest Archives Conference and the Society of Ohio Archivists will hold a joint 2026 Annual Meeting on May 14-16, 2026 at the Ohio Union on The Ohio State University’s campus in Columbus, Ohio.

Founded in 1870 as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, The Ohio State University sits a few miles north of downtown Columbus. A city unto itself with an enrollment of more than 65,000, Ohio State is known for its top ranked academic programs in engineering, agriculture, and business, its world class research endeavors. For more information about the host and the conference, see the meeting website.

The 2026 Program Committee invites poster proposal submissions on all aspects of archival practice and research, as well as on topics from allied and related fields. The Program Committee seeks a diverse slate of presenters, representing a variety of personal and institutional backgrounds, perspectives, and voices. We seek to foster a culture of inclusion in the MAC-SOA program and encourage submissions from students, new professionals, first-time presenters, and those from allied professions. Membership in MAC and/or SOA is not required to present. Poster presentations will be onsite only, and at least one author must be present.

Proposals are due by 11:59p CST February 8, 2026. There will be no deadline extension.

The Program Committee invites poster proposals touching on the theme “Find it Here.”

Potential areas of focus include:

Distinct approaches to collecting, reference, and instruction
Overcoming challenges to making collections accessible and discoverable
Successful community archiving projects and partnerships
Utilizing facilities in unique ways to highlight and provide access to collections

For more ideas, see the earlier conference Call for Session Proposals here. Continue reading →

Last Updated on January 21, 2026 by Emily Gainer

Meet-up at MAC/SOA Annual Meeting 2026

Save the date! May 14 for an SOA meet-up at the annual meeting

The Midwest Archives Conference and the Society of Ohio Archivists will hold a joint 2026 Annual Meeting on May 14-16, 2026, at the Ohio Union, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.

During the meeting, SOA will host a meet-up on Thursday, May 14, 2026, from 11:30a to 12:30p in the Third Floor Lounge. Meet and greet your fellow SOA members before the conference starts. See who’s in town or meet new friends before heading off to lunch, on your own or with a group.

Questions? Contact the Educational Programming Committee cochairs Sara Mouch and Adam Wanter.

Last Updated on December 19, 2025 by Emily Gainer

Join us for Coffee Chat on January 13, 2026

Grab a hot beverage and join us for the third Society of Ohio Archivists (SOA) Coffee Chat on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, from 10-11am on Zoom! These casual gatherings are an opportunity for SOA members to network, share challenges and successes in their work, and bounce ideas off colleagues outside of the Annual Conference.

This, our third Coffee Chat will be chance to check in with members. Possible discussion topics include teaching with primary resources and navigating archives and institutional structure, especially for solo archivists. This is your chance to shape a benefit of SOA membership! We hope to see you there. Please register to join the conversation. If you are unable to attend but would like to help shape what these meetings look like, please complete the survey.

Questions? Contact Darrell Blevins Jr. and Jim DaMico, SOA Council Members.

Last Updated on December 12, 2025 by Emily Gainer

Renew Your SOA Membership for 2026

Dear SOA Member:

The Membership & Awards Committee invites you to renew your SOA membership or join as a new member in 2026. Membership may be renewed online through the secure site provided by the Ohio History Connection’s Ohio History Store or by mailing the PDF invoice with check or money order. SOA continues its hardship membership program for those experiencing uncertainty. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with questions or interest in the program.

Thank you for supporting the Society of Ohio Archivists during the past year. Your dedication enables SOA to provide community, networking opportunities, professional development, funding, and advocacy efforts for archivists and aspiring archivists.

Highlights from 2025 include:

Coordinating SOA’s hybrid Spring Annual Meeting in May
Collaborating with the Ohio Local History Alliance, Ohio Preservation Council, Ohio History
Connection, Ohio History Day, and others to provide professional development, scholarships, and awards
Publishing the Ohio Archivist newsletter and coordinating Archives Months events and activities
Creating community and fostering communication about cultural heritage activities, internships, funding opportunities, and advocacy efforts through the SOA blog, listserv, and social media

In 2026, members of SOA can look forward to:

The Society of Ohio Archivists & Midwest Archives Conference Joint Annual Meeting in May. SOA members will get a discount code for member-rate registration!
The SOA Mentorship Task Force exploring the creation of a mentorship program for SOA
members

Thank you again for your support, and we are glad to help with any questions.
Stephanie Shreffler and Julia Teran
Cochairs, SOA Membership & Awards Committee

Last Updated on December 11, 2025 by Emily Gainer

Council Meeting Minutes from Oct 28, 2025

The Society of Ohio Archivists most recent leadership meeting minutes from October 28, 2025, can now be found on the Council Meeting Minutes page.

Interested in SOA over time? Also on that page are minutes dating back to 1997. In addition to documenting actions from the leadership meeting, minutes include reports from the treasurer as well as from committees and task forces.

Questions about minutes? Contact SOA Secretary Shelby Beatty.

Last Updated on December 5, 2025 by Emily Gainer

Native American Heritage Month 2025

Contributed by Sarah Aisenbrey, Sisters of the Precious Blood Archivist, and member of the SOA Advocacy and Outreach Committee.

I respectfully acknowledge the original stewards of the land on which I sit. I am on the traditional lands of the Adena Culture, Hopewell Culture, Kaskaskia People, Myaamia People, Shawandasse Tula (Shawanwaki/Shawnee) People, and ^^(Osage) People.

Many of us learn of the Indigenous people in the United States as if they came “before.” Their history is just that… history. Native American Heritage Month, celebrated every November, aims to change this view.

The following blog introduces a timeline of Native American Heritage Month, a tribute to an Indigenous Sister of the Precious Blood, and a project that aims to provide archival transparency to survivors of Catholic-operated Native Boarding Schools in the United States, pre-1978. Continue reading →

Last Updated on December 11, 2025 by Emily Gainer

Council Meeting Minutes from Sept 23, 2025

The Society of Ohio Archivists most recent leadership meeting minutes from September 23, 2025, can now be found on the Council Meeting Minutes page.

Questions about minutes? Contact SOA Secretary Shelby Beatty.

Last Updated on November 7, 2025 by Emily Gainer