What is it?
Chicago Area Archivists is organizing Chicago Open Archives: Collecting and Connecting, a three day opportunity for Chicagoans interested in history and cultural heritage to connect with archives. This October event is a great opportunity to showcase your collections to a wider audience than is usually possible. Your institution can participate in Chicago Open Archives by offering an activity that highlights your collections and program, in the way that best suits your situation. Our inspiration cities, Portland, Sacramento, and Cambridge, all report a fantastic response from visitors. Let’s add Chicago to the list of cities that connects our communities with our collections in fun and inspiring ways!
When is it?
Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, October 8-10, 2015. Choose the date that best suits your institution when you complete the Intent to Participate form.
Where is it?
Members of the public will visit your institution to see collections and learn about the services and programs you offer. Institutions throughout Chicago and the suburbs should consider participating.
How can my institution get involved?
In order to promote and provide support for Chicago Open Archives: Collecting and Connecting, CAA needs a minimum of 15 institutions (sites) to sign up by June 15, 2015. Sign up using the Intent to Participate form. By submitting the form, you are indicating a good-faith intention to offer the activity that you describe on the form and you agree to have your institution listed on the CAA website and other publicity materials. If you need to cancel your participation, CAA will remove your institution from the list of sites on our website, but may be unable to make changes to any print materials.
Prior to completing the Intent to Participate form, CAA encourages you to review our FAQ sheet.
What if my institution’s archives are not open to the public?
If your institution’s archives aren't usually open to the public but you can offer an activity for Chicago Open Archives, sign up! And, CAA will be looking for volunteers to welcome visitors at participating institutions. If your institution is unable to participate, consider helping at another institution.
Additional Information
CAA will coordinate the overall planning of Chicago Open Archives: Collecting and Connecting by recruiting institutions to participate, publicizing the event on the CAA website and local media outlets, providing printed materials such as posters to participating institutions, recruiting volunteers to assist your staff at the time of the event, and coordinating registration for sites that require advanced reservations from visitors.
If CAA does not receive at least 15 Intent to Participate forms by June 15, 2015, it reserves the right to cancel Chicago Open Archives: Collecting and Connecting due to a low-level of participation.
See the FAQ for more details.
Questions?
If you have questions about participating in Chicago Open Archives: Collecting and Connecting, send an email to info@chicagoarchivists.org.
Ready to sign up?
Fill out the Intent to Participate Form by June 15, 2015!
