SAA Notes Passing of Mark A. Greene



An email message distributed yesterday announced to SAA members that Mark Greene, truly a giant in the archives profession, has died. Mark and colleague Dennis Meissner are the originators of MPLP – More Product, Less Process. Their initial article on the concept was published in American Archivist , vol 68 in 2005.

http://www.archivists.org/prof-education/pre-readings/IMPLP/AA68.2.MeissnerGreene.pdf

Mark was a champion of the under-represented in archives, arguing persuasively for the need for people of color and other minority group members to join the profession. He mentored and inspired many who remember him with affection and gratitude. Those of us who attended the annual members meeting at the Midwest Archives Conference gathering in Omaha last April had the opportunity to see Mark receive the well-deserved, long overdue Emeritus Award for distinguished service.

Mark’s influence is, and will continue to be, widely felt in the archives profession. Nowhere are his ideas – about appraisal, minimal processing and bringing forward hidden aspects of cultural history – more resonant than in religious archives.

The text of SAA Executive Director Nancy Beaumont’s announcement is below.

I am saddened to tell you that Mark A. Greene, former SAA President (2007-2008) and a Fellow of SAA, died Wednesday night, June 21, as the result of a car accident.

Best known for “More Product, Less Process,” which he co-authored with Dennis Meissner, Mark’s true passion was for what he considered the art of archival appraisal—the willingness to make the hard choices. His other passion was acting as a mentor for archivists entering the field and those navigating the minefields of administration.

He loved archival work. And dogs. And his friends. We will all miss him, but he left much behind for generations to chew over and digest.

We will be informing other groups throughout the day, and we invite those who would like to share their memories of Mark to do so via a tribute page on the SAA website. In addition, we will be working with his wife, Kathy Marquis, to plan an opportunity for friends and colleagues to come together in Portland to remember Mark.

Nancy

Nancy P. Beaumont
Executive Director
Society of American Archivists


Submitted by Patricia Carroll, June 23, 2017


Envisioning the Future of Catholic Religious Archives: A Working Conference (Date Change)

Boston College 
is pleased to announce
Envisioning the Future of Catholic Religious Archives: A Working Conference
 July 11-13, 2018 (finalized dates) – Boston College campus

The archives of religious communities in the United States are becoming endangered as communities come to completion. To address the need to preserve their invaluable records, Boston College is organizing a working conference to bring focus to the issue and prepare a course of action.

The conference will seek to engage leaders of religious communities, archivists, and historians who are committed to safeguarding their legacy. Speakers and panels will address the preservation, accessibility, and interpretation of unique archival resources held by religious communities. Each presentation will raise specific questions for audience discussion.

The conference will also aim to identify various options for permanently housing religious archives and providing appropriate levels and means of access. Following the conference, a white paper will be drafted and circulated among attendees for input as a step toward developing a national strategic plan to preserve the archival heritage of religious communities in the United States.

The conference will include the following session topics:

  • Archives at Risk: An Overview of the Issues Facing Religious Communities 

  • Revising the American Story: Utilizing Catholic Resources to Challenge the Narrative 

  • Finding the Treasure: Unlocking Hidden Collections to Enlighten the Past 

  • Forging a New Partnership: Religious Archivists and Historians 

  • Take the Lead: How Leadership Matters in Preserving the Legacy 

  • Descriptive Standards: Why Catholic Metadata Matters 

  • Interim Archives: A New Understanding of Archival Limbo 

  • Continuing the Story: How Legacy Gains Everlasting Life 

  • Break-Outs: Determining a Course of Action 

  • We welcome your comments and suggestions for additional topics. Please contact Michael J. Burns at michael.burns.7@bc.edu to be added to our mailing list for further information.