On-Demand Webcasts: MARA Lecture

The Harvard University Archives has announced an ambitious goal to transition to a “digital-first” records management program by 2026. This presentation focuses on issues surrounding the long-term preservation of digital records, looking first at the technical and social infrastructure necessary to ensure effective and sustainable persistence of record accessibility, integrity, authenticity, and usability, and then, discussing how we can know whether those goals have been achieved.

As the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 loomed, interest in NASA history became a national pastime. Stories of where one (or one’s parents) was, how it felt, and memorabilia collected at the time were pretty much guaranteed to keep a party conversation going. All would be well until someone would turn to the NASA website to try to find a small fact that couldn’t quite be recalled. That’s when the embarrassing pause in conversation would start because the NASA History website did not function in a way that supported modern users. As our metrics showed the climb of users with a decreasing bounce time, it was obvious that the long-debated overhaul could not wait. With the blessing of my wonderful boss, the support and talent of my visual designer, and the patience of teenagers, the overhaul rolled out publicly just in time for Anniversary. Much was learned along the way and makes for an excellent case study in finding resources, capitalizing on hidden talents, and why Pop-Tarts are still important in web development.

Drawing from his extensive experience working with leaders in business and government, Robert Smallwood will outline the trajectory of Information Governance (IG) in the US and explain its growing impact on both the public and private sectors. He will describe the scope of a successful Information Governance program (including What-Where-Who-and How), identify risks and roadblocks that must be considered, and recommend resources to help anyone planning or evaluating their own IG program.

The zoological profession offers many job opportunities including those in records and information management. This presentation will review in-depth information on the zoological registrar position including how your education and your ICRM certification will streamline the path to a successful career in a wonderful profession dedicated to animal conservation, research, education and entertainment. Zoological institutions are everywhere!

This is the tale of a podcast that focuses on archivists in conversation with archivists, discussing their work and passions and how they care for the historical record and present the storied past. Hosted by husband and wife archivist team Karen Trivette and Geof Huth.