MARA Blog: General
MARA Program Coordinator Dr. Patricia Franks Going on Sabbatical
Published: August 16, 2017 by Anna Maloney
MARA lecturer Dr. Lisa Daulby will be filling in as MARA Program Coordinator for Dr. Pat Franks while Dr. Franks takes a sabbatical during the fall semester. Dr. Franks is using the time to work on three exciting publishing projects: the International Directory of National Archives, the Encyclopedia of Archival Writers, and the second edition of her textbook Records & Information Management.
Around the Web: Department of Veterans Affairs Begins Digitization Project
Published: June 28, 2017 by Anna Maloney
For the past few years, it seems that every time I go to the doctor’s office, I’m asked to fill out a form consenting to the substitution of my paper medical record with an electronic one.
MARA Faculty to Attend SAA Conference
Published: May 30, 2017 by Anna Maloney
Going to the Society of American Archivists conference in Portland, Oregon? Catch up with iSchool faculty members and students during our events.
MARA Program Offering New Course in Digital Forensics
Published: May 24, 2017 by Anna Maloney
Digital Forensics for Archivists, a new one-unit course offered in the MARA program, introduces the unique properties of born-digital records and explores the role of digital forensics in archival record management.
Turning Passion into Preservation
Published: April 19, 2017 by Anna Maloney
For archivists, maintaining collections of artifacts and records is a career. For others, it’s a hobby that can have unexpected implications.
Current Predictions for Digital Preservation
Published: April 12, 2017 by Anna Maloney
Records and Information Management Month is a great opportunity for records managers and archivists alike to share the value of RIM and to garner excitement for the future. In a March 2017 opinion piece in Information Management, Jon Tilbury, Chief Technology Officer for Preservica, forecasted the following predictions regarding the future of digital preservation:
March 12-18 is Sunshine Week
Published: March 16, 2017 by Anna Maloney
March 12-March 18 is Sunshine Week in the United States, a national celebration of freedom of information, freedom of the press, and open government.
Ceramicist Develops New Way to Preserve History
![](/sites/main/files/imagecache/thumbnail/main-images/hallstatt_300.jpg?1578297989 ""The salt mines in Halstatt, Austria now also hold clay tablets developed to preserve our era of human history."")
Published: February 8, 2017 by Anna Maloney
The salt mines of Halstatt, Austria are home to a new hybrid record with archeological and archival implications. In a recent Atlantic article, ceramicist Martin Kunze, founder of Memory of Mankind, discusses his work creating engraved ceramic tablets that preserve significant cultural information.
New MARA Course Covers Ethics, Technology and Law
Published: February 7, 2017 by Anna Maloney
A new interdisciplinary ethics course for archivists, records and information professionals will be offered in the MARA program during the summer 2017 session.
Paris Archivists Preserve Memorials of Paris Terrorist Attacks
Published: November 16, 2016 by Anna Maloney
One year after the terrorist attacks in Paris, archivists reflect on their efforts to preserve the makeshift memorials, including letters, candles, and musical instruments.
Students, Faculty to Begin Work on International Directory of National Archives
Published: September 7, 2016 by Anna Maloney
Earlier this year, SJSU iSchool professors Dr. Pat Franks and Dr. Anthony Bernier submitted a proposal to the Rowman & Littlefield Publishing group to compile and publish an International Directory of National Archives. This summer, their proposal was accepted and the two faculty members began working to recruit students and alumni who would be interested in participating in the project for course credit or as volunteers.
SJSU iSchool to exhibit at 2016 SAA Conference and Expo
Published: August 1, 2016 by Anna Maloney
August 04, 2016
Thursday, 5:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time
A brief history on Freedom of Information legislation
Published: July 4, 2016 by Anna Maloney
Government archives and records programs at the local, state, and federal levels all contribute to open government initiatives and support Freedom of Information laws. U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the federal Freedom of Information Act in 1966 to make publicly available by request those records related to statements of policy, interpretations, and staff manuals. But where did this political ideal originate?
DNA as digital storage
Published: June 29, 2016 by Anna Maloney
Thanks to technology, information professionals are able to preserve just about any record in a digital format. But as digital records and big data proliferate (digital data is estimated to reach 44 trillion gigabytes—an almost incomprehensible number—by 2020), there have been questions about which digital storage medium is most sustainable over the long-term. One exciting research trend, covered by Tech Times and other sources, is the use of synthetic DNA for digital storage. “In a study, [researchers] detailed a new technique they have developed which allowed them to successfully encode four image files worth of digital data…More importantly they were able to reverse the process and retrieve the right sequences…without compromising an information byte” (Tech Times, 10 April 2016).
ARMA LIVE! San Antonio 2016 Conference
Published: June 8, 2016 by Anna Maloney
World-Tree Project
Published: May 18, 2016 by Anna Maloney
A few weeks ago, the MARA blog highlighted history harvests, an emerging trend that aims to involve the public in historic preservation by accepting donations of letters, journals, and ephemera that may or may not be related to a general theme. In late April, University College Cork in Dublin, Ireland launched the World-Tree Project, attempting to crowdsource material on Viking and Norse history from across the globe.
Joining Professional Organizations
Published: April 18, 2016 by Anna Maloney
Joining professional organizations is a great way to network with other archivists and records managers. Networking benefits include being introduced to others in your research area; having awareness of workshops, webinars, and other training; connecting with potential employers; and participating in and advancing the professional dialogue.
Archeota Call for Submissions
Published: April 4, 2016 by Anna Maloney
In each MARA course, we are assigned various written assignments and research papers.
Call for papers — Records Management Journal
Published: April 2, 2016 by Anna Maloney
Message from Pat: You have written so much–especially those of you in 289 right now. The call is for anyone a student “at the time the call was issued” so those of you graduating in May do qualify. See if one of your papers fits into one of the categories listed in this letter. Edit it as necessary. Submit for publication. We would love to have a MARA student in this edition!!! Let me know if you decide to do this.