The student chapter of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) at the San José State University School of Information is co-hosting a free mini-conference at the California State Archives in downtown Sacramento on June 20, 2015.

The student chapter of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) at the San José State University School of Information is co-hosting a free mini-conference at the California State Archives in downtown Sacramento. Students interested in the archival profession are encouraged to attend the event on Saturday, June 20, 2015, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. A free networking mixer will follow from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Fox and Goose Public House in Sacramento.

The mini-conference idea was born during last year’s annual meeting of the SAA when students from the three SAA student chapters from universities in California decided to host an event closer to home. Monica Mello, president of the SAA student chapter at California State University Sacramento (CSUS), in coordination with members of the SAA student chapters at SJSU and at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), organized the mini-conference.

According to Kaitlyn Crain Enriquez, events coordinator of the SJSU SAA student chapter and conference liaison, the mini-conference will kick off with a keynote address by Nancy Lenoil, chief archivist for the state of California, but the address is just the beginning of an exciting afternoon at the capital. “We will also have two mini-sessions, including a presentation on archival appraisal and a presentation on reference services,” explained Enriquez. “Archivists from the California State Archives will be leading these discussions. Attendees will also get a tour of the California State Archives facility.”

The joint mini-conference is a first for the SJSU SAA student chapter and presents a special opportunity for SJSU iSchool students to meet their classmates in person and hear from others with similar career goals. “There will be students from various backgrounds that will be able to provide information about their experiences and what they have learned as they have pursued an interest in archives,” stated Enriquez.

Students do not have to be members of any of the SAA student chapters to attend this free event, and incoming students are welcome as well. “This is a great opportunity for those who want to learn more about archives,” said Enriquez. Working professionals in the archival field will also be in attendance and available to answer questions.

To help with the event planning, students interested in attending the mini-conference are asked to RSVP at www.saascjointmeet.splashthat.com.