Purposes of the Society

• Provide the means by which individuals engaged in archival and manuscript programs in Indiana can work together to promote the establishment of archival depositories and understanding of the use of records.
• Develop an archival and manuscript methodology in Indiana through the sharing in various concepts, techniques, and guidelines.
• Foster standards of competence in archival and manuscript repositories within the state.
• Establish a code of ethics promoting professionalism throughout the Society.
• Pursue fruitful cooperation with professions in related disciplines, as historians and librarians, as well as record creators and custodians.
• Support the exchange of ideas through a publications program.
• Serve as a liaison organization between individuals in Indiana having record problems and regional and national archival, manuscript, historical, and records management organizations.

Origins

Indiana archivists attending the 1971 Society of American Archivists meeting in San Francisco acknowledged the need for an organization and clearing house for archival problems at the local level. From their first meeting of January 15, 1972, the six founding Society of Indiana Archivists members began the task of building an organization that would bring tog ether not only professional archivists, but librarians, manuscript curators, university personnel, local historical society members, and other persons interested in historic document preservation in the state.

Structure

The Society is governed by a Board of Directors, composed of the group's elected president, vice-president and secretary/treasurer, immediate past-president, and four additional individuals elected from the membership at large. The Board has the power to create standing committees, as well as other occasional committees addressing specific problems or special projects. Through these elected and appointed positions the Society offers its members the opportunity to share in the work of the organization and to help determine its activity and direction.

Meetings

The Society of Indiana Archivists meets once each year in the fall and addresses topics of interest to its members through workshops, panel discussions and presentations. Several of the Society's fall meetings have been held in conjunction with those of other state and regional association meetings, offering joint programs of benefit to all. The Society also offers spring workshops held in different cities around the state so that members may come to know more about the state's wealth of archival resources and so that members throughout the state may more easily benefit from the group's educational and professional activities. Greencastle, Muncie, Fort Wayne, Gary, Terre Haute, Elkhart, New Harmony, South Bend, Vincennes, Columbus, Richmond, and Bloomington are among the many cities that have benefited from hosting SIA meetings or workshops.

Publications

The Society publishes the SIA Newsletter twice a year. Each issue contains information about upcoming Society meetings and workshops, news from Indiana archival repositories, topical articles and technical notes, as well as reports and minutes from SIA meetings. The Society also publishes a membership directory and has completed a directory of records repositories in the state. Other Society publications have focused on setting up an archives, the Indiana Access to Public Records Law, and issues of copyright, literary rights and ownership.

An Invitation to Join

The Society of Indiana Archivists invites you to join in protecting the state's documentary heritage.