Preserving the Past: A Basic Handbook for Archiving in Rural Alaska

I created this handbook after several conversations with Alaskans at the Alaska Library Association meeting in Fairbanks in February 2011. Many people asked me questions like “What do I do with my cassette tapes” or, “How can I start archiving some my communities' materials?” My intent is to provide a resource for rural Alaskans, and other people who are looking to start an archive, learn how to digitize tapes, or find a place to donate materials. This is a 15 page basic handbook that can be used by anyone; high-school students and Elders will be able to make use of it. While the resources are available, they are not truly accessible because they are often incredibly technical, and require a background knowledge in archiving. I do not expect all rural Alaskans to have these skills, so this handbook is a skeleton that can be used as a stepping stone for archiving. It is also not a static document; any input is welcomed, and I appreciate the input I have received thus far.  Click here for the handbook. For more information, contact Stacey Baldridge at smbaldridge@alaska.edu.

Library school scholarship for Native Americans

[Just received the following announcement from the American Indian Library Association]

In 2012, the American Indian Library Association (AILA) will provide a library school scholarship to a qualified American Indian individual in the amount of $2000 for the 2012-2013 academic school year. The scholarship has been named to honor Virginia Mathews, one of the original founders of AILA.

The purpose of the Virginia Mathews Memorial Scholarship shall be to provide tuition to an American Indian individual who lives and works in the American Indian community, and who is enrolled, or has been accepted and will enroll, in a master's degree program at a university with a library and/or information sciences program accredited by the American Library Association.

Further details and scholarship criteria, as well as application forms and instructions, are available at the AILA website at http://www.ailanet.org/activities/lss.htm. All applications, references, and other supporting materials must be received by May 1, 2012.