*Dear Friends and Colleagues, The Chicago ICA-Archives team is pleased to announce four weeks of opportunity for you to volunteer to help in the next phase of the journey of the archives. The Fall Sojourn used the image of “What is the Future of our Past?” and began to figure out how we can share our historical work and wisdom with the world most effectively. Thus, our new image is how our work could engage the interest of future social change agents and researchers. We chose the Town Meeting 76 archive material as a prototype collection and are creating access to it as a discrete, stand-alone collection. We are currently evaluating different data-access software. A web page will be available to you very soon. With this pilot, we are discovering what a collection looks like, what it should contain, and how to make text, video, audio, photos and linksaccessible on line. By April we will know a good deal more and be able to share practical ways that many of you can be part of this archive work. Is it worth it? Just by word of mouth, a Professor at the University of Illinois and two of his PhD students came by to look at the Town Meeting files. They were amazed and indicated they would be back to use these files as a resource. Based on your experience and interest, please select three collections. #1 is to be the one you consider most important. We need individuals to champion collections they are interested in and passionate about.* * By completing this survey, you will significantly help shape our Spring Archive Sojourn event. We will send you the results. You will not need to be physically present in Chicago during the Spring Sojourn in order to work on a team focused on your #1 choice. ------------- Name 1. 2. 3. I can come to Chicago the following week(s) Week 1 – April 8-14 _____ Week 2 – April 15-21 _____ Week 3 – April 22-28 ____ Week 4 – April 29-May 5____ Don’t know, can’t say yet ____ Won’t be able to come to Chicago but do wish to participate ______ ---------------------* * We hope you will seriously consider responding to these requests. Please send the information in an email to Marge Philbrook at msphilbrook@gmail.com. We will keep you up-to-date on who plans to come to the Spring Sojourn. Grace and Peace, The Archives Advisory Committee*