Religious leaders who are discerning the future of their communities will learn about the role archives can and should play in the deliberative process. Options to consider for strengthening or placement of the community’s archives will be a major topic of discussion.
Archivists who see the need to improve their archival operations or who are already working with their communities to prepare their collections for transition through merger, consolidation, donation or relocation will want to join in the conversation.
Historians who contextualize Catholic religious collections in historical and cultural frameworks can add much to the understanding of how and why religious archives are so vitally important, and can inform decision-making processes that affect their access.
The goal of the conference is to assess and articulate common needs shared by religious archives as they plan for the future, and to develop strategies and resources for meeting those needs so that the stories and contributions of Catholic religious communities may be appreciated, understood and valued by scholars and society at large.