Formed in 1971, SCA is a professional association devoted to the support and development of individuals and institutions that collect, care for, and provide access to the documentary heritage of California.
The Society's membership includes archivists, manuscript curators, records managers, conservators, historians, librarians, genealogists, museum curators, students, and volunteers. Members are affiliated with colleges and universities; federal, state and local government archives and records centers; historical societies; museums; libraries; corporations; educational, religious, and medical institutions; and private collections.
Visit the exhibit to see the “Preserving Your History” Brochure Series. Learn all about doing oral histories or neighborhood histories, and preserving family papers and photographs. “Preserving Your History” guides are available in English, Spanish and Chinese. Text-only PDF versions are available on our website, or you can order multiple copies by mail.
Throughout the year, the SCA Education Committee coordinates workshops on a wide variety of topics intended for the professional development of archivists; the workshops are located throughout the state. Information about past workshop topics is available on our website.
In addition to workshops, SCA co-sponsors the Western Archives Institute, an intensive, two-week program that provides integrated instruction in basic archival practices to individuals with a variety of goals, including those with jobs which require a fundamental understanding of archival skills, but have little or no previous archives education; and those who have expanding responsibility for archival materials; are practicing archivists but have not received formal instruction; and those who demonstrate a commitment to an archival career.
The Institute also features site visits to historical records repositories and a diverse curriculum that includes history and development of the profession, theory and terminology, records management, appraisal, arrangement, description, manuscripts acquisition, archives and the law, photographs, preservation administration, reference and access, outreach programs, and managing archival programs and institutions.
The 27th Western Archives Institute will be held in the summer of 2013 at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Admission to the program is by application only and enrollment is limited. Please contact the Western Archives Institute Administrator for more information.
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Mailing Address:
Society of California Archivists
c/o California State Archives
1020 “O” Street
Sacramento, CA 95814