Tour Option: State Historical Building

Interested in signing up for a tour during the MAC 2024 Annual Meeting? You’re in luck—we’ll be rolling out descriptions of each tour on this blog over the next few days. In this post, we’ll dig into the details of the tour of the State Historical Building of Iowa!

Iowa State Historical Museum. Image courtesy State Historical Society of Iowa.

Date: Thursday, May 2

Time: 9:00 am–11:00 am

Cost: $10

Capacity: 15

Location and transportation: The State Historical Building is located just west of the Capitol building, about a 20-minute walk from the conference location (Marriott). The main entrance is on the south side of the building on Locust Street.

A parking garage is just to the north of the Historical Building at the corner of Grand and Pennsylvania Avenues, or take the free D-Line Shuttle. D-Line buses run in a loop every 15 minutes; stops near the Marriott on Grand or a block south on Locust.

On this tour, get a behind-the-scenes look at the State Historical Building, newly renovated in fall 2023! Home to the State Historical Museum, the Iowa State Library and Archives, and the Iowa History Research Center, this building, steps away from the picturesque Capitol complex, is a one-stop shop for all things Iowa history. Join us for highlights from the collections and exhibitions, and check out the State Historical Society of Iowa website for more!

Tour Option: Iowa State Capitol Building and Dome

Interested in signing up for a tour during the MAC 2024 Annual Meeting? You’re in luck—we’ll be rolling out descriptions of each tour on this blog over the next few days. In this post, we’ll dig into the details of the tour of the Iowa Capitol!

The Iowa Law Library’s iconic spiral staircase. Photo courtesy the State Library of Iowa.

Date: Thursday, May 2

Time: 10:00 am–11:30 am

Cost: $10

Capacity: 15

Location and transportation: The capitol is less than 1.5 miles east of the Des Moines Marriott down Grand Ave. in the historical East Village neighborhood. Surface parking is available just east of the Capitol building.  It’s very easy to get there on the free D-Line Shuttle. D-Line buses run in a loop every 15 minutes; look for D-Line stops near the Marriott on Grand or a block south on Locust.

The only five-domed capitol building in the country, the Iowa Statehouse was constructed between 1871 and 1886. Its 23-karat golden dome towering above the city is a favorite of sightseers. Visitors on this guided tour will also get to check out the Senate and House chambers, the grand central staircase, and the stunning law library (pictured above). If you are an architecture buff or just want the opportunity to see a truly beautiful library, this is the tour for you!

Tour Option: John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park

Interested in signing up for a tour during the MAC 2024 Annual Meeting? You’re in luck—we’ll be rolling out descriptions of each tour on this blog over the next few days. In this post, we’ll dig into the details of the tour of the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park!

“Nomade” sculpture by Jaume Plenza at the Pappajohn Sculpture Garden. Image courtesy the Des Moines Art Center.

Date: Thursday, May 2, 2024

Time: 11:00 AM-12:30 PM

Cost: $10

Capacity: 20 participants

Location and transportation: The park is located near the downtown branch of the Des Moines Public Library, about a half a mile down Grand Avenue from the Des Moines downtown Marriott. A docent tour guide will meet you there.

Located on 4.4 acres in downtown Des Moines, the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park opened in 2009 and was the culmination of the city of Des Moines’ Western Gateway downtown revitalization project. The Pappajohn Sculpture Park currently has 28 sculptures on exhibit, including works by Ai Weiwei, Robert Indiana, and Willem de Kooning. This guided tour will be led by an experienced volunteer docent from the Des Moines Art Center.

Tour Option: Drake University Archives & Special Collections

Interested in signing up for a tour during the MAC 2024 Annual Meeting? You’re in luck—we’ll be rolling out descriptions of each tour on this blog over the next few days! Today, we’ll dig into the details of the tour of the Drake University Archives & Special Collections.

Cowles Library, courtesy Drake University Archives & Special Collections.

Date: Thursday, May 2, 2024

Time: 10:30 AM-12:00 PM

Cost: $10

Capacity: 15 Participants

Location and Transportation: details will be emailed to participants prior to the tour

Established in 2013 as a distinct unit within the Cowles Library, the Archives and Special Collections department of Drake University serves as the official repository for the school’s institutional records as well as unique collections from alumni and other Iowans. The collections feature a robust set of political papers, including those of Senator Tom Harkin, Congressman Neal Smith, and Governor Robert Ray, as well as the Iowa Caucus Collection. The Paul F. Morrison Athletics Collection chronicles the history of the university’s athletics, including the famed Drake Relays. Visitors will explore highlights from the collections and enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of the archival stacks.

From swords belonging to the institution’s namesake, Civil War general and Iowa governor Francis Marion Drake, to the crown worn by Porterhouse, the winner of the 2009 Most Beautiful Bulldog Contest; from a copy of the Americans with Disabilities Act signed by George W. Bush to the political cartoons of Pulitzer Prize winner “Ding” Darling: this tour will have something for everyone!

Early Bird Registration Deadline 4/3!

The early bird gets the worm—and a discount on registration fees! If you’re planning to attend the MAC Annual Meeting in Des Moines this May, keep in mind that early registration ends on Wednesday, April 3.

Early registration rates (for those who sign up on or before April 3, 2024):

$165 for MAC Members
$205 for Nonmembers
$75 for Students

Regular registration rates (for those who sign up April 4, 2024 or later):

$200 for Members
$225 for Nonmembers
$75 for Students

You can find links to both the in-person and virtual attendee registration forms on the MAC 2024 website. Happy registration!

MAC Pals Program (sign-up deadline 4/5!)

Are you new to the MAC Annual Meeting and looking for guidance or a friendly face at the conference?  Then MAC Pals is for you!  MAC Pals is a program designed to help new MAC members and first-time attendees navigate the annual meeting and connect with seasoned MAC members.

If you’re interested in being matched with a Pal, just check the appropriate box when you register for the conference and you’ll be connected with your Pal via email. On Thursday, May 2, from 5:00-5:45 pm, you can meet with your Pal in person at the MAC Pals Meet and Greet.  At this informal event, you’ll have a chance to chat while partaking in some light refreshments.

While the MAC Pals Coordinator will pair you up with your Pal, the program is what you make of it.  Consider reaching out to your Pal sooner rather than later.  Perhaps a lunch invite might be welcomed.  Or you could meet up with them during a break to discuss the sessions you just attended.  Don’t hesitate to pick their brain about the conference, MAC, professional service and scholarship, or the profession in general. Archivists are a knowledgeable and helpful bunch.

If you have been to an annual meeting before or have been a member of MAC for some time, please consider signing up to be a Pal to someone new.  Not only do you get to share your expertise, but you get the chance to meet a new colleague.  There wouldn’t be a MAC Pals Program without you, so please check the appropriate box during registration! 

For more information, contact the MAC Pals coordinator at macpalsprogram@gmail.com. To participate in this program, you must indicate your interest on the registration form by April 5, 2024. We look forward to meeting you all in Des Moines in May!

Ride & Room Share Spreadsheet Available

Looking for a roommate or a ride for MAC 2024? Look no further! The MAC 2024 Local Arrangements Committee has put together a spreadsheet for attendees seeking or offering room share or carpool opportunities for the annual meeting in Des Moines. Fill out the spreadsheet here to share what you’re offering or seeking and to see posts from prospective partners.

Please be advised that use of the ride and room share spreadsheet is voluntary and entirely at the discretion of the participants. MAC does not make any assurances or certifications regarding the condition, suitability, or safety of the vehicles being used by participants to carpool, the reliability or driving ability of participants or drivers, or whether those participants and drivers are insured, nor does MAC conduct background checks or vetting of any kind on drivers or participants. MAC recommends that participants exercise caution when using the spreadsheet to identify a roommate or carpool partner, and assume full responsible for any preparations necessary to ensure your own safety and property.

Registration Now Open for MAC 2024!

Attendees can now register for the MAC 2024 Annual Meeting, to be held at the Marriott Downtown hotel in Des Moines, Iowa from May 2-4. You can find a link to the registration form for in-person attendees, as well as program information and much more, on the MAC 2024 Annual Meeting website.

Register on or by April 3, 2024, to receive advance registration rates:

$165 for MAC members
$205 for non-members
$75 for students

Attendees who register on April 4, 2024 or later will be charged the standard rates:

$200 for members
$225 for non-members
$75 for students

The one-day registration rate is $100. Reception guest registration is $40 for an adult guest attendee.

Virtual registration is also available via the virtual conference registration form. This option will provide access to roughly one third of the total program content. This content will be livestreamed via Zoom, and attendees who choose this option will receive emails with Zoom registration links approximately one week prior to the conference. Virtual sessions will not be recorded and will not be available for later viewing. See the meeting program, once available, for a listing of the sessions selected for livestreaming. Virtual registration is $80 for members and $100 for non-members. Please note that all in-person attendees will receive Zoom access included in their registration. 

Reception Site Highlight: the Norman E. Borlaug World Food Prize Hall of Laureates

Planning to attend the opening reception for MAC 2024? Then read on to find out more about our the amazing venue where it will take place: a Beaux Arts masterpiece overlooking the Des Moines river, built over a century ago, and known as the birthplace of the Library Bill of Rights!

Image courtesy the World Food Prize.

This historic building was constructed by the city of Des Moines to serve as the downtown branch of its public library system. The building’s cornerstone was laid in 1900 and construction, utilizing primarily pink Minnesota limestone, was completed in 1903.

Image courtesy Drake University Archives & Special Collections.

In 1938, Des Moines librarian Forrest Spaulding responded to growing concerns about censorship in American society by composing a “bill of rights” to safeguard the civil liberties of library patrons. He is believed to have composed the document in this building, and it was approved and adopted by the Des Moines library board later that year. Spaulding’s bill of rights went on to become the official policy of the American Library Association; while it has been amended to acknowledge the rise of digital media, its spirit remains influential in the professional ethics of library and archives workers today.

The building’s lower level features a Works Progress Administration (WPA) mural completed in 1941 by artist Harry David Jones and a team of over 20 assistants. The mural depicts the history of Des Moines and demonstrates the regionalist style common to many WPA artworks. You can find images of the mural and a video about its creation on the building’s website.

In the 2000s, a new public library was constructed in downtown Des Moines, and the old building became the headquarters for the World Food Prize Foundation, which awards the “Nobel of agriculture” to people who have worked to end global hunger through their research and policymaking. The building features a number of exhibits on World Food Prize laureates, the organization’s founder, Norman Borlaug, and the issues its programs address.

Today, the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates is known as one of the most architecturally beautiful event spaces in the Des Moines area. To see more, check out a virtual tour of the building’s interior or a collection of images of the exterior and gardens.

We hope to see you all at the reception this spring!

Deadline Extension: Pop-Up Session & Poster Proposals Due 2/12!

Attention! The deadline for both Pop Up sessions and Poster Presentations has been extended! You now have until Monday, February 12 to submit a proposal for either (see below for details).

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Have you been pondering a pop-up session or poster you’d like to present at MAC 2024? Mark your calendar: the deadline for both sets of proposals is Monday, February 5 12!

CALL FOR MAC 2024 POP-UP SESSIONS

The 2024 Program Committee invites pop-up session proposals on all aspects of archival practice and research, as well as from related fields. Pop-up sessions offer an opportunity to present on a topic that has “popped up” after the initial proposal deadline and will be voted on by MAC membership. Proposal submissions from students, new professionals, and first-time presenters are highly encouraged. Possible areas of focus include, but are not limited to:

• Areas of growth in archival theory, technology, and practice
• Controlling workload expectations and tending to self-care to avoid burnout
• Stretching resources/budgets in innovative and practical ways
• Promoting inclusivity and diversity in the workplace, collections, and archival practices
• Establishing and updating reappraisal and deaccessioning policies
• Community archiving approaches and practices
• Cultivating collections and relationships with patrons and donors
• Restoration in the profession, through preservation and conservation, or acknowledging and repairing disparities and inequities
• Workplace considerations, such as managing relationships, communication, and non-traditional career paths

To learn more and access the submission form, please review the full Call for Pop-Up Session Proposals on the MAC website.

CALL FOR MAC 2024 POSTER PRESENTATIONS

The 2024 Program Committee invites poster proposal submissions on all aspects of archival practice and research, as well as on topics from allied and related fields. The Program Committee seeks a diverse slate of presenters representing a variety of personal and institutional backgrounds, perspectives, and voices and encourages submissions from anyone who is interested in presenting, including students, new professionals, first-time presenters, and those from allied professions. MAC membership is not required to present. Potential areas of focus for posters include:

• Areas of growth in archival theory, technology, and practice
• Approaches to reference and instruction 
• Community archiving approaches and practices
• Encouraging advocacy and collaboration

To learn more and access the submission form, please review the full Call for Poster Presentations on the MAC website.