Utah Division of Archives & Records Service

This year’s COUNCIL OF STATE ARCHIVISTS (CoSA) annual conference in St. Louis was a big moment for the Utah Division of Archives & Records Service team! 🏆 The Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board (USHRAB) won the SHRAB Award of Merit for the second year in a row! Read more about this impressive achievement: bit.ly/4fjTpum 📽 Digital Initiatives Leads Melissa Coy and Jim Kichas presented “Retiring Microfilm with Dignity,” showcasing our work to transition from microfilm to a fully digital future. 🎖 Utah State Archivist Ken Williams received the CoSA Award of Service for his dedication to the organization and the archival field. ✈ USHRAB Executive Secretary Genesie Miller was awarded the Atlas Systems Travel Scholarship! 🖥 Digital Preservation Archivist Elizabeth Perkes was celebrated for her valuable contributions to CoSA’s SERI group. With big wins and memorable experiences, it was a fantastic event for our team!

The U.S. will celebrate 250 years in 2026. How might this moment empower future generations? Over the summer, with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Made By Us hosted intergenerational workshops across the country to kick off #Youth250—an exciting, nonpartisan initiative to spark the imaginations of young people as we approach this major anniversary. The day-long gatherings featured a meme exchange, a snowball fight of ideas, and “backcasting” from 50 years in the future in 2076, all to better understand each other and incubate ideas for the 250th. We had a very insightful day at the Utah State Capitol with our partners at the Utah Historical Society, who are leading the America250 Utah Commission. Learn more at america250.utah.gov

We can’t talk about the future of our archives without giving a shout-out to our fantastic interns! 🌟 Our fall cohort participated in an Archives Fundamentals training with Local Government Archivist Alan Barnett, who shared the essentials of arranging, describing, and caring for historic records collections. The interns' unique perspectives and enthusiasm made the training a dynamic experience, equipping them with valuable skills for their futures in archival work. #UtahArchivesMonth

Does your future include working at an archives? If so, the Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board (USHRAB) professional development grants can help make that dream a reality! 🏛️✨ 📚 These need-based awards (up to $500) support Utah residents in pursuing archives-related training, workshops, and conferences. Whether you're a volunteer, student, or early- to mid-career professional, seize this chance to grow your skills and shape the future of our archival community. 📝 Applications are accepted year-round: bit.ly/4cYmRWz 📸: USHRAB Board member Darcy P. and USHRAB Executive Secretary Genesie Miller tabling at the Utah Museums Association's annual conference this month.

Happy #ElectronicRecordsDay! 🔏 Most government records today are created electronically—from emails to spreadsheets and databases. These records can hold long-term research value, so we work hard to preserve them! Our Electronic Records Archivist Elizabeth Perkes is responsible for receiving and harvesting electronic records, then taking them through a detailed workflow. This involves capturing technical metadata like checksums and creation dates, as well as descriptive details like the record’s purpose and creator. To ensure nothing is lost over time, we store multiple copies and actively manage them, even migrating records to more sustainable formats when necessary. It’s a big job—state government alone produces PETABYTES of data—but it’s all about keeping history accessible for future generations. PS - Do you know why October 10 is celebrated as #ERecsDay? A little archivist humor for you: 1010 looks like binary code! 😉 🗃

It's our favorite time of the year—Utah Archives Month! Each October, we celebrate Archives Month to highlight the importance of preserving records of enduring value and to raise awareness of the vital role archives play in our daily lives. This month-long celebration is supported by libraries, museums, special collections, and archival institutions from across Utah. The theme for 2024, "The Future in the Archives," invites a wide range of interpretations. Perhaps your organization is launching a new digitization project that will make records accessible for future generations. Or maybe you’re preserving historical records—like blueprints or schematics—that reflect ambitious designs for the future. Whether it’s a future that became reality or one that remained an aspiration, we invite you to share these stories with us throughout October. Explore our #UtahArchivesMonth website for downloadable posters, social media graphics, and special digital stickers to help you celebrate: bit.ly/ArchivesMonth2024 And a huge thank you to the incredible Danelle Cheney for these amazing designs!

Congratulations to our incredible Local Government Records Specialist, Heidi Steed, for receiving the prestigious Spotlight Award from the Society of American Archivists (SAA)! Founded in 1936, SAA is North America’s largest organization dedicated to advancing the field of archives. The Spotlight Award celebrates those whose behind-the-scenes dedication, innovation, and passion have made a lasting impact—often without public recognition. Heidi was honored at the SAA’s ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2024 hybrid conference in Chicago this summer. Please join us in congratulating Heidi on this amazing achievement! 

📣 Meet the Fall 2024 Interns! 🍂 With the school year underway, we’re excited to welcome a new group of interns to the Utah Division of Archives & Records Service! 📘 Jack Tingey graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in history in 2021. He currently works at This is the Place Heritage Park as a guest services supervisor and researcher. Jack is passionate about late 19th and early 20th century U.S. history, with a focus on marginalized groups. This semester, he'll be writing agency histories, helping to bring context and clarity to Utah’s governmental records. 📙 Tallis Spalding holds a master's degree in history from Arizona State University, with an emphasis on American history. She works in content creation and enjoys making educational and fun history videos in her free time. During her internship, Tallis will be learning the ropes of preservation and archival work with our Local Government team. 📗 Elizabeth Schiess is a senior at Brigham Young University - Idaho studying humanities. After graduation, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in library and information science or museum studies. This fall, Elizabeth will work with the Local Government team, where she will focus on accessioning newly acquired historical records into the State Archives’ permanent collection. 📕 Mackenzie Hillery is a senior at Weber State University, pursuing a bachelor's degree in social science composite. With plans to become a teacher, Mackenzie is excited to spend the semester with our Reference and Access team, where she will assist patrons in locating records and handling research requests.

Congratulations to Courtney Cochley, curator of the Hyrum City Museum and the very first recipient of USHRAB’s Professional Development Micro-Grant! Courtney used her funds to attend the Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists Conference in Reno, NV, where she connected with fellow archivists and expanded her expertise. 📣: This grant offers up to $500 to help Utah residents engage in archives-related professional development opportunities, like conferences, workshops, and courses. Applications are open year-round: bit.ly/4cYmRWz 📸: Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board member Darcy P., micro-grant recipient Courtney Cochley, and USHRAB Board Chair Jim Kichas.

We're thrilled to welcome Brandon Lowder as the newest member of the Utah State Archives team! 🎉 Brandon joins us as an Archival Technician in the Records Center. Having previously worked at the Utah State Capitol and for the Department of Beverages Services, he's a fantastic addition to our inactive records team. Brandon’s day-to-day responsibilities will include pulling and mailing records, managing file transfers, and contributing to our Scan-on-Demand program. We are excited to have him on board!