Archived page
This page has been deprecated from the site’s main menus. The page has information about the symposium that took place in June 2026 and remains here for reference only.The agenda will be influenced heavily by participants’ contributions and the themes that arise from participants’ experiences and ideas. However, the organizers hope that conversations will emerge on:
- The current state of archival reference
- Our shared values around archival reference
- Your reference experiences with AI search and thoughts about what effects AI tools are having on archival reference
- What new practices can accommodate both new realities and our archival reference values
- How these technologies are affecting archival labor, and what we should do to sustain our ability to hold space for archival reference work
- What reference archivists need to know, and how much, about AI tools and user needs
- Anything else that comes up for you from the readings, hearing from others, or your own experiences with reference services/providing access to archives and AI.
Thursday, June 4
9:15am - 4:30pm (sessions); 6:30pm (dinner)
| Timing | Topic | Logistics | Energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 | Coffee and Light Refreshments | A shuttle will pick up hotel guests around 8:45. | Social. A full complimentary breakfast is provided at the hotel, so eat beforehand if you want to. |
| 9:15 | Welcome from Bentley & UMSI Intros, Sessions: Current state of archival reference practices and how AI is affecting these practices Project show & tell of participant experiences and experiments | Everyone will be asked to introduce themselves. There will be some presentation, and one participatory discussion with activity. | |
| 12:30 | Lunch | Provided | Social. Optional opportunities to review work on display from breakout groups and morning discussions, and add to them. |
| 1:30 | Identifying shared reference and access values, challenges and opportunities posed by AI access tools | Participatory discussions with activities. | |
| 3:00 | Break | Coffee provided | |
| 3:30 | Wrap up and prep for tomorrow | Participatory discussions with activities. | |
| 4:30 | Wrap Up | Shuttle to hotel leaves Leinweber Building at 4:30 | |
| 4:30 - 6:30 | Break | On your own | Reflect and relax |
| 6:30 | Dinner (RSVP requested) | Near the hotel. | Social |
Friday, June 5
9:00am - 3:00pm
| Timing | Topic | Logistics | Energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 | Coffee and Light Refreshments | A shuttle will pick up from the hotel at 8:45. | Social. A full complimentary breakfast is provided at the hotel, so eat beforehand if you want to. |
| 9:30 | Continue discussions about themes that arose in Day 1, and surface new themes | TBD - group discussion and possibly activities. | |
| 10:30 | Break | ||
| 11:00 | What archivists need to know to provide reference services today: developing shared recommendations | Participatory discussions with activities. | |
| 12:30 | Lunch | Provided | Social. Optional opportunities to review work on display from morning discussions, and add to them. |
| 1:30-3:00pm | Wrap up: Develop a draft resource together, identify next steps | Participatory discussions with activities. | |
| 3:00pm | Conclude and Wrap Up | Dispersal for travel home, tour, or social activities | Relax |
| 3:15-4:15pm | Optional Tour of the Bentley Historical Library | Walk from Leinweber to Bentley | Reflect and Rejuvenate |
| 4:30pm | Wrap up | Shuttle from Bentley Historical Library to hotel | Relax |