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 |