Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC) was organized in June 1972 at a gathering of thirty-three archivists and manuscript curators at the University of Maryland's College Park campus. The group sought to establish a regional archival professional association, drawing its membership from the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and West Virginia and the District of Columbia. The resulting organization focused on less experienced professionals, staff of small repositories, and archival issues below the national level -- areas in which the Society of American Archivists was perceived to have little interest. In this same year, six other regional organizations, including the New England Archivists, Midwest Archives Conference, Northwest Archivists, and the Society of Southwest Archivists, were formed.

The initial purposes of the group were to plan practical, action oriented conferences, workshops, and other means to increase professional competence, to preserve local historical resources, and to promote cooperation with colleagues in related fields. Four months after the organizational meeting, the group held its first semi-annual conference in Wilmington, Delaware. These conferences continue to be a major focus of MARAC's activities and offer a wide range of sessions, workshops, and tours designed to appeal to beginners as well as experienced professionals and staff from both small and large repositories.

Early in the life of the organization, its members embarked on an active publications program. Production of a newsletter, the Mid- Atlantic Archivist) ( MAA ), began in October 1972, and it continues to appear on a quarterly basis. Several technical leaflets providing guidance on processing issues and administrative decisions have been issued in conjunction with the MAA . Membership directories have been regularly compiled and several occasional papers have also been issued, including Guidelines for Archives and Manuscript Repositories, and Paul Mucci's manual entitled Paper and Leather Conservation .

The governance structure of MARAC consists of an elected Steering Committee, which is composed of a chairperson, a vice-chair, a treasurer, a secretary, eight state representatives, and four at large representatives. A number of committees have also been established to assist in the administration of the organization; these include nominations, membership development, finance and budget, publications, education and outreach, program, and local arrangements. Two additional committees administer MARAC's awards program. The Arline Custer Memorial Award committee annually awards prizes honoring publishing achievements by individuals of institutions in the states comprising MARAC. The Finding Aids Award committee also annually recognizes excellence in the compilation and production of various types of finding aids compiled by institutions in the MARAC region or by MARAC members. On the local level, each of the seven states and the District of Columbia, which comprise the MARAC region, has a caucus. The caucuses serve as forums for discussion of archival issues and needs, promote the exchange of information, and sponsor of conferences, workshops, and other special programs within their individual geographic areas.

A list of MARAC officers is available on the MARAC website .

From the guide to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC) records, 1972-2006. (University of Maryland Libraries)