History Section Report
Jennalyn Tellman, Editor
Message From the Chair
David Lincove, History Section Chair 2008-2009
The activities of the History Section at the midwinter conference in Denver provided attendees with opportunities for interacting with colleagues at discussion groups and learning about resources and research methodologies. The Genealogy Preconference Committee sponsored a day long session, “Behind the Genealogy Reference Desk,” at the Denver Public Library that demonstrated how researchers can find information about people in a wide variety of resources in the Denver area, but also with the creative use of such resources as railroad company archives and U.S. government documents about military personnel. We also heard about finding information about Native Americans and Hispanics in southwest Colorado and colonial New Mexico. This program was example of the broad appeal and high quality of genealogy pre-conferences held at every ALA conference. The next preconference in Chicago will be focus on resources for Illinois and African-American family history research.
In this issue of RUSA Update be sure to read about the winners of the ABC Clio Online History Award and the History Section program at the annual conference in Chicago on the promotion and use of non-digital research materials in an environment of expanding digital information.
Please consider volunteering to serve on a History Section committee. Volunteer by selecting the link under “Serving Your Organization” at
http://www.cro2info.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/volunteer/index.cfm. If you have questions about serving in the section, contact the vicechair/chair-elect Kathy Strauss (
Kathy.Strauss@cityofdenton.com ). Find out about the History Section committees at
http://www.cro2info.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/sections/history/committees/index.cfm . Learn about the history of the section at
http://www.cro2info.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/sections/history/about/index.cfm.