What Do I Do with All That Stuff?: Archiving Your Folk Organization's History
About What Do I Do with All That Stuff?: Archiving Your Folk Organization's History
Does your dance or music organization have a rich and interesting history that you don’t want to lose? Have you wondered how to preserve and enjoy all the great material that you’ve produced over the years?
Then join us in a four-part online course using the new CDSS Archiving Toolkit. We’ll work through the toolkit together, with time to discuss your organization’s unique needs and goals. Whether or not you want to keep your collection within your organization or try to donate it to an existing archive, this course will guide you step by step through the process.
The course consists of four classes, meeting online between October 2026 and February 2027, led by the creators of the toolkit: Susan Creighton, a professional archivist, and Pat MacPherson, retired Director of Education at CDSS and oral historian for the CDSS Centennial.
You’ll do some independent work between each class, then share the results of your work in the classes and receive support and guidance from Susan and Pat.
This class is designed as a cumulative four-part series, so please be prepared to attend all four classes: Oct 5, 2026; Nov 2, 2026; Jan 11, 2027; Feb 1, 2027.
The capacity for this class is 5 organizations.
Class Materials
Students will want to provide:
Some kind of historical materials from your organization (e.g. documents, electronic files, photos, slides, video, clothing, music, etc.). Ideally, have a few examples of each of the different kinds of material you have.
Pre-class Homework
Before the first online session, please do the following:
1) view the Overview video;
2) read the Course Syllabus;
3) view the Chapter 1 video;
4) spend some time drafting responses to the planning questions. We will address those in Session 1.
Skill Level
No skill necessary.
Contact the Teacher
Send a direct message from the teacher's profile page with any questions you might have about the class.
When
The class will meet for four 90-min live online sessions on the schedule below.
Enrolled students receive 60-day access to the video recordings of the classes.
How It Works
Enroll above to save your spot in the class. Lessonface will send you a confirmation right away, and a Zoom link 24 hours before the class start time. You can log into your Lessonface dashboard to access class materials, communicate with your instructor, join the live Zoom session, and access the class recordings and chat transcript afterward.
Susan Creighton
I am a retired professional archivist who has worked in a variety of settings, most recently at Vermont Folklife as their Associate Archivist. In my former career, I was a classroom teacher in Maine and Massachusetts, and later a researcher and teacher-trainer with Education Development Center in the Boston area.
Back to CDSSAbout Country Dance & Song Society
We connect and support people in building and sustaining vibrant communities through participatory dance, music, and song. We steward the living traditions of English country dance, contra and square dance, morris and sword dance, and the music that is an integral part of these traditions. Learn more
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