Community History Seminar 2026: Info Session

Learn about the application requirements and benefits of applying for the 2026 Community History Seminar cohort designed especially for preserving the history of community-based organizations in Central Arkansas.

The 2026 Community History Seminar is a free evening program hosted by the CALS DIY Memory Lab and Butler Center for Arkansas Studies. Designed especially for community-based organizations in Central Arkansas, the seminar supports groups with historically significant or at-risk records, particularly those documenting the experiences and histories of marginalized communities.

This program creates a welcoming space for community organizations and citizen archivists to learn practical skills for preserving, describing, and digitizing archival materials. Participants will also be introduced to accessible digital tools that can help them share their histories through timelines, digital maps, and online community archives. Each participant will receive a starter kit with basic supplies to help begin or strengthen their community archiving work. The program consists of four in-person evening seminars, each two hours long, held in fall 2026. Participants will also have access to an online discussion space (Discord or Google Group, based on participant preference) where they can connect with one another and receive guidance from the instructors between sessions.

The same information will be shared in the May 5 and May 16 sessions. Prospective applicants need only to attend one session.

The seminar is a collaborative initiative led by Meredith Li, CALS DIY Memory Lab coordinator, and Danielle Afsordeh, community outreach archivist & programs coordinator for the CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies/Roberts Library.