LSU School of Library & Information Science to Host Archival Education & Research Institute (AERI)
August 8, 2022
Baton Rouge, LA - The School of Library & Information Science (SLIS) in the College of Human Sciences & Education (CHSE) announces its selection as host for the 2023 Archival Education & Research Institute (AERI). The institute will occur on June 19-23, 2023 on the LSU campus.
AERI 2023 at LSU will mark the return to an in-person annual week-long summer institute after offering virtual institutes from 2020-2022. The working institutes are designed to strengthen education and research and support cohort-building and mentoring in academia and professional practice. The institute is open to all academic faculty and students working in archival studies and related fields, as well as to archival practitioners and others engaged in archival education and scholarship, both nationally and internationally.
In accepting the SLIS hosting proposal, the AERI Board noted, “we feel that our international community of scholars will benefit from the opportunity to meet in Baton Rouge to advance the field of archival studies.” In particular, the Board highlighted SLIS’ continued commitment and efforts towards including local underrepresented groups in the planning process and the potential to engage with the unique culture of Louisiana.
According to Edward Benoit, III, PhD Associate Director & Associate Professor, “Over the past 13 years, AERI remains a standout from other professional and academic conferences through its use of an annual summer working institute—meaning all participants must actively engage in the institute through presenting works in progress, pedagogical or methodological workshops, roundtable discussions, and mentoring. Perhaps more importantly, the institutes are held on partner university campuses rather than at conference centers of hotels. All participants stay with each other in dormitories, eat together, work together, and socialize together during the week. Not only does this help make registration costs significantly lower than most conferences—and thereby affordable for academics, students and practitioners—but it also helps develop a strong sense of community and collaboration. I will be honest and say that AERI is a big reason for why I am in academia, and it has nurtured my development over my career.”
Additionally, SLIS Director, Carol Barry, PhD noted, “I’m very pleased that the School will be supporting the implementation of this very prestigious institute. It highlights the quality of the archival studies program offered by the School and the recognition of Dr. Benoit as an outstanding researcher and leader in the field.”
Past institutes were held at UCLA in 2009, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2010, Simmons College in 2011, UCLA in 2012, University of Texas at Austin in 2013, the University of Pittsburgh in 2014, the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2015, Kent State University in 2016, and the University of Toronto in 2017, the University of Alabama in 2018, and at the Liverpool University Centre for Archive Studies (LUCAS) in 2019. AERI 2020, 2021, and 2022 were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
About the Archival Education & Research Institute
The Archival Education and Research Initiative (AERI) is a collaborative effort among academic institutions to support the growth of a new generation of academics in archival and recordkeeping education and research who are versed in contemporary issues and knowledgeable of the work being conducted by colleagues. The initiative seeks to promote state-of-the-art in scholarship in Archival Studies, broadly conceived, as well as to encourage curricular and pedagogical innovation in archival education locally and worldwide. For more information, visit the AERI Website.
About the School of Library & Information Science
The LSU School of Library & Information Science (SLIS) provides a 100% online prestigious education in library and information science. It is the home of the Master of Library and Information Science, which is the only program accredited by the American Library Association in the state of Louisiana. SLIS offers a dual degree with the Department of History, an undergraduate minor, and three certificate options. SLIS is a member of iSCHOOLS, a group of Information Schools dedicated to advancing the information field. SLIS is part of the LSU College of Human Sciences & Education.
For more information, visit the School of Library & Information Science.
About the College of Human Sciences & Education
The College of Human Sciences & Education (CHSE) is a nationally accredited division of Louisiana State University. The college is comprised of the School of Education, the School of Kinesiology, the School of Leadership & Human Resource Development, the School of Library & Information Science, the School of Social Work, and the University Laboratory School. These combined schools offer 8 undergraduate degree programs, 18 graduate programs, and 7 online graduate degree and/or certificate programs, enrolling more than 1,900 undergraduate and 1,120 graduate students. The College is committed to achieving the highest standards in teaching, research, and service and is committed to improving quality of life across the lifespan.
For more information, visit the College of Human Sciences & Education.