We’ve made a group, and you can join!

The North Country Special Collections Collaborative is made up of Northern NY cultural organizations, from public libraries to museums to arts organizations.

We do things together! Like…

• Meet-up at heritage institutions for tours and discussions
• Share resources, questions, and connect with fellow history, heritage, and cultural workers via an email list
• Prototype solutions to shared needs rather than thinking or just talking about them

Join the Group

Do you work in a cultural organization in the North Country? Fill out the interest form or email Katelyn to become part of the community.

North Country Resource Exchange

A community-driven platform that aims to make the exchange of materials and knowledge easier, more visible, and more sustainable between cultural institutions across the North Country.

Upcoming Activities

Summer Tour & Talk: Oswego “Double Feature”

When: Wednesday, August 12th, 2026, 10:30 am – 3 pm

Where: Penfield Library – SUNY Oswego, 7060 State Route 104, Oswego, NY & 

Oswego County Historical Society/Richardson-Bates House Museum, 135 E. 3rd Street, Oswego, NY

Northern New York Library Network members and fellow colleagues are invited to a double feature tour with double the hosts and double the tours. We will start with a morning tour of SUNY Oswego’s Penfield Library and wrap up the day with an afternoon tour of Oswego County Historical Society – located in the beautiful Richardson-Bates House Museum!

Between tours, all are invited to enjoy lunch (to be provided by the Network) and have a chance to connect about ideas, work, and current trends in the field.

Registration closes Friday, July 31st.

Special Collections Community Hours

When: 2nd Thursdays of each month, 9-11am

Who: Anyone caring for archival/historic materials

Where: Zoom [Link to Join Community Hours]

Join Special Collections Consultant Katelyn for virtual Community Hours! Inspired by academic office hours, these no-appointment sessions are a shared, collaborative space for all those engaged in special collections work to chat, ask questions, brainstorm, share information, and discuss challenges. While Katelyn will always be available during this time, the group will learn a lot from each other’s knowledge and experiences. Whether you have a question, want to co-work, or simply want to connect with colleagues across the region, you’re welcome to stop by.

Upcoming dates:

• August 13th
• September 10th
• October 8th

To view additional dates, please view the Network’s Events listings.

Save the Date: DHPSNY Red Flag! Workshop (In-Person)

Presented By: Documentary Heritage & Preservation Services for NY (DHPSNY)

When: Thursday, September 17th, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Where: Northern New York Library Network (Potsdam)

Led by DHPSNY Preservation Education Specialist Kate Jacus, this free hands-on workshop helps participants recognize common preservation issues or “red flags,” in paper, book, and photographic materials. Participants will learn how to identify signs of physical damage, environmental concerns, and handling risks, and how to determine when action is needed. Through guided examples and discussion, the workshop focuses on practical decision-making and understanding when to rehouse materials, improve storage conditions, or seek conservation treatment. By the end of the session, participants will feel more confident identifying issues and setting informed, manageable next steps for collections care.

*Registration Coming Soon

Collection Management System Demo: CatalogIt with Historic Saranac Lake

When: Tuesday, September 29th, 2026, 1:00 – 2:00 PM

Where: Virtual on Zoom

Join us for a virtual demonstration of a collection management system! Chessie Monks-Kelly, archivist/curator of Historic Saranac Lake, will showcase their instance and implementation of CatalogIt and discuss the migration process to this software from PastPerfect. There will be time at the end of the demo to ask questions and discuss collection management systems in general.

Please note that the session will not be recorded.

Fall Tour & Talk: Chazy Double Feature

When: Friday, October 2nd, 2026, 1:00 – 5:00 PM

Where: Alice T. Miner Museum, 9618 US-9, Chazy, NY & Miner Institute – Heart’s Delight Farm Heritage Exhibit, 1034 Miner Farm Road, Chazy, NY

Northern New York Library Network members and fellow colleagues are invited to tour two institutions with a shared history in Chazy, the Alice T. Miner Museum & Miner Institute. The “behind-the-scenes” tours will take place from 1:00 – 4:00 PM, visiting both sites. Our hosts will share information about their institution’s history, collection holdings, and current work, with highlights to include how the two organizations collaborate to preserve and carry on the Miner legacy. Attendees will be able to explore the spaces and ask questions.

After the tours, all are invited to enjoy a social hour with light refreshments (to be provided by the Network), giving participants a chance to connect about ideas, work, and current trends in the field.

Registration will close when 25 participants have been reached or on September 25th (whichever occurs first).

Past Activities

Special Collections Tour & Talks

Network members and fellow colleagues come together for a behind-the-scenes tours at regional institutions that have special collections. Tours focus on viewing spaces as well as learning about their history and current work. Each tour is followed by time for participants to connect about ideas, work, and current trends in the field.

New York Archives Conference Watch Party

2026 June 5

Colleagues gathered at the Network to view the 2026 virtual conference, learn about free services available to them (through the Network and Documentary Heritage & Preservation Services for NY), win some archival prizes, and engage in discussions about their work and trends in the field.

New York Archives Conference Watch Party

2025 June 13

Colleagues gathered at the Network to view the 2025 virtual conference, learn about Network services (EmpireADC and NYS Historic Newspapers), and engage in discussions about their work and trends in the field.