The Society of Southwest Archivists is a professional organization established to:

  • stimulate and make available research in archival administration and records management
  • promote sound principles and standards for preserving and administering records
  • foster opportunities for education and training of archivists, records managers, and custodians of private papers
  • strengthen relations with others in allied disciplines and with organizations and institutions having mutual interests in the preservation and use of our recorded heritage.

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SSA serves over 500 archivists, special collections librarians, preservationists, conservators, records managers, and others interested in the preservation of our documentary heritage. The six states in our region are Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas, but our members come from almost every state and several countries. We look forward to working with you to improve and promote the archival profession. Join Us!





Please consider making a donation to the SSA Endowment that funds the scholarships. To make a donation, please visit the donations page. Thank you for your support of SSA's mission.

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SSA on Amazon Smile

The Society of Southwest Archivists is now an official charitable organization on Amazon Smile. If you are an Amazon customer, you can register your account on Amazon Smile to automatically donate .05% of the purchase price of your Amazon purchases to SSA.
Community Outreach Fund

SSA established the Community Outreach Fund in 2015 to support outreach events or programs that promote archives to the general public. SSA has set aside $1,000 per year to support such endeavors.
National Disaster Recovery Fund for Archives

The Society of Southwest Archivists and the Society of American Archivists created the SSA-SAA Emergency Disaster Assistance Grant Fund—a fund established to address the stabilization and recovery needs of archival repositories that are directly affected by natural disasters.

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Latest Posts

  • Scholarships available!

    Don’t forget to submit your application for an SSA scholarship. Applications are due February 19 (or postmarked by February 15 if submitting by mail). Four scholarships are available to support the continuing education and professional development of our members. These scholarships provide financial assistance to defray the costs of attending the annual meeting, student tuition […]

  • Call for Student Posters

    The Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists (CIMA) and the Society of Southwest Archivists (SSA) invite graduate and undergraduate students to submit an abstract for a poster presentation at the 2019 Joint Annual Meeting taking place in Tucson, Arizona, on May 15-18, 2019. Posters may describe applied or theoretical research that is completed or underway; discuss interesting […]

  • SSA Elections: Call for Nominations

    Meet other archivists, gain valuable experience, help the archival community prosper, and earn the admiration of your colleagues by serving the most dynamic organization of archivists in the U.S. The SSA Nominating Committee is seeking candidates for the following positions in 2019:  Vice-President/President Elect (three year term-one as VP, one as President, and one as […]

  • Poor Pay in Archives: How Top Archives Directors and Our National Organizations Are Failing Us

    The top Archives directors are failing the profession.(1) It appears nearly every day brings a new article contrasting national wage stagnation with the ever-climbing stock market.(2) Even before the great recession, archivists, who are highly degreed professionals comparable to lawyers, accountants, and IT professionals, were poorly paid.(3) The reasons, both before and after the recession […]

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Today in the Archivist’s Daybook

January 20, 2019

  • On this date in 1981, the U.S. Presidential Records Act took effect. It declared that after this date the records of all US presidents and vice presidents would be the property of the American people. The law allowed citizens to review all materials, including confidential communications with advisers, 12 years after a president left office. The act also assured that the most sensitive records relating to national security, foreign relations, financial and trade secrets, and personal privacy were exempt from disclosure.

    January 20, 2019

    On this date in 1981, the U.S. Presidential Records Act took effect. It declared that after this date the records of all US presidents and vice presidents would be the property of the American people. The law allowed citizens to review all materials, including confidential communications with advisers, 12 years after a president left office. The act also assured that the most sensitive records relating to national security, foreign relations, financial and trade secrets, and personal privacy were exempt from disclosure.