Just got back from a state archivist "meeting". More conference than meeting. I mostly went there for a workshop on exhibits. The first half was useful - a step-by-step of how to create an exhibit. But the second half was depressing in a "I wish I could do that" way.
NC State's DH Hill Library just finished renovating and other than the weird, and rather suggestive chairs, it's really cool. For an archivist, what's really cool is their display area. It's a hall between the Learning Commons and the Special Collections reading room. The display cases are custom built into the wall with humidity, temperature, and light control. As if that wasn't enough, they outsourced their banner and background photographs.
I'll be lucky if I can get display cases with UV filters -- which, I found out at the workshop, only last for about five years.
One other thing I noticed. SAA at Chicago had tons of food and SNCA fed us a simple breakfast and nice lunch, but when I went to the Computers in Libraries conference there was one "bar night" and I wouldn't be surprised if you had to pay for the booze.
