Welcome to the fifth annual Digital Archives in the Commonwealth Summit. This year we have a diverse attendance of archivists, museum professionals, professors, graduate students, undergraduates, and many others we are delighted to convene for discussion of their work. The 2025 Summit is a joint effort between the University of Virginia Law Library and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. It is an opportunity to present past, current, or ongoing digital archives-based projects and to explore the practical, theoretical, and methodological issues at the intersection of archival practice, scholarly research, and pedagogy.
Digital Archives in the Commonwealth Summit 2025
8:30 – Doors Open – Light coffee/pastry service
9:00 – Welcome and Introductions
9:15 – 10:30
Session 1: Collaboration and Metadata in Practice
Presenters:
Megan R. Brett (Thomas Jefferson Foundation / Monticello) – Simplicity for Discoverability: Building a Cultural Heritage Institutional Repository
Timmia King (George Mason University / RRCHNM) – Creating the HCAC Digital Archive: A Collaborative Metadata Process in Practice
Ashley Palazzo (Radford University) – From Backlog to Blueprint: Prioritizing Archival Projects After a Six-Year Pause
Session Summary:
This session explores practical strategies for building and maintaining sustainable digital repositories and metadata frameworks within cultural heritage institutions. Brett discusses Monticello’s institutional repository emphasizing simplicity and participation. King highlights the collaborative, capacity-building metadata process developed through the HBCU Historical Cultural Access Consortium. Palazzo presents a case study in revitalizing a university archives after a prolonged hiatus through collaboration, prioritization, and student engagement. Together, these talks examine the human infrastructure, relationships, workflows, and shared standards that underpin digital archive success.
10:30 – 10:40 Break
10:40 – 11:40
Session 2: Interpreting Power and History through Digital Curation
Presenters:
Brian Grogan (Hampden-Sydney College) – Virginia Civil Rights History Digital Platform
Michael Becker (University of Maryland) – Digital Curation and the Slavery, Law & Power Project
Session Summary:
Two ambitious digital initiatives, one focused on Civil Rights in Virginia and the other on slavery and power in early America, demonstrate how digital curation reshapes historical understanding. Grogan outlines plans for a statewide civil rights platform connecting archives across institutions, while Becker presents the Slavery, Law & Power project’s curatorial approach to scattered primary sources. This panel underscores how digital platforms can recover marginalized histories, link disparate archives, and expand access to documentary evidence.
11:40 – 1:00 PM Lunch - Provided by UVA Law Library
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Session 3: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Archival Practice
Presenters:
Sarah Falls (Library of Virginia) – A Ghostly Specter: AI, Hallucinations, and Archives Reference
Loren Moulds (University of Virginia Law Library) – From Page to Data: Integrating Handwritten Text Recognition and Generative AI in Archival Discovery
Session Summary:
As generative AI tools enter public use, archivists confront both new efficiencies and new uncertainties. Falls examines how AI hallucinations affect reference workflows and public expectations, while Moulds explores how handwriting recognition and generative models can augment archival access and interpretation. Together, these talks frame a practitioner-focused discussion of AI’s promises and pitfalls for archival work.
2:00 PM – 2:10 PM – Break
2:10 PM – 3:25 PM
Session 4: Accessibility, Memory, and Public Engagement
Presenters:
Anne Fertig (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum) – Audio Accessibility in the Digital Museum
Laura E. G. Stoner (Virginia Museum of History & Culture) – Documenting Service: The VMHC Vietnam Oral History Project
Sylvia Marshall (Virginia War Memorial) – Vietnam Veterans Oral History Initiative at the Virginia War Memorial
Session Summary:
This panel highlights how archives and museums engage with accessibility, memory, and lived experience in public history. Fertig explores the Holocaust Encyclopedia’s human-read audio project as a model for inclusive engagement. Stoner presents the Virginia Museum of History and Culture’s 2023–24 Vietnam Oral History Project, emphasizing collaboration and community partnerships. Marshall shares perspectives from the Virginia War Memorial’s ongoing oral history initiative and its commitment to preserving veterans’ voices. Together, these talks reflect on how digital and oral history practices expand the reach, relevance, and emotional resonance of archival work.
3:30 PM – Concluding Remarks
Questions can be directed to either:
- Jim Ambuske : jimambuske@gmail.com
- Loren Moulds : moulds@virginia.edu