Aerial view of Ohio State University
2026 Annual Meeting:
Columbus, OH, May 14-16, 2026

Theme: "Find it Here!"

The Midwest Archives Conference and the Society of Ohio Archivists will hold a joint meeting on May 14-16, 2026 on the campus of The Ohio State University. Conference workshops, sessions, and meetings will be held in the Ohio Union. Hotel accommodations and the reception will be held at the University’s hotel, the Blackwell Inn. The Blackwell is a 10 to 15 minute walk from the Union, and we will provide transportation for anyone who would like to use the service.

From 2015 until 2023, Ohio's tourism slogan was “Find it Here.” As a slogan, it raised the obvious question “find what here?”; but as an archives motto…well, to “Find it Here” is an archivist’s greatest hope for anyone exploring their collections. Come to Columbus to find information and insights on a wide range of topics central to all archivists. The Education Committee is identifying outstanding workshops, and the Program Committee looks forward to receiving fantastic proposals from members of both MAC and SOA.

Located on the campus of The Ohio State University

    Conference sessions and workshops: Ohio Union (https://ohiounion.osu.edu/)

    Room block and reception: Blackwell Hotel (link to reserve a room coming soon)

LAC Co-chairs: Tamar Chute (Ohio State University) and Tricia McEldowney (Denison University)

LAC Members:

  • Stacy Chaney-Blankenship, Ohio Wesleyan University (representing SOA)
  • Michelle Ganz, Dominican Sisters of Peace
  • Kayla Harris, University of Dayton
  • Steve Hausfeld, Nationwide Insurance 
  • Stefanie Hunker, Bowling Green State University
  • Mandy Jennings, Nationwide Insurance
  • John Joseph, Nationwide Children’s Hospital 
  • Kristen Newby, Columbus Metropolitan Library (representing SOA)
  • Dan Noonan, Ohio State University (representing SOA)

Hotel Information 

MAC/SOA has a room block available at the Blackwell Inn. The room rate is $175.00 per night for either a king or double queen room. (Please note that the rate with taxes and fees is $207.00 per night.)

The hotel does not charge a deposit at the time of booking. They do, however, require holding a credit card on file when booking.

To reserve a room:

  1. Click on https://theblackwell.com/
  2. Click the red BOOK NOW button in the upper right corner
  3. Select desired dates in the Reservations box (anytime between May 12–17, 2026)
  4. Click BOOK NOW
  5. Under the section with Guests, Check-In, Check-Out: Click SPECIAL CODES OR RATES
  6. Click Corporate/Promotion Code; select Group Code from the dropdown
  7. Enter MACMAY26; click APPLY
  8. There will be a mixture of queen double beds or single king beds; select your desired room type and continue with the reservation.

You can also use the link: MAC Conference May 12–17, 2026. (Please note that this link automatically applies the conference code and rate. It also auto-fills the dates; however, you can adjust these to your desired dates so long as they fall within the May 12–17, 2026 window.

Call for Volunteers

The MAC Program Committee is seeking volunteers to serve as committee members for the 2026 Annual Meeting in Columbus, OH to be held jointly with the Society of Ohio Archivists’ Annual Meeting in Spring 2026. This committee is a great opportunity for new and seasoned archivists looking to become more involved in MAC. 

The Program Committee is primarily responsible for determining annual meeting content, tasks may include:

  • Soliciting, reviewing, and selecting proposals for session panels, posters, and presentations. (Committee members should not serve as speakers or participants in the program sessions.) The bulk of this work will be done during fall of 2026. 
  • Communicating with session chairs and shepherding sessions at the annual meeting.
  • Choosing and securing a Plenary speaker. 
  • Working closely with the Local Arrangements Committee and Education Committee to identify workshops or special educational program sessions for the meeting. 

Committee members must be MAC members and are encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting as part of committee duties; they do not receive free registration. 

If you or a colleague are interested, please complete this brief form (https://forms.gle/mSncW3PPfGw4jb9u8) by the end of business on Wednesday, September 24, 2026.

Feel free to contact Program Committee co-chairs Hayley Jackson ([email protected]) or Adam Wanter ([email protected]) with any questions.