ASA 2027 Conference Announces Keynote Speakers

Under the theme "Telling Our Stories: Community, Connections, Resilience", the conference will bring together archives and records professionals to explore the importance of community engagement, digital preservation and the evolving role of archives in connecting people with their stories.

Two keynote speakers have been announced:

Professor Michelle Caswell, from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), will present Regenerative Archives: Centering Community Needs, Shifting Power Relations. Her presentation will explore how community archives can empower marginalised communities during times of political, environmental and technological change, drawing on community-driven research projects.

Professor Melanie Swalwell, Professor of Digital Media Heritage at Swinburne University, will deliver Accessing Born Digital Heritage from the Archives. Her presentation will examine the challenges of preserving and accessing digital heritage dependent on obsolete hardware and software, highlighting the Australian Emulation Network (AusEAASI) and its role in making digital collections accessible.

The conference will also feature a plenary panel, "Engaging Archives: Collections, Archivists, Approaches", bringing together representatives from Libraries Tasmania, Queensland State Archives, the National Archives of Australia and the broader archival profession. Panellists will explore community engagement, public outreach, digital access and the opportunities and challenges of connecting archival collections with diverse audiences.

For records and information management professionals, ASA 2027 offers an opportunity to explore emerging approaches to digital preservation, community participation and the long-term accessibility of archival collections.

The ASA 2027 Conference will take place from 1–4 March 2027 in nipaluna / Hobart.