MAC SOA 2026

Find it Here!

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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.

Tours

Tours will be held May 14th beginning at 10:00 am or 10:30 am.

  • Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum (10:00am)

Location: Sullivant Hall, 1813 N. High Street, Columbus, OH 43210

Cost: Free

Capacity: 15 people

Tour Details: Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum houses the world’s largest collection cartoon and comics art and archives. See behind the scenes of its premiere collection featuring works from artists such as, Bill Watterson, Walt Kelly, Winsor McCay and many other legendary cartoonists. To learn more, visit: https://cartoons.osu.edu/  

  • Thompson Library at The Ohio State University (10:00am)

Location: 1858 Neil Avenue Mall, Columbus, OH 43210

Cost: Free

Capacity: 15 people

Tour Details: Thompson or Main Library was built in 1913 as the first stand-alone library building on campus. It was renovated in 2009, combining the old with the new. The tour will also showcase the current exhibit from the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program, Polar Expressions: Finding Beauty in the Coldest Regions on Earth.

  • Local History & Genealogy, Columbus Metropolitan Library (10:00am)

Location: Main Library, 96 S. Grant Ave. Columbus, OH 43215

Cost: Free

Capacity: 30 people

Tour Details: Visit Columbus’ Main Library for two tours in one! Staff will lead a tour of the Local History & Genealogy Division, including the digitization lab, and a behind-the-scenes archives and newspaper room tour. For more information about Local History & Genealogy, please visit our webpage.

  • Nationwide History & Archives Center (10:00am)

Location: One Nationwide Plaza, Columbus, OH 43215

Cost: Free

Capacity: 40 people

Tour Details: Nationwide, the fortune 100 insurance and financial services company, celebrates 100 years in 2026. This tour will provide a behind-the-scenes view of the Nationwide History & Archives Center and show ways Nationwide has integrated its heritage and its centennial into the associate experience throughout the headquarters.

  • Wexner Center for the Arts Vault Tour (10:30am)

Location: 1871 North High Street; Columbus, OH 43210

Cost: Free

Capacity: 12 people

Tour Details: Despite its status as a non-collecting institution since it opened in 1989, the Wexner Center for the Arts holds a collection of over 6,000 objects in its vault, ranging from 8th century Chinese scrolls to 20th century contemporary art. Join us to explore the history of the Wex’s permanent collection: how it came to be here, how we steward it, and our plans to increase access to these unique materials. To learn more, visit  https://wexarts.org/