CSI Summer Camp 2026

This is the fourth of five class sessions.

The Congregational Library & Archives invites you to our second annual CSI Summer Camp.

Join archivists Zachary Bodnar and Billy McCarthy as they lead you through the steps needed to successfully begin archiving your church’s important records and valuable memories. This multi-session online program, hosted on Zoom, will provide guidance and instruction on the archival process keeping in mind your specific collections and locations.

Over the course of five sessions, Zachary and Billy will provide hands-on and in-depth instruction about how to begin tackling the seemingly mountainous task of properly archiving your church’s collection. Between sessions there will be exercises to complete at your own pace that reinforce lessons and set you up for the next session. It is strongly recommended that attendees have ready access to their church’s archive throughout summer so that these exercises may be completed. Sessions will include time for instructions, group discussions, and Q&A. Sessions will focus on the following four topics: gathering your collection, identifying materials, organizing records, and crafting finding aids.

This program is part of our Church Stewardship Initiative (CSI). Find the videos of past workshops and free resources on our CSI webpage.

The cost to attend is $150 for individual and church members and $165 for non-members. Limited funds are available as scholarships for those otherwise unable to attend.

To attend, register by Friday, June 6th at https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/CongregationalLibrary/26SummerClasses.html.

After registering, you will receive an email with information about attending the class.

Email any questions to programs@14beacon.org.

SPEAKER BIOS

Zachary Bodnar graduated with a Masters of Library and Information Science from Simmons University, with a concentration in archives management, in 2018. Prior to his work at the CLA, Zachary worked at the Bellamy-Ferriday House and Garden archive, the Vassar College Special Collections, the Harvard Law School Library, and the Harvard Botany Libraries. Zachary joined the CLA as an Archives Assistant in 2017, helping to prepare materials for digitization through the New England’s Hidden Histories program. In 2018, he took on the title of Archivist. His professional interests include metadata collection and management, digital archiving, audio/visual preservation, and archives management.

Billy McCarthy graduated with a Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS) at Simmons University with a concentration in Archival Management. He started working at the CLA through a graduate internship and was hired full-time as an Archivist in 2018. Billy is the Head of Reader Services, helping the CLA’s visitors with reference requests and facilitating in-person research. Billy also serves as the collection manager for the archives, working with CLA’s offsite vendor to protect and maintain the organization’s archival records. Some of his professional interests include increasing access, collection management, processing of complex materials, and facilitating research.