Innovation in archives & Innovative responses to financial crises

11 May 2017 at 8:00am

St. Louis, United States of America

eabh  in cooperation with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and eabh will host a two-day conference for archivists and financial historians to present their current work in bank archives, including central bank archives, and banking and financial history. Archivists will present innovations in archival work and undiscovered gems in their collections. Financial historians will present their research based on materials from commercial bank, government, and central bank archives. The conference will provide both archivists and historians the opportunity to learn about the unique materials held in central bank archives, the current state of archival work, and insights into how scholars use these collections. Confirmed speakers include Harold James, Princeton University, who will give the keynote address, and Gary Richardson, University of California-Irvine and Federal Reserve System Historian.

Day 1: Innovation in archives

This workshop aims to bring together archivists in central banks, commercial banks, and other financial institutions to discuss innovations in the field. The workshop will focus on two areas of innovation in archival practice.

1. What new tools are archivists using to acquire and appraise materials and make their collections available?
2. What new forms of materials are archivists collecting, and what are the unique challenges of those materials? In particular, did the most recent financial crisis present new challenges or opportunities?

The workshop will also feature an “archives showcase” in which archivists will present underused or undiscovered materials in their collections, particularly those highlighting the work of central banks or banking institutions during financial crises, and potential sources for new research.

Day 2: Innovative responses to financial crises.  archives based research

Keynote speech by Harold James

Policymakers, bankers, and monetary authorities are often required to develop innovative or unconventional solutions when faced with new problems, particularly during financial crises. For example, the Federal Reserve responded to the financial crisis of 2007-2009 with a number of new programs to address aspects of the crisis. We seek presentations of original research that make use of bank or central bank archives in the study of crises, particularly the innovative or unconventional responses of banks and policymakers to crises but submissions on other aspects of crises or banking are also welcome.

 

Programme

11 May 2017	Innovation in archives
12 May 2017	Innovative responses to financial crises. archives based research