Chicago Area Religious Archivists (CARA)
Chicago is rich in theological resources, with the Chicagoland area serving as home to more than twenty-one religious archives. Realizing the need for a professional group to promote networking among these repositories, a small group of interested religious archivists met in the Fall of 2007 and again in the Winter of 2008, to discuss forming the Chicago Area Religious Archivists (CARA). The first official CARA meeting was held on May 8, 2008 at the Chicago History Museum, and included a guided tour of the “Catholic Chicago” exhibit by the exhibit’s co-curators. At the meeting, a set of by-laws was also formally approved.
Through CARA, archivists for religious institutions and agencies, as well as curators for religious manuscript collections, share common concerns and information, become familiar with other religious archives in the Chicago area, and host educational programs for professional development.
Membership is open to all individuals interested in the activities of religious archives and religious manuscript repositories in the Chicago area. Meetings are held twice a year, in the Spring and Fall, ordinarily during the day.
For more information, contact the CARA Steering Committee Chair:
Malachy McCarthy
Claretian Missionaries Archives USA
205 West Monroe
Chicago, IL 60606
312-544-8219
FAX: 312-236-7230
E-mail: MCCARTHYM@claretians.org
CARA News - Summer 2009 Happenings
 News blog
CARA is trying a new format for reporting the news to its members – we’re blogging! As things happen with the group, the individual members or their institutions, we’d like to share it in a timely, personal way.
So pass on your news and stay connected. E-mails will go out to notify you of updated information or you can subscribe to an RSS feed.
The blog URL address will be posted on the CARA website under the news section or you can go directly to it at http://cara-news.blogspot.com
Special Announcement
 CARA member, Diane Pugh, Manager of Preservation Projects for the American Theological Library Association and her husband, Ralph, Assistant University Archivist for the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) are expecting their first baby on August 23rd and … it’s a boy! Congratulations Diane and Ralph!!
Diane’s maternity leave is tentatively set for August 17 through Nov. 9 - (pending baby’s own plans, of course!) We will miss her at the Fall 2009 CARA meeting, but look forward to the birth announcement!!
CARA Spring 2009 Meeting at the
North Shore Congregation Israel
 Merle Branner, Archivist at the North Shore Congregation Israel (NSCI) Archives, Glencoe, IL hosted the CARA Spring 2009 meeting on Thursday afternoon May 7, 2009. It was a fun learning experience for all!
Bill Katz, one of the founding children of the congregation, gave a presentation on the history of NSCI. Mary Bix, a retired executive director of NSCI and archives volunteer, gave us a tour of the entire facility. We toured the impressive large and small sanctuaries as well as the archives. 
We learned from Rabbi Steven Mason that the large sanctuary (see photos) was designed by Minuro Yamasaki, an American architect best known for his design of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.
While at the archives, we participated in a special dedication ceremony. The NSCI archives was named in honor of Ruthie and Bill Katz for their dedication in preserving the history of the congregation over the years. Congratulations, Ruthie and Bill – well deserved!
Following the tour, Merle gave a presentation of her digital library project using CONTENTdm Digital Collection Management software. Merle created a digital collection of the NSCI Confirmation class photographs and available programs from 1931 – 1947. She also showed us the collection development web tool that she created and maintains for internal administrative use. It was developed to organize information and documents about NSCI to aid the archives’ volunteers, researchers and scholars. Very impressive!
Merle Branner has worked with the NSCI Archives since 2003 and has accomplished a great deal. She provides preservation and access to the NCSI historical collection with the help of other volunteer members, including Mary Bix, Bill and Ruthie Katz, and Marcine Weiner, a retired teacher.
To learn more about North Shore Congregation Israel, visit their website at: www.nsci.org
L to R – seated: Mary Bix, Bill and Ruthie Katz
L to R – standing: Marcia Stein, Ken O’Malley, Gwyn Stupar,
Joan Sweeney, Peter Gunther, Merla Branner, Richard Seidel,
Mary Hennesey, Elizabeth Whitman, Malachy McCarthy and Diane Pugh
At the end of the day, CARA members discussed the selection of an Archival Content Management System. Marcia Stein and Peter Gunther presented numerous self-assessment tools, handouts and links that they found, adapted and used for their organization’s archives. Thanks Marcia and Peter for providing a large part of the legwork!!
Each interested CARA member should use these tools to assess their own archives’ needs before the Fall 2009 meeting. In the Fall, we will have a demonstration/training session on using Archon and Archivist’s Toolkit by current users of each (details to come). Knowing your individual needs and wants will help you in selecting an appropriate Archival Content Management System for your archives.
It is a pleasure getting to know the religious archives and archivists in the Chicago area. Thanks to all involved who made the Spring 2009 CARA meeting a successful, wonderful afternoon! And a special thanks to Merle’s husband, Dave Rothschild, Co-chair of the NSCI Archives Committee, for providing the home baked goodies!!
Newsletters
CARA Newsletter Spring 2009 (PDF document)
CARA Newsletter Fall 2008 (PDF document)
CARA Newsletter Spring 2008 (PDF document)
CARA Steering Committee 2008-2010
President: Malachy McCarthy, Province Archivist, Claretian Missionaries mccarthym@claretians.org
Vice-President: Diane Pugh, Manager of Preservation Projects, American Theological Library Association
Secretary: M. Joella Cunane, RSM, Archivist, Sisters of Mercy Chicago Region
Treasurer/Membership: Richard Seidel, Historiographer and Archivist, Episcopal Diocese of Chicago
CARA Rep to CAA: Joan Sweeney, Archivist, Clerics of St. Viator jsweeney@viatorians.com
Communications Coordinator: Joan Sweeney, Archivist, Clerics of St. Viator jsweeney@viatorians.com
CARA Meeting Minutes
September 22, 2009 (PDF document)
November 14, 2008 (PDF document)
February 18, 2008 (PDF document)
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