2022 to
be an exciting year for the St. Augustine Historical Society. With the addition of several new staff members since July of 2020, we aim to continue working to better achieve our mission to acquire, preserve, and interpret the historical influence of St. Augustine and its sphere of influence for the benefit of the public. Going forward and accomplishing this mission means better communication and further outreach on our behalf, along with more content and improving accessibility. Throughout 2022, SAHS will strive to improve our services and resources while keeping the community informed and included.
Our new online membership database, Wild Apricot is one of our biggest leaps this past year. It will continue to be integral to our 2022 strategy and beyond. Wild Apricot allows paying members access to information about their membership, a schedule of events hosted by the SAHS. Exclusive Research Library content is included as a bonus, such as digitized versions of The Tatler of Society in Florida, El Escribano journal, and the East Florida Gazette. Links to recorded talks, and collections information, are also included. In the coming year, we plan to post more content for our members, while also developing new memberships geared towards businesses that offer their own unique benefits.
Our Annual Meeting at the Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine will provide more information on SAHS membership for all interested parties. It will be held on January 6 from 7:00PM-9:30PM at the Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine. It is free and open to the public. We hope to see you there!
While expanding digital infrastructure and connections is helpful, nothing beats being able to interact and talk about our passion for history with others. So, on January 15th, staff will be attending the 6th Annual Florida History Con at the Daytona Museum of Arts and Sciences. If you are in the area, feel free to drop by and check out our table. Look out for a History Con recap as well as event pictures soon. We plan to take part in more events throughout the year as well, so keep an eye out for announcements!
Another major goal for 2022 is the digitization of more collection items. The Research Library will, with the help of our excellent volunteers, continue to upload materials to our digital collections to make our holdings more accessible. Be on the lookout throughout the year for more materials available online, both on our public and membership-only pages. Adding to our online collections allows us to increase our digital footprint, and become more accessible to those unable to visit us in person. Online repositories also let us store more material in a safer and more secure off-site location, protecting it from the notorious flooding that often occurs in the Oldest City. With the struggles of the COVID pandemic, as well as the interests of various out-of-state researchers, it is clear that online accessibility is a necessity.
Increasing our online content is the centerpiece of our 2022 planning. Social media presence is a key aspect of that. We plan to upload more frequent blog posts on our website. Also, check out our Facebook and Instagram for highlights on events, our collections, and staff projects. This blend of digital outreach will serve to keep the local community engaged with what the Society is up to and what is coming in the future. In conjunction with these digital outlets, the SAHS will also be continuing to upload talks and other videos on our YouTube page throughout the year. A brand-new podcast is also in the works, so stay tuned!
We hope you’re as excited as we are about the coming year, and we hope to see you around. Be sure to check back in for more updates as the year progresses, and to follow us on Facebook and Instagram if you do not already.