NAGARA Annual Conference Archive

Since 2022, NAGARA has recorded the audio from its Annual Conference sessions, creating a valuable on-demand learning library for members. Below you'll find recordings from past conferences, including full access to sessions from 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Recordings from the 2025 Annual Conference are currently available exclusively to conference registrants through July 2026, after which they will be opened to all active NAGARA members.

Access to the Annual Conference Archive is a member benefit. Please be sure to log in at the top of the NAGARA website to view available recordings. Not yet a member? Join NAGARA today to unlock this archive and enjoy the full suite of membership benefits.

2025 NAGARA Annual Conference
Archives | Records | Information

The 2025 NAGARA Annual Conference took place in Oklahoma City, OK, a city as resilient and forward-thinking as the professionals who gathered there. Once a frontier town and now a hub of innovation and cultural revival, OKC provided the perfect backdrop for NAGARA's largest conference ever, welcoming a record-breaking 424 registrants!

This unforgettable week brought together archivists, records managers, and information professionals from all levels of government to engage in deep learning, share real-world solutions, and strengthen the bonds of our growing professional community. At a time when the integrity of information and historical truth is increasingly under threat, our collective commitment to access, accountability, and preservation has never been more vital.

Attendees enjoyed:

  • Over 30 concurrent sessions, four General Sessions, and a series of dynamic keynote and special presentations focused on AI, compliance, transparency, digital records, and more.
  • Robust networking through Government Networking Groups, exhibitor interactions, and informal meet-ups, fostering meaningful peer-to-peer connection and support.
  • Memorable social events, including two evening receptions, an offsite gathering at the First Americans Museum, a NAGARA-hosted mid-week happy hour, and communal breakfasts and lunches that deepened engagement and community.

For those who want to revisit what they learned, or catch sessions they missed, MP3 audio recordings and presentation materials are now available to all conference registrants. (Note: You must be signed in to the NAGARA website to access the files.)

 The 2025 NAGARA Annual Conference was more than just a professional event. It was a shared experience of learning, reflection, and renewed purpose. It reinforced what makes our profession so vital and why our work matters.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in OKC! We are honored to walk alongside you in building a stronger future for government archives, records, and information management.

Paying registrants of the Annual Conference enjoy complimentary access to the session recordings.
NAGARA Members not registered for the 2025 NAGARA Annual Conference will receive access to these recordings July 01, 2026.

  

GENERAL SESSIONS

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) The Opening General Session & Keynote with Breakfast launches the conference, welcoming attendees and setting the tone for leadership, connection, and the future of the profession…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 01 - Cultivating an Archival Mindset in Records Management

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Explore how cultivating an archival mindset can transform records management into a more engaging, relationship-building role, boosting participation and trust across agencies through creative, low-cost approaches…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 02 - How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the RFI (with Apologies to Dr. Strangelove)

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn how Connecticut’s State Archives planned a secure digital preservation repository, sharing insights on funding, RFI development, collaboration, and strategies for managing sensitive digital records…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 03 - "Box of Records" Activity

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) A hands-on workshop to build RIM skills by classifying records, understanding retention and historical value, assessing knowledge, and practicing responses to real-world records challenges…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 04 - Records Management Redux: Reawakening an Agency’s Program

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) A candid look at reviving a dormant RIM program as a solo practitioner, sharing lessons learned, small-agency challenges, and strategies for prioritization, outreach, and peer support…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 05 - Unlocking Efficiency: Lorain County’s Journey with KnowledgeLake

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Explore Lorain County’s digital transformation journey, from selecting an automation solution to implementing AI-powered workflows and improving efficiency, service delivery, and organizational impact…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 06 - Aligning Development and Implementation with RIM Requirements

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn how to align system development with RIM requirements, ensure early RIM involvement, and build sustainable digital archiving practices across the information lifecycle…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 07 - Locked in the Vault: How to Set Up a Microfilm Vault in a World of Digitization

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Guidance on restoring and managing microfilm vaults in a digital era, focusing on organizing, identifying, and improving access to neglected collections for modern preservation needs…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 08 - When the Medium has No Message: Refusing Obsolete Format Materials

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn strategies for professionally declining obsolete format donations using clear policies and empathetic communication, balancing resource limits while preserving positive donor relationships…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 09 - What, Why, and How: A Deep Dive Into ICRM Certification

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Explore the ICRM certification path, benefits, and requirements, including CRM and CRA designations, and learn how credentialing advances careers and strengthens RIM professionalism…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 10 - Bridging Tradition with Technology: AI in Archives, Records, and Info Mgmt

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Discover practical AI applications in records and archives, demystifying tools and capabilities while showing how government organizations can improve efficiency and unlock value through automation…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 11 - Microsoft Purview The REAL Records Management

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn how to navigate Microsoft Purview beyond the hype—understanding its real limitations, translating its unique language, and deploying it safely for true records compliance…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 12 - Ten Years of the Texas Digital Archive: Lessons Learned and Future Steps

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Explore lessons from building the Texas Digital Archive, including scaling electronic records, hidden labor, policies, IT partnerships, and strategies for long-term digital preservation…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 13 - Zero-Click Recordkeeping: Framing the Records Management Journey to 2030

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn how zero-click recordkeeping connects systems and rules to automate compliance, and what skills and strategies records programs need to thrive in digital government through the 2020s…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 14 - To The Click Level: Business Process Management

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn how Michigan’s records program built a business process management model to document workflows, improve consistency, and streamline training, with practical tools and lessons for any agency…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 15 - The Digital First Impression: Building Trust Through Online Government

Posted on 7/16/2025
(AC25 SESSION) New research reveals how local government digital experiences shape resident trust and satisfaction, showing why accessible, responsive websites are now strategic leadership tools…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 16 - Taking Off - A Roundtable Discussion with a Newly Implemented, Large-Scale RMU

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Panel shares lessons from launching Oregon’s new Records Management Unit, from policy implementation and retention updates to building agency-wide buy-in and strengthening RIM programs…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 17 - Digital Evidence Management and Ensuring the Timeliness for Prosecution Purposes

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Overview of best practices for managing and delivering digital evidence, including compliance, workflows, platform challenges, and interagency coordination to support timely prosecution…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 18 - Enhancing Access to Legacy Slavery Records Using Generative AI

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Exploring how generative AI can enhance discovery in archival collections while addressing risks through expert input, community engagement, and careful evaluation of outputs…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 19 - The Same As It Never Was: Embracing Change to Meet Goals and Empower Teams

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn practical strategies for transforming small, overloaded teams into cohesive, flexible units through collaboration, process alignment, and focused organizational change…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 20 - Automating Transfers from State Agencies to the Archives using Microsoft SharePoint...

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Explore how Oklahoma is automating the transfer of permanent records from SharePoint using Microsoft 365 and Purview to improve compliance, streamline preservation, and enhance secure access for agencies and the public…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 21 - Data Disposition: Process for Disposing Inactive and Obsolete Data

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn how a university created a cross-department process to safely dispose of obsolete data, reduce data hoarding, and build confidence through standardized retention workflows and IT and legal collaboration…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 22 - Local Collaborations Keep Stuff Safe: Community-Based Preservation...

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Explore how open-source LOCKSS networks enable community-driven, tamper-resistant digital preservation, with case studies and guidance for assessing sustainable, low-cost options for long-term access and compliance…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 23 - CANCELLED

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION)

  

SESSION 24 - Better Practices in Information Technology Artifact Retention

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn how integrating IT into retention schedules and implementing an IT data management plan strengthens disposition practices, supports technology teams, and addresses overlooked records needs…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 25 - Preparing Federal Agencies for AI: A Framework for Managing Unstructured Data

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Explore how federal agencies can turn unstructured data into AI-ready assets through stronger governance, metadata enrichment, and lifecycle strategies to unlock the full potential of AI…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 26 - Shoe String and Boot Strap Records Management for Small Places

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) A local government records manager shares candid lessons on modernizing RIM and IG programs, navigating resistance, and applying change management—including a critical stage of reflection—for lasting progress…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 27 - AI-Powered Transparency: Transforming Archives Through Declassification Innovation

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Explore how an archival team is designing an AI-driven approach to streamline declassification, highlighting incremental development, collaboration, and practical lessons for integrating AI into archival workflows…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 28 - RIM Training Makeover: Extreme Edition

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn how a state archives team standardized core RIM training, creating a scalable model for consistent delivery, shared content, and long-term program maintenance across agencies…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 29 - CANCELLED

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION)

  

SESSION 30 - The Three Lines of Defense & More: IG vs. Audits & Examinations

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Explore how audits intersect with information governance, what to expect during examinations, and how preparation, risk awareness, and results can strengthen program performance and organizational trust…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 31 - The Certified Archivist Credential: Elevating Your Career and the Profession

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn what the Certified Archivist credential is, why it matters, and how certification validates expertise, supports career growth, and strengthens professional practice across archives…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 32 - Maxed Out: Creative, Cost Effective Solutions for Records and Space Management

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn practical, low-cost strategies to cut storage demands, refine retention, and optimize space using DIY assessments and in-house solutions for efficient, compliant records management…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 33 - Embedded AI: A Case Study in the Management of Records and Data

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn how Kansas State University is developing a responsible AI records policy to protect data, ensure compliance, and guide safe use while creating a framework others can adopt with confidence…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 34 - Developing and Maintaining a RIM Program: A State Agency's Perspective

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn how the Texas DOT Right of Way Division builds a statewide records program, standardizes policies, manages change, and consolidates physical records to ensure compliance across 254 counties…(READ MORE)

  

SESSION 35 - Outreach is the Love Language of Archives

Posted on 7/17/2025
(AC25 SESSION) Learn how to build or expand outreach programs with creative strategies that engage audiences, strengthen partnerships, and use collections to increase institutional impact and support…(READ MORE)

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