ARMA Looks For the Montreal Mystique.(Brief Article)

Next month will see a 150-exhibitor expo, 66 sessions, 16 technology briefings and 13 pre conference seminars at ARMA 2001.

ARMA International's 46th annual conference and expo comes to the Montreal Convention Center, Montreal, Canada, Sept. 30-Oct. 3. Pre-conference seminars will be held the preceding two days.

Educational sessions will cover the gamut of topics related to records management: electronic and hybrid technologies, legal and privacy issues, data mining, storage systems, management techniques, web technologies, professional issues and disaster planning. Several of the sessions will be in French, reflecting the conference's location.

In addition, 16 technology applications sessions are scheduled, to be presented by vendors and accenting electronic imaging and record keeping.

On Tuesday Oct. 2, the National Archives of Canada and the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration will jointly sponsor a Fed Day Program. It relates specifically to problems and practices of government agencies.

Sessions to Consider

There are a handful of sessions that look of interest to the film-based and hybrid imaging community. Most promising may be "Micrographics: FAQs for Best Practices" by William Saffady, sponsored by ARMA's Microfilm Services Industry Specific Group; "The Digital Enemy Within: Preserving Mission-Critical Information in the Hi-Tech Age" by Michael Maxwell; and "Imaging Systems (Microfilm and Digital) and Applications in Records Management" by Mark Langemo.

Others are "Long Term Storage and Migration Requirements for Digital Records", "Issues Inherent With Implementing Multiple Technologies", and "Imaging Solutions".

Individual ISG meetings, such as the one at which William Saffady will speak, will be held 8:30 am-l0 am on Sunday, Sept. 30. John Glover, leader of the Microfilm Services ISG can be contacted for information on the meeting at fyiglover@earthlink.com

The Microfilm Services ISG has added a recommended reading page (under "books") to its web site. Glover and the ISG welcome reader input and suggestions for the page. It can be viewed at www.home.earthlink.net/[sim]fyiglover

The Expo

Among film-based and hybrid imaging systems exhibitors listed by ARMA in the advance program are Agfa, Alos Micrographics, Canon, Connecticut Micrographics, Crowley Micrographics, Eastman Kodak, EyeCom, Fuji Photo Film, Houston Fearless, ImageMax, InfoGraphix, Minolta, and SunRise. The Expo opens Sunday, Oct. 30 and runs through Tuesday, Oct. 2. There will be no competing educational sessions from noon-2 pm on the three days of the expo, which might stimulate attendance.

Expo passes are available on the internet from www.arma.org or from Sarah Patt-Pronek at 888-277-5838.

In addition to the sessions and expo, ARMA 2001 will have three keynote speakers, its usual awards night celebration, individual ARMA regional group parties (this is a partying organization) and numerous receptions.

But the big star and attraction at ARMA 2001 will be Montreal, considered the Paris of North America. The combination of the culturally rich city's attractions, Fall weather and extremely favorable currency rate (at press time approximately $1 U.S. = $1.50 Canadian) could help boost attendance at the event that in recent years has attracted 3,000-4,000.

For information, go to ARMA's web site, www.arma.org or call 800/422-2762.