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National History Day Annual Cycle

June-August 

• Identify collections that are appropriate for the annual theme 
• Educate staff to do reference for NHD students
• Create list with collection descriptions (see Highlighting Your Collections)

August

• Send list of topics to NHD state coordinator for distribution to teachers
• Contact interested teachers individually to set up class visits
• Organize staff and volunteers for class visits

October-December

• Class visits
• Work with individual student researchers (some states have researchers through February)

January-March

• Students should be working on their projects for regional and state competitions
• Contest theme for the following year is announced

January-April

• Regional contests

April-May

• State Contests

June

• National Contest in College Park, Maryland

EXAMPLE: How one repository identifies collections and provides reference for National History Day

August

• Review the National History Day theme.
• List for upcoming years:  
• 2015 Leadership and Legacy in History

September

• Archivists share and submit potential collections for list 
• Coordinator reviews departmental lists for potential collections

October

• Coordinator finalizes collection list
• Publicize list on department’s History Day web site and through the State Coordinator’s listserv
• Based on individual requests or organized visits, archivists determine best ways to use the collections (i.e. digital access, reproductions, etc.) as well as presentation topics
• Plan ahead with individual teachers who ask to set up class visits
• Educate and organize staff and volunteers to do reference for NHD students

October-December

• Class visits
• Work with individual student researchers

Society of American Archivists Reference, Access and Outreach Section's National History Day Committee| Credits

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