2026 Conference Schedule
Monday June 8th, 2026
8:15am - 8:45am
New Member/First Time Attendee Orientation
New Member? First time attending a NYALGRO conference? Come to this session to get a quick orientation about NYALGRO and what we offer you as a member. Meet other first time attendees and network.
9:00am - 10:15am
Information Governance
This session explores what Information Governance (IG) programs look like in government environments and how they can transform compliance, collaboration, and organizational outcomes. Attendees will examine the seven principles of Information Governance as defined in ARMA International’s "The Principles" and The Information Governance Implementation Model (IGIM 2.1) and see how those principles translate into practical actions. Drawing on real-world experience, the presenter will share lessons from the trenches and demonstrate how Information Governance can strengthen records-keeping standards, build institutional credibility, and bridge influence gaps across their organization.
9:00am - 10:15am
Storage & Search of Paper/Electronic Records
So you have your records organized in boxes but do not know how to find them. Or you want to create an electronic records inventory but do not know where to start. This is the class for you!
10:45am - 12:00pm
Legal Aspects of Records Management
The law has a great impact on records. It influences how we manage them, access them, secure them, and how long we keep them. This session will explore how statutory laws and court decisions affect records management programs and the importance of a good records management program in protecting your organization during law suits.
10:45am - 12:00pm
Ins & Outs of Arts & Cultural Affairs Law
Description TBA.
1:15pm - 2:30pm
Policies & Procedures
Why do we need them? What’s the best way to write them? How do we get people to follow them? This session will address those questions and yours and present you with a challenge to compile some essential procedures to support your program.
1:15pm - 2:30pm
The ABC's of Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)
This workshop will go over the basics of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and how it correlates to New York public schools. FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records and gives parents and eligible students certain rights regarding access to and disclosure of information. FERPA also aligns with New York State Education Law 2-d, which strengthens protections for personally identifiable student information and requires schools to implement safeguards for data privacy and cybersecurity.
3:00pm - 4:00pm
Continuity of Operations (COOP) for Records Management
When disaster strikes, records are often the difference between “we’ve got this” and “has anyone seen the pink binder?” This session takes a practical, records-focused look at Continuity of Operations Planning, including how to identify essential records, protect access during disruptions, and build a plan that works when buildings, systems, or key staff are suddenly unavailable. We’ll keep it approachable, mildly entertaining, and grounded in the very serious reality that statutes, payroll, FOIL, and public expectations do not pause just because the server, the copier, or Tuesday itself has chosen violence.
3:00pm - 4:00pm
Website Foundations & Frameworks
Websites are not simply landing pages. They are destinations and community anchoring points. Places to learn, do, and interact. They are official locations where local governments communicate and demonstrate their personality, purpose, and impact. Whether you are updating your existing website or seeking new solutions, join us as we discuss municipal website requirements and best practices. Get real-world advice and a practical framework for achieving efficiency and accessibility. Together, we’ll move beyond habits and assumptions and into improved audience awareness and possibilities.
4:00pm - 5:00pm
Lady Whistledown's Writing Course
Join us for a fun and relaxing course on reading and writing in cursive. This class/workshop is focused on the type of handwriting typically seen in old ledgers, court records, and clerks' books from the late 18th century through the mid-20th century. We’ll be referencing George Bickham’s “Penmanship Made Easy: A Young Clerk’s Guide,” published in about 1733.
Tuesday June 9th, 2026
9:00am - 10:15am
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This session will break down, in a non-technical way, how AI tools really work and the common pitfalls that arise in their use. Once we understand how they work, the presenter will share resources and information on structuring proactive AI governance within your organization and leveraging your knowledge as records professionals to produce the best possible outcomes for your team. Attendees will come away with practical tools to support the development of AI policies and procedures in their own organization.
9:00am - 10:15am
When Genealogists Come Calling
Genealogists often arrive with questions that can seem highly specific, unusually broad, or even impossible to answer at first glance. Yet behind many requests is a larger effort to reconstruct families, communities, and historical connections. What genealogists are really asking, and what they mean when they ask it, is not always obvious. Together we will explore how family historians think through research problems, why certain records matter so deeply, and how archives, clerks, libraries, and local institutions can better understand and respond to genealogical inquiries.
11:15am - 12:15pm
Records Retention Between Justice Court and Municipal Clerk
This class is designed to familiarize a town clerk with the basic understanding and familiarization of court records, the retention schedule, and process of records management.
11:15am - 12:15pm
Inventory on a Budget
Don’t know what you have in your records room? Overwhelmed and don’t know where to start? Don’t have funding to hire a consultant to inventory what you have? Look no further! This interactive session will provide you some real-life tangible experiences/ideas to manage inventorying your records without breaking your budget. Come ready with some questions and to discuss ideas as well!
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Round Table Question & Answer
You got questions - we got answers (or can get them for you). Bring all the questions you have and, as a group, we will interact and help make your life a little easier in your records world. During this time slot, attendees will have the opportunity to practice and discuss practical applications of several topics covered throughout the conference. We will be offering a FOIL and redactions table, a Records Inventory table, an Information Governance and AI governance table, and a Business Continuity and Essential Records Table.
More details on the sessions, meals and other fun activities to come!