As with many organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic, AIA staff are currently working remotely. This morning, I started my workday by logging onto our network and responding to emails. Overnight, we had several members join the AIA, or renew an existing membership!

This was a wonderful way to start the day because this year we launched exciting new member benefits: The Monthly Dig, a lighthearted email to our members containing news about the AIA, such as an upcoming lecture by author Steven Saylor; access to the ARCHAEOLOGY magazine archive, where members can read all issues of the magazine from 1948 to present day; and a 25% off discount off all books published by BAR Publishing, one of the most respected publishers of archaeological texts in the world. Becoming a member of the AIA also includes a variety of other benefits, such as discounts on AIA Tours and on registration for our joint Annual Meeting with the Society for Classical Studies.

After responding to emails, I worked on a draft of Society Officer News. The AIA has more than 100 Societies worldwide, all of which host a variety of fun and educational events. Every month, we send the Society Officers a newsletter of important information they (and their members!) will be interested in hearing about. This month, one of our biggest pieces of news is that the AIA National Lecture Program is in the midst of scheduling lectures for our 2021-2022 lecture season. The AIA National Lecture Program hosts hundreds of lectures every year, all of which are open to the public! The lectures are, in my opinion, one of the most fun ways to learn about archaeology and become involved with the AIA.

In this edition of Society Officer News, we also included a reminder for the upcoming deadline to apply for for International Archaeology Day Grants, which Societies can receive to help fund events for International Archaeology Day (IAD) every October. In 2020, IAD had hundreds of thousands of participants across a multitude of events, many of which were virtual!

During the afternoon, I pulled the mailing list for the September/October 2021 issue of ARCHAEOLOGY magazine. In addition to having access to the magazine archive, all AIA members have a subscription to the magazine, which contains all of the latest news about archaeological discoveries. This part of my job can be tricky because it involves database management, but I really enjoy the feedback we receive after each issue of the magazine is published and mailed out. The magazine presents information in an interesting but accessible way that everyone can enjoy!

To finish my workday, I began planning for the mailing of the October 2021 issue of the American Journal of Archaeology. In addition to the magazine, members can elect to receive the journal as a benefit of their membership, and can even subscribe to its monthly e-Update that highlights the contents of each volume. The journal is peer-reviewed and internationally renowned. The best part of the journal, for me, is that the articles include in-depth information about how archaeologists are able to make discoveries, and about the technology used to do so.

Today was fulfilling for me, in particular, because I was thrilled to receive an inquiry from a parent asking about membership options for her child, who is extremely interested in archaeology already at only 8 years old. My favorite part of working in the Membership Department is getting to directly see how excited people of all ages are about archaeology!