The Missouri Conference on History took place at the Hilton Doubletree Hotel in Springfield, MO from March 15-17, 2023. Elaina Kersey attended as Managing Editor/Writer for the Ozarks Studies Institute, an initiative of the Missouri State University Libraries. She served as both a vendor and panelist.

Holly Kouns, Coordinator of Public Services at the Duane G. Meyer Library, and the student workers in the marketing department assembled the materials for the table Elaina worked at, including the tablecloth, book stands, display books and magazines, pens, tote bags, and the 2022 Annual Report. Melissa Eiken, Executive Assistant II at the Duane G. Meyer Library, compiled copies of every book and magazine for sale. The tote bags were a big hit, and historians from several institutions across the state purchased books.

Elaina presented as part of the panel entitled “Letters From the Editor” alongside editors from the University of Missouri Press and the State Historical Society of Missouri. They discussed the aims of their publishing operations, what they are looking for from author submissions, challenges in historical publishing, and what books, magazines, and journals have been published recently or will be published in the near future. There was also time for a Q&A.