Council of State Archivists - CoSA

A fiscal disaster is brewing in Washington, DC, for archives, manuscripts, and records organizations nationwide. The potential result is a severe crippling of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission's (NHPRC's) ability to carry out its legal mandate – which in turn seriously impedes the capacity of repositories nationwide to care for our nation's heritage and make it available for use by our citizens.

Please join the effort to ask the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee and its Subcommittee on Financial Services to provide level funding for NHPRC.

Visit the CoSA Blog to learn how you can help and for a complete list of House Appropriations Committee members!

Will We See You in New Orleans?

Online meeting registration is now open for the CoSA/SAA 2013 Annual Meeting. Please see our 2013 Annual Meeting page for more information about registering for the meeting, making hotel reservations, and to see the schedule of CoSA activities.

Tell Your Story Demonstrating "The Value of Archives"

The Council of State Archivists (CoSA), National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators (NAGARA), and Society of American Archivists are working together to develop information that archivists and constituents can use to demonstrate the value and importance of archives. A joint working group is now collecting "stories" demonstrating this value for use in advocating for archives. Ultimately these stories will be made available–along with other advocacy materials–via the groups' websites.

The working groups seeks stories that show the importance and impact of archives rather than focusing on informational content.

By May 1, 2013, send your stories and suggestions to awackerson@statearchivists.org. Working group members will compile the information received and will contact you if clarification or more detail is needed. Thanks for your help in advocating for archives!

For more information and examples of the types of stories needed, please visit the CoSA Blog!

Importance of State Archives NOW AVAILABLE!

Copies of CoSA's newest awareness brochure have been sent to all the state archives for use in awareness and advocacy activities at the state level. Copies for the territory archives will be shipped this week.

Contact the CoSA office (awackerson@statearchivists.org/518-473-9098) if you would like additional copies. You can also download an electronic copy.

This important publication features stories and statistics illustrating the role state archives play in documenting government, promoting history and securing rights.

We want to take this opportunity to thank our colleagues around the country who provided stories and photographs, and drafted the text. And we especially want to thank the National Historical Publications and Records Commission for its support of the brochure's production.

The brochure was designed by Next Year's News of Toledo, Ohio.

CoSA 2013 Annual Briefing Took Place March 5 in Washington, DC

CoSA presented its annual briefing of activities to 30 stakeholders on March 5th at the Library of Congress in Washington.

President Jim Corridan and Vice President Matt Veatch discussed the SERI initiative, CoSA's continuing emergency preparedness education activities, and previewed the forthcoming Importance of State Archives awareness brochure.

Representatives from the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Governors Association, NASCIO and Ancestry.com, among others, attended.

2013 CoSA Annual Briefing PowerPoint Slides

CoSA Co-Signs Letter Regarding Georgia Archives Transfer

CoSA, along with SAA and Nagara, has co-signed a letter, dated February 26, to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia providing professional perspectives on the impending transfer of the Georgia Archives to the system. Click the link below to read the full letter.

Letter to Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia

Senator Orrin Hatch Receives CoSA Archival Advocacy Award

Left to right: Elder Robert Dickey, Sister Brenda Dickey, Jim Corridan, Senator Hatch, Kathleen Roe, Quinton Atkinson

On January 30th, CoSA President Jim Corridan and Kathleeen Roe, Chair of the Joint Advocacy Task Force, presented the award to US Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah at his Washington, DC office. Joining Jim and Kathleen were Elder Robert and Sister Brenda Dickey of FamilySearch and Quinton Atkinson of Ancestry.com, CoSA's Premier level corporate sponsor.

Visit the CoSA Blog to read the full announcement.

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