As part of its Closest
to Home project on local government archives, the Council
of State Archivists is seeking input from a broad range of individuals
about how to improve the preservation and use of these important records.
The Local Government Archives Task Force, which is
overseeing the project, has developed an online questionnaire to encourage
all interested parties to share insights and opinions on four issues
of particular significance:
Securing resources,
specifically funding, for preserving and managing local government records
with continuing value;
Developing and delivering
training to local government officials in techniques and procedures
for caring for their records of continuing value;
Addressing the impact
of information technology on the creation, preservation, and
use of local government records; and
Strengthening advocacy
and raising awareness about the importance of the local government
records and of archival programs to care for them.
The results of the questionnaire will be used
by the project consultants to shape their reports and recommendations.
The questionnaire is easy to complete. You are welcome
to answer some or all of the questions. There are two versions
of the questionnaire:
One
is intended for those working in local governments and those who work
directly with local government records (including elected and
appointed officials, as well as archivists and records managers who
care for local government records).
Click
here for questionnaire
for those working in local government
The
other designed is for those working outside of local government
but who have an interest in the preservation and use of these records.
This category encompasses archivists or records managers in state government
or university settings, other state government employees, researchers,
genealogists, local historians, attorneys, land title specialists, and
many others.
Click
here for questionnaire
for those working outside of local government
The questionnaire will be available September 12 -
December 31, 2006. However, since the project consultants have a November
30 deadline for their reports, they will only be able to draw only on
comments submitted by November 15
To access the questionnaire, go to http://www.statearchivists.org/lga/questions/
For more information on the Closest
to Home project, visit the project's home page
or contact Vicki Walch, CoSA Executive Director, at vwalch@statearchivists.org
or 319-338-0248.
