Report on the Survey of State Historical Records Advisory Boards
November 2006
The full text of this report with statistical tables
is available for download
as a PDF document (102 KB).
Visit the SHRAB Support Center for
additional information on their management and activities.
Overview of SHRAB organization and priorities
The 2006 Survey of State Historical Records Advisory Boards (SHRABs) was a follow-up to a survey conducted in 2004 prior to the introduction of an orientation program for SHRAB members. We are happy to report that the 2006 survey had a remarkable 100% response rate. Responses came from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. By comparison, the survey conducted in 2004 received 56 responses from a total of 44 states, the District of Columbia, and American Samoa.
We can now say that all 50 states and the District of Columbia have SHRABs. In 2004, SHRABs existed in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and American Samoa. Since then, Alabama, Hawaii, and Indiana have activated SHRABs. Delaware is in the process of reactivating its SHRAB having recently completed appointments. SHRABs in three states are dormant (Iowa, Mississippi, Vermont). Authorization for the West Virginia SHRAB has lapsed. The status of the American Samoan SHRAB is unclear but it appears to be inactive. There are a total of 536 individuals who have active appointments as SHRAB members, not including ex officio members.
Two-thirds of the SHRABs report that their appointments are current, with one-quarter reporting that appointments are always made on time. Another 8 SHRABs (16%) expect appointments to be made soon for those that are noncurrent. In 2 states, appointments are never made on time.
Nearly three-quarters of the SHRABs meet at least twice a year, with 10 meeting 4 or more times a year. Four meet once a year, 3 meet only when necessary, and one never meets.
Forty-five SHRABs (88%) have a written strategic plan and four more are in development. This is a distinct improvement from 2004 when only 36 SHRABs reported having strategic plans.
The three issues common to the most SHRAB strategic plans are education and training, raising public awareness, and improving access.
During the last two years, 38 SHRABs were asked to review NHPRC grant proposals. Collectively, the SHRABs reviewed a total of 45 grant proposals in 2005 and 54 proposals in 2006. Eighteen SHRABs (35%) always meet in person to discuss proposals before making recommendations to NHPRC and 21 usually do so (41%). This is a higher proportion than in 2004 when 18 reported always meeting but just 14 reported that they usually meet to discuss proposals.
Many SHRABs are active in areas other than proposal review. A growing number are engaged in promoting Archives Week/Month activites: 22 in 2005, with 26 expecting to be involved in 2007. There is also growth in the number focussing on emergency preparedness, up from 10 in 2005 to 16 in 2007. Nearly half of the SHRABs sponsor workshops in archives or records management. Ten managed regrant programs in 2005 and 2006, but only 7 expect to do so in 2007. Nineteen have been involved in local government programs in the last three years, while 12 have compiled statewide repository directories during this time.
Implementation of SHRAB orientation program
In 2004, CoSA distributed a manual to all of the state historical records coordinators to assist them in managing their SHRABs. The next year, CoSA introduced a PowerPoint presentation and SHRAB manual designed to help orient SHRAB members to the NHPRC grant program and the roles that SHRABs play in reviewing grants.
Nearly half of the SHRABs have distributed copies of the SHRAB manual to all of their members. Eight have given them to new members only and another 14 report that they plan to distribute the manuals. Only two do not plan to distribute the manuals.
Fewer have made use of the orientation PowerPoint to date. Eleven have presented it to the entire SHRAB, 15 plan to do so, and 11 do not plan to use the PowerPoint in any way. It appears more likely to be used as a tool to orient new members. Eleven have used it in this way and 25 plan to do so. In addition, 6 states have used it to train or inform staff about SHRAB activities and 11 plan to do so.
The most common method used to orient SHRAB members about their duties and responsibilities is informal discussions with each individual. This approach is used in 42 (82%) of the states. Thirteen states have prepared their own written manuals or guidelines.
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