Tools and resources for
SHRABs
and their constituents
We have collected here a selection of tools and other resources that SHRABs should be aware of and are encouraged to use, especially as they provide advice and assistance to repositories in their states. These are intended to supplement information and resources provided in the SHRAB and State Coordinators Manuals. We will add more as we find them and welcome your suggestions.
Training & education
Basics of Archives Continuing Education (BACE) program. BACE is designed to provide training materials
that introduce individuals who have responsibility for archival
collections -- but may never have received formal archival training
-- to the basics of archives. BACE materials (student workbooks and training facilitator's manual) are available for download free of charge from CoSA; SHRABs and state archives are encouraged to use the BACE curriculum to deliver training in their states. The American Association for State and Local History also delivers several BACE workshops via the web each year. You can find registration information at http://www.aaslh.org/workshop.htm.
Public awareness
American Archives Month. Many SHRABs are active participants in and proponents of American Archives Month, as witnessed by the variety of programs described in the directory of activities during this year's celebration. The Society of American Archivists provides an American Archives Month Public Relations Kit
to assist repositories and organizations develop and publicize their own Archives Month activities.
Assisting individuals with their family records. Some are beginning to use CoSA's new manual, Rescuing Family Records: A Disaster Planning Guide, as the basis for community-based workshops.
Emergency preparedness for local governments. CoSA's report, Safeguarding a Nation's Identity, has proven to make a compelling case to local government officials about the importance of disaster planning and, more broadly, the value of proper records management practices.
Reference tools
Archives Resource Center (ARC). CoSA provides links to a broad range of resources developed by and for state archives and records programs through the Archives Resource Center (ARC). Many are applicable to both state and local government records and to nongovernment repositories.
Connecting to Collections Bookshelf for smaller repositories. To help raise the conservation IQ of museums, libraries, and archives, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), in cooperation with the American Association of State and Local History (AASLH), is offering 2000 free copies of the Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, a core set of books, DVDs, online resources, and an annotated bibliography that are essential for the care of collections. A simple electronic application for the IMLS Bookshelf is available at http://www.aaslh.org/Bookshelf.
Technology
Substantial savings on software, technology for nonprofits. Through TechSoup Stock, nonprofits can access donated and deeply discounted technology products--including software from Microsoft, Norton, Adobe, and others--generously provided by corporate and nonprofit technology partners. Many archival organizations and historical records repositories in the states would qualify for these resources.
Statistics
Historical records repositories. CoSA collected statistics about the holdings, staffing, and other characteristics of archival repositories in the Historical Records Respositories Survey (HRRS) (1999-2000).
State Historical Records Advisory Boards. CoSA collected statistics about SHRABs in 2004 and 2006.
Individual archivists. The Society of American Archivists led the A*CENSUS (Archival Census & Educational Needs Survey in the U.S.) which collected detailed data from 5,620 archivists in 2004. The full report, published in 2007 in the American Archivist, is available online along with additional tables and analyses.
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