Home

Our Sponsors

Consider supporting CoSA with a donation! CoSA is a 501 (C) 3 organization, so your gift to CoSA is fully tax deductible.

Council of State Archivists

The Council of State Archivists (CoSA) is a nonprofit membership organization of the state and territorial government archives in the fifty states, five territories, and District of Columbia.

About Us slider-image.jpeg

Join us in St. Louis for the 2024 CoSA Annual Meeting

September 18-20

State Electronic Records Initiative

CoSA launched the State Electronic Records Initiative (SERI) in 2011 to focus on improving management, preservation, and access to state and territorial government electronic records in all 56 states and territories.  CoSA's SERI Steering Committee manages and oversees the work of the initiative, working with volunteers from state and territorial archives throughout the nation to collectively improve electronic records management and digital preservation for state and territorial governments.

Advocacy for Archives

CoSA advocates for advancing the needs of our members to stakeholders and the public by acting as a clearinghouse for information, participating in policy and funding discussions, developing advocacy and awareness messages, and working in partnership with counterparts in allied organizations. Prominent in this work is the CoSA Advocacy Committee.

Resources & Research

CoSA is seen as the source of reliable information about state archives and government records. CoSA regularly undertakes research on state archives issues ranging from electronic records management and digital preservation needs to advocacy. CoSA continues to expand its research and publication emphasis, and invites corporate sponsors to support report design and dissemination. CoSA uses the strength of collaboration and partnership to leverage resources, share expertise, and to solve problems.

Education & Training

CoSA’s education and training programs respond to member needs and focus on improving state archival programs, no matter their size or level of operation. Noteworthy among them is the flagship State Electronic Records Initiative (SERI). Smaller-scale education and networking occurs in annual meetings, monthly member and SERI webinars, listserv exchanges, the Awards Program, and the monthly newsletter.

Latest Activity

Discover our Latest News & Blogs

Latest Activity

Blog Posts

Events/Webinars


  • Taking a Byte out of BitCurator

    Aug 13, 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM (ET)
    Have you ever been interested in using BitCurator as a digital preservation tool? Join us on August 13 th at 2 pm ET to hear a panel discussion from state archives colleagues who are currently using BitCurator. Electronic records archivists from Wisconsin, New Jersey, and South Carolina will answer questions about their experiences and recommendations with the system. There will be ample time for discussions with the audience, so bring your questions and insights. #SERIWebinar #CoSAWebinar

  • Chatting with CoSA: Handling vacations and staff shortages

    Aug 14, 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM (ET)
    Who covers for you if you are out for an extended time - such as a vacation or planned medical leave? Who do you cover for, if they are out? This chat will discuss the challenges and different ways to handle the workload when staff members need to be absent for extended periods of time. Is there cross-training in your department? Can you "trade-off" tasks with a co-worker or do you have to have a top-down approach from the state archivist? #CoSAWebinar

  • Shop Talk with APPX: Meeting the Challenges of Processing Emails

    Aug 15, 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (ET)
    Processing of state government emails is a very challenging task for state archives. The volume of emails that must be processed in preparation for open records access or that must be reviewed and classified in preparation for preservation is overwhelming. This presentation will discuss a hybrid approach for processing emails that relies on a blend of computer algorithms and human review of exceptions. #CoSAWebinar

  • First Amendment Auditors

    Aug 22, 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (ET)
    #CoSAWebinar

  • Shop Talk with Conserv: Beyond the Shelf: Active Environmental Monitoring for State Archives

    Sep 10, 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM (ET)
    "Beyond the Shelf: Active Environmental Monitoring for State Archives" introduces Conserv's partnership with CoSA and the AWARE project, aimed at supporting territorial and non-contiguous state archives. This webinar will explore how active environmental monitoring can empower archives to make data-driven decisions for better collection preservation, focusing on crucial factors like temperature, light, and relative humidity. We'll briefly showcase Conserv's comprehensive platform, which combines easy-to-use hardware, intuitive software, and expert support to provide real-time environmental data and alerts. The presentation will show case studies in archives today, offering participants valuable insights into their collections' environmental conditions. We hope to demonstrate how active monitoring can help archives identify priorities, inform collections care, and advocate for improvements, contributing to the broader goals of both the AWARE project and State Archives in general. #CoSAWebinar

  • Shop Talk with Preservica

    Sep 12, 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (ET)
    #CoSAWebinar

  • CoSA Annual Meeting Recap/CoSA Advocacy Efforts

    Sep 26, 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (ET)
    #CoSAWebinar

  • Chatting with CoSA

    Oct 9, 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM (ET)
    #CoSAWebinar

  • Fields of Dreams: A Spotlight on Metadata Best Practices

    Oct 10, 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM (ET)
    This presentation will discuss various practices and strategies used to manage metadata standards and input for born-digital records. More information will be available soon. #SERIWebinar #CoSAWebinar

  • State Archives Spotlight

    Oct 24, 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (ET)
    More information coming soon! #CoSAWebinar

Support CoSA Today

CoSA’s generous corporate sponsors support CoSA programming, education, and research.

Become a CoSA Corporate Sponsor