New York State Archives seeks an Archives and Records Management Specialist 2

If you're an archivist or records manager who relishes the thought of working with lots of records creators and appraising a wide array of records, want to work for a large yet dynamic repository, isn't afraid of running into me on fairly regular basis, and would like to live and work in the historic Hudson Valley, the New York State Archives may have a job for you:

The New York State Education Department’s State Archives is seeking candidates to fill an Archives & Records Management Specialist 2 position within the State Archives’ Government Records Services program.  The Government Records Services Program provides archives and records management assistance and support to state agencies and local governments.  Duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide advice, assistance and technical support to state agencies and local governments in the management of records and recordkeeping systems;
• Develop and revise retention schedules for state agencies and local governments;
• Conduct onsite appraisals of State and local government records to determine archival value and prepare reports of evaluations; and
• Develop and present both online and onsite workshops on records management to state agencies and local governments.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

Reassignment:  One year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service as an Archives and Records Managements Specialist 2.

Section 52.6 Transfer:  One year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-16 or above deemed eligible to transfer under Section 52.6 of the Civil Service Law.

Provisional Appointment:  Candidates must have either 1) one year of permanent competitive or non-competitive 55b/c service as an Archives and Records Management Specialist 1; OR 2) master's degree in history, government, business or public administration, political science, American studies, library/information science, or archival administration AND two years of professional experience in which the majority of duties involved one or more of the following:

1. Analyzing or appraising records and information systems to develop recordkeeping and/or records retention plans for an institution, governmental body, or corporation;
2. Providing education, training, grant-in-aid, or direct technical assistance services in records management and/or archives administration for an institution, governmental body, or corporation;
3. Developing or implementing guidelines, standards, policies and procedures concerning records   management and/or archives administration for an institution, governmental body, or corporation;
4. Evaluating available information technology to support recordkeeping needs and requirements of an institution, governmental body, or corporation;
5. Acquiring, controlling, preserving, making available, or promoting use of archival records, whether in electronic, paper, or other form for an institution, governmental body, or corporation.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Special consideration will be given to candidates who possess the following qualifications:

• Demonstration of experience with core archival and records management practices including scheduling/appraisal, archival description and preservation, digital preservation and electronic records, and references services to a wide range of users including state and local government agencies, academics, educators, genealogists, local historians, and the general public. 
• Experience with records management methods and techniques, especially in a government setting.

The starting salary for this position is $54,406 and, at least according to the current salary schedule, the salary will gradually increase to $69,182 based on annual performance advances. These figures are established by a collective bargaining agreement and are non-negotiable; they may also change slightly as a result of future contract negotiations. In addition, the State of New York offers a comprehensive array of retirement, health, and other benefits.

The deadline for applying for this position is 12 April 2017. For more information and application instructions, consult the job posting. 

New York State Archives seeks an Archives and Records Management Specialist 2

If you're an archivist or records manager who has substantial technical skills and knowledge of various metadata standards, wants to work for a large yet dynamic repository, isn't afraid of collaborating with me every now and then, and would like to live and work in the historic Hudson Valley, the New York State Archives may have a job for you:

The New York State Archives is seeking to fill an Archives & Records Management Specialist (ARMS) 2 position within the Information Technology Services Unit.  The Information Technology Services Unit has responsibility for the development, integration, and support of all New York State Archives information systems.  Under the direction of an Archives and Records Management Specialist 3, duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Participate in the evaluation, implementation and integration of standards based public access tools for archival records, including an encoded archival description based finding aid catalog, digital Collections, and name index;
• Develop web content and features;
• Support the development of the State Archives electronic records program;
• Support the integration of records management systems with archival management systems;
• Advise on the technical implementation of professional standards; and
• Work with State Archives staff and vendors to identify and implement web based solutions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Reassignment:  One year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service as an Archives and Records Management Specialist 2.
§52.6 Transfer: One year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-16 or above deemed eligible to transfer via §52.6 of the Civil Service Law.

Provisional Appointment: Candidates must have either 1) one year of permanent competitive or non-competitive 55b/c service as an Archives and Records Management Specialist 1 OR 2) a master's degree in history, government, business or public administration, political science, American studies, library/information science, or archival administration AND two years of professional experience in which the majority of duties involved one or more of the following:

1. Analyzing or appraising records and information systems to develop recordkeeping and/or records retention plans for an institution, governmental body, or corporation;
2. Providing education, training, grant-in-aid, or direct technical assistance services in records management and/or archives administration for an institution, governmental body, or corporation;
3. Developing or implementing guidelines, standards, policies and procedures concerning records   management and/or archives administration for an institution, governmental body, or corporation;
4. Evaluating available information technology to support recordkeeping needs and requirements of an institution, governmental body, or corporation;
5. Acquiring, controlling, preserving, making available, or promoting use of archival records, whether in electronic, paper, or other form for an institution, governmental body, or corporation.

PERFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Special consideration will be given to candidates who possess the following qualifications:

• Participation in the implementation/maintenance of public access tools and/or records management systems.
• Familiarity with systems designed to support access to archival records, such as ARCHON, Archivist’s Toolkit, CollectiveAccess, XTF, etc.
• Participation in the implementation/maintenance of web content.
• Knowledge and understanding of the standards used to provide access to and manage archival records including EAD, EAC and TEI.
• Experience with core archival and records management practices including scheduling/appraisal; archival description and preservation; digital preservation and electronic records; references services.
• Background on/or knowledge of emerging trends and best practices related to information technology and architecture in archival settings.
• The ability to be adaptable, flexible and collaborative in a dynamic working environment.

The starting salary for this position is $53,339 and, at least according to the current salary schedule, the salary will gradually increase to $67,827 based on annual performance advances. These figures are established by a collective bargaining agreement and are non-negotiable; they may also change slightly following the next round of contract negotiations. In addition, the State of New York offers a comprehensive array of retirement, health, and other benefits.

The deadline for applying for this position is 20 October 2016. For more information and application instructions, consult the job posting.

New York State Archives seeks an Archives & Records Management Specialist 2

Are you an archivist or records manager who has solid practical and theoretical knowledge of website development, archival collections management systems, and standards such as Encoded Archival Description and Text Encoding Initiative? Do you want to work with dedicated, talented people? Does the thought of living in the beautiful and historic Hudson River Valley appeal to you? If you answered "yes" to all of these questions, my employer would very much like to hear from you.

As noted below, the application deadline is 22 April 2016. And here's the position announcement in its entirety:

The New York State Archives is seeking to fill an Archives & Records Management Specialist (ARMS) 2 position within the Information Technology Services Unit. The Information Technology Services Unit has responsibility for the development, integration, and support of all New York State Archives information systems. Under the direction of an Archives and Records Management Specialist 3, duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Participate in the evaluation, implementation and integration of standards based public access tools for archival records, including an EAD based finding aid catalog, Digital Collections, and name index; 
• Develop web content and features including tools for using historical records in the classroom; 
• Support the development of the State Archives electronic records program; 
• Support the integration of records management systems with archival management systems; 
• Advise on the technical implementation of professional standards; and 
• Work with State Archives staff and vendors to identify and implement web based solutions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: For permanent appointment candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or non-competitive 55b/c service as an Archives and Records Management Specialist 1 OR have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-16 or above in a title deemed eligible for transfer under Section 52.6 of the Civil Service Law. For provisional appointment, candidates must have a Master's degree in history, government, business or public administration, political science, American studies, library/information science, or archival administration and two years of professional experience in which the majority of duties involved one or more of the following:

• Analyzing or appraising records and information systems to develop recordkeeping and/or records retention plans for an institution, governmental body, or corporation; 
• Providing education, training, grant-in-aid, or direct technical assistance services in records management and/or archives administration for an institution, governmental body, or corporation; 
• Developing or implementing guidelines, standards, policies and procedures concerning records management and/or archives administration for an institution, governmental body, or corporation; 
• Evaluating available information technology to support recordkeeping needs and requirements of an institution, governmental body, or corporation; 
• Acquiring, controlling, preserving, making available, or promoting use of archival records, whether in electronic, paper, or other form for an institution, governmental body, or corporation.

PERFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Special consideration will be given to candidates who possess the following qualifications:

• Participation in the implementation/maintenance of public access tools and/or records management systems. Familiarity with systems designed to support access to archival records, such as ARCHON, Archivist’s Toolkit, CollectiveAccess, XTF, etc. 
• Participation in the implementation/maintenance of web content.  
• Knowledge and understanding of the standards used to provide access to and manage archival records including EAD, EAC and TEI. Familiarity with XML, XSL and XLST. 
• Demonstration of experience with core archival and records management practices including scheduling/appraisal; archival description and preservation; digital preservation and electronic records; references services to a wide range of users including state and local government agencies. Academics, educators, genealogists, local historians, and the general public.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: This will be a permanent or provisional appointment. Promotions and transfers may change appointees’ negotiating unit. Applications should be aware that changes in negotiating units may affect their salary, insurance, and other benefits.

*[Starting salary: $52,293] Leads to a salary of $66,494 based on annual performance advances.

APPLICATION: Qualified candidates should send a resume and letter of interest by April 22, 2016 to ocejobs[at]nysed.gov (email submissions are preferred). You must include the Box number (OCE-960/26221) of the position in the subject line of your email and/or cover letter to ensure receipt of your application.

Please note:

• The salary is established by a collective bargaining agreement and is non-negotiable.
• The State of New York offers a comprehensive package of health insurance, retirement, and other benefits. 

New York State Archives is hiring *two* Archives and Records Management Specialist 2's

My employer is on a hiring spree! Last week, I posted about an Archives and Records Management Specialist 2 position that we're currently seeking to fill; this position is in our Information Services unit, and the deadline for applying is February 9. We are now hiring two more Archives and Records Management Specialist 2's:

The New York State Archives is seeking to fill two Archives and Records Management Specialist (ARMS) 2 positions. Under the direction of an ARMS 4 or ARMS 3, the ARMS 2 will carry out tasks related to the scheduling, appraisal, arrangement and description, and/or preservation of government records.  Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Schedule, appraise, arrange, and describe, and/or preserve state government records;
• Provide advisory services to state agencies, local governments, and/or non-government repositories;
• Participate in the delivery of services to on-site researchers and the response to researcher inquiries via phone and email; and
• Supervise staff assigned to tasks related to government records and/or archival services, including planning projects, monitoring work in progress, evaluating final products, and documenting staff effort.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or non-competitive 55b/c service as an Archives and Records Management Specialist 1 OR have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-16 or above in a title deemed eligible for transfer under Section 52.6 of the Civil Service Law.  In addition, candidates must also possess the qualifications listed below.  For provisional appointment, candidates must have a Master's degree in history, government, business or public administration, political science, American studies, library/information science, or archival administration and two years of professional experience in which the majority of duties involved one or more of the following:

• Analyzing or appraising records and information systems to develop recordkeeping and/or records retention plans for an institution, governmental body, or corporation;
• Providing education, training, grant-in-aid, or direct technical assistance services in records management and/or archives administration for an institution, governmental body, or corporation;
• Developing or implementing guidelines, standards, policies and procedures concerning records management and/or archives administration for an institution, governmental body, or corporation;
• Evaluating available information technology to support recordkeeping needs and requirements of an institution, governmental body, or corporation;
• Acquiring, controlling, preserving, making available, or promoting use of archival records, whether in electronic, paper, or other form for an institution, governmental body, or corporation.

If there are three or fewer qualified candidates in the promotion field, a permanent appointment may be made via non-competitive promotion pursuant to §52.7 of the Civil Service Law. To qualify for non-competitive promotion, candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service as an Archives and Records Management Specialist 1.

Don't let the opaque civil service language in the  "minimum qualifications" section spook you; it merely indicates that some people already employed by the State of New York may be eligible to transfer into these positions provided that they meet the specified qualifications.

The starting salary for both positions is $52,293 and, at least according to the current salary schedule, will gradually increase to $66,494 based on annual performance advances. These figures are established by a collective bargaining agreement and are non-negotiable; they may also change slightly following the next round of contract negotiations. In addition, the State of New York offers a comprehensive array of retirement, health, and other benefits.

The application deadline is 22 February 2016. For more information and detailed application instructions, consult the position description.

New York State Archives is hiring an Archives and Records Management Specialist 2

If you're an archivist or records manager who has substantial technical skills and knowledge of various metadata standards, wants to work for a darned good archival program, isn't afraid of occasionally working with me (I don't bite, I promise), and would like to live in a small yet colorful upstate New York city, the New York State Archives may have a job for you:

The New York State Archives is seeking to fill an Archives and Records Management Specialist (ARMS) 2 position within the Information Services Unit. The Information Services Unit has responsibility for the development, integration, and support of all New York State Archives information systems. Under the direction of an Archives and Records Management Specialist 3, duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:
Participate in the implementation, maintenance and integration of public access and records management systems; Develop and manage New York State Archives web site content relating to government records services and to archival collections; Provide advisement on the implementation of archival professional standards, including but not limited to EAD, EAC, Dublin Core and TEI; Work with State Archives staff and vendors to identify and implement web-based solutions; and Support development of the New York State Archives electronic records program.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
For permanent appointment candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or non-competitive 55b/c service as an Archives and Records Management Specialist 1 OR have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-16 or above in a title deemed eligible for transfer under Section 52.6 of the Civil Service Law. In addition, candidates must also possess the qualifications listed below. For provisional appointment, candidates must have a Master's degree in history, government, business or public administration, political science, American studies, library/information science, or archival administration and two years of professional experience in which the majority of duties involved one or more of the following:

• Analyzing or appraising records and information systems to develop recordkeeping and/or records retention plans for an institution, governmental body, or corporation; 
•  Providing education, training, grant-in-aid, or direct technical assistance services in records management and/or archives administration for an institution, governmental body, or corporation; 
• Developing or implementing guidelines, standards, policies and procedures concerning records management and/or archives administration for an institution, governmental body, or corporation; 
• Evaluating available information technology to support recordkeeping needs and requirements of an institution, governmental body, or corporation; 
• Acquiring, controlling, preserving, making available, or promoting use of archival records, whether in electronic, paper, or other form for an institution, governmental body, or corporation. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Special consideration will be given to candidates who possess the following qualifications:

• Participation in the implementation/maintenance of public access and/or records management systems. 
• Participation in the implementation/maintenance of websites. 
• Knowledge and understanding of the standards used to provide access to and manage archival records including EAD, EAC and TEI. 
• Familiarity with XML, XSL and XLST. 
• Demonstration of experience with core archival and records management practices including scheduling/appraisal; archival description and preservation; digital preservation and electronic records; references services to a wide range of users including state and local government agencies, academics, educators, genealogists, local historians, and the general public. 

The starting salary for this position is $52,293 and, at least according to the current salary schedule, the salary will gradually increase to $66,494 based on annual performance advances. These figures are established by a collective bargaining agreement and are non-negotiable; they may also change slightly following the next round of contract negotiations. In addition, the State of New York offers a comprehensive array of retirement, health, and other benefits.

The deadline for applying for this position is 9 February 2016. For more information and application instructions, consult the position description.

NYS Education Department's Office of Cultural Education seeks an Archives Conservation Specalist 1 (deadline 5 November)

I usually don't post non-electronic records jobs, but this one's kind of special: the New York State Education Department's Office of Cultural Education oversees the State Archives, the State Library, the State Museum, and the State Office of Educational Television and Public Broadcasting.

If you're an experienced paper conservator who likes working with amazing collections and cool colleagues and who lives or would like to live in the historic Hudson Valley, the New York State Education Department's Office of Cultural Education would to hear from you:

The State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education (OCE) is seeking to fill an Archives Conservation Specialist (ACS) 1 position.  Under the direction of an ACS 3, the incumbent will perform conservation/preservation activities for paper-based collections in the Office of Cultural Education.   Collections encompass, but are not limited to, archival holdings, manuscripts, prints, drawings, and maps.  Abiding by the American Institute for Conservation Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice, duties will include, but not be limited to, the following: 

• Examine, treat, document, and house high priority paper based collections and prepare the collections for exhibition;
• Participate in collections stewardship activities and teams,  including: environmental monitoring programs, including operation of dataloggers, reporting of data, and collaboration with facilities managers and building engineers to improve conditions; emergency planning and response, including staff training, maintenance of supplies, protection of collections from hazards, immediate response to disasters, and evaluation and treatment of damaged collections; stacks and storage maintenance and housekeeping; preservation assessment of collections and recommending preventive and remedial preservation action and maintaining documentation of preservation needs and actions; planning and supervising rehousing and processing activities for selected paper based   collections; preparation of selected paper based collections for reformatting initiatives;
• Deliver presentations and demonstrations illustrating conservation principles, techniques and results;
• Provide preservation and conservation advice to government customers and the public;
• Provide advice, assistance, and training to staff as needed and participate in disaster response outreach activities;
• Participate in OCE lab management activities, including maintaining inventory of supplies, and maintenance and use of OCE equipment; an
• Supervise Historic Conservation Technician, interns, and support staff, as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: For provisional appointment, candidates must have a Master’s degree in paper conservation, OR a Bachelor’s degree and two years of experience as a conservation technician with duties including one or more of the following: assisting conservator with conservation lab treatments, such as washing, lining and deacidification; independently carrying out conservation lab treatments, such as dry cleaning, mending, or fabrication of custom storage containers; monitoring and recording environmental conditions; overseeing technical components of micrographics or imaging operations; or assisting conservator with preservation training activities.

The starting salary for this position is $41,170 (in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement, this figure is not negotiable). Within approximately seven years, annual performance increases will bring the successful candidate's salary up to a maximum of $52,552. The State of New York offers a comprehensive package of benefits.

As noted above, the deadline for applying for this position is 5 November 2013. For more information and detailed application instructions, consult the position description.

Robert A. Caro in conversation with Harold Holzer, Albany, N.Y., 5 December 2011

Next Monday, the New York State Archives Partnership Trust will host an evening's conversation between Robert A. Caro and Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer. Caro is the biographer of President Lyndon Johnson (The Years of Lyndon Johnson: The Path to Power, Means of Ascent, and Master of the Senate) and of urban planner Robert Moses (The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York).

The Power Broker is widely regarded not only as a compelling (and not particularly flattering) biography of Moses but also a carefully researched history of modern New York City. Several scholars have concluded that Caro did not appreciate the extent of Moses' decline in power in the 1960s, and a number of twenty-first century New York politicians frustrated by legislative and procedural gridlock have come to see Moses's unparalleled ability to transform the built environment in a positive light, but no one contests Caro's assessment of Moses' impact:

It is impossible to say that New York would have been a better city if Robert Moses had never lived. It is possible to say only that it would have been a different city.

This event will take place on Monday, 5 December 2011, from 7:30-8:30pm at The Egg (Center for the Performing Arts) at the Empire State Plaza, in Albany, New York. Tickets, which are $10.00 apiece, may be purchased by calling The Egg's box office (518-473-1845) or visiting The Egg's Web site.

Image: Robert Moses speaks at the dedication of Bethpage State Park near Farmingdale, N.Y., 1933. From New York State Archives, New York (State). Conservation Dept. Photographic Prints and Negatives, [ca. 1904-1949], 14297-87_4232. Image courtesy of the New York State Archives. Click here for a magnifiable version of this image.

September 11: electronic records, service, and remembrance

The New York State Archives has just published Ground Zero from the Air, an online exhibit that features aerial photographs, thermal images, and flyover simulations of the World Trade Center site created in September and October 2001. These records were created by EarthData, a mapping firm working under contract to the New York State Office for Technology, which ultimately transferred them to the State Archives for long-term preservation.

I helped to put this exhibit together, and I have to say that the experience was, in some respects, profoundly rewarding. The records document an event of profound significance and are visually compelling (the level of detail in the aerial photographs is nothing short of astounding). I got to work closely with several colleagues whose work typically doesn't overlap with mine, and I am once again in awe of their talent and dedication.

Moreover, all of these records were born digital, and this is the first time that electronic records have been featured in one of our online exhibits -- and incorporated into the Digital Collections section of our Web site. Electronic records can be every bit as haunting, fascinating, and visually arresting as paper records, and it's good to remind people -- archivists and researchers alike -- of this fact every now and then.

At the same time, the experience of putting together this exhibit was extremely difficult. Anyone who spends any time with these records will instantly be transported back to the days immediately following September 11. Magnify one of the aerial photographs of the World Trade Center site, and you'll understand instantly why the first responders who worked there always referred to it as "the pile." In some of the September 2001 images, you can see bucket brigades of emergency personnel removing debris by hand. In some of the October 2001 images, you can see tractor trailers carrying debris away from the site.

As glad as I am that these records exist and are in our holdings, sometimes I had to get up and walk away from them for a while. I wish with all my heart that the circumstances that led to the creation of these records had never come to pass, and I don't think that this wish will ever fade away.

There is, of course, nothing any of us can do to change what happened on September 11, 2001. However, we do have the power to determine how we respond to it. This morning, National Public Radio aired a quietly and profoundly moving story about Father Mychal Judge, the Fire Department of New York chaplain who died at the World Trade Center site. The story featured a substantial excerpt from the homily that Father Michael Duffy delivered at Father Judge's funeral, and I couldn't help but think that we should all strive to live as Father Judge did:

And he would say to me once in a while, “Michael Duffy,” he always called me by my full name, “Michael Duffy, you know what I need?” And I would get excited because it was hard to buy him a present or anything. I said, “No, what?” “You know what I really need?” “No, what Mike?” “Absolutely nothing. [MURMURING] I don’t need a thing in the world. I am the happiest man on the face of the earth.” And then he would go on for ten minutes, telling me how blessed he felt. “I have beautiful sisters. I have nieces and nephews. I have my health. I’m a Franciscan priest. I love my work. I love my ministry.” And he would go on, and he would always conclude it by looking up to heaven and saying, “Why am I so blessed? I don’t deserve it. Why am I so blessed?” But that’s how he felt all his life.

Father Judge knew that service, not self-aggrandizement, is the way to fulfillment and that meaningful work is a gift. The families of many of the men and women who were killed on September 11, 2001 also know these things: in 2002, they began pressing to have September 11 designated a National Day of Service and Remembrance focused on honoring the dead, helping the living, and recapturing the spirit of unity, generosity, and compassion that prevailed in the weeks following the attacks.

If you have a few hours to devote to community service on Sunday, Serve.gov can help you find an organization that could use a helping hand. If you live in the Northeast -- which has just suffered yet another round of catastrophic floods -- your help is particularly needed; if you do a Google search for "Hurricane Irene volunteer opportunities [your state]" you'll find ample opportunities. Of course, there are countless community organizations that can use your help not only on Sunday but also throughout the year; September 11 should be merely one day in a lifetime of service and purposeful work.

I'm going to spend Sunday morning sorting donations at an area food bank, and as I shift the canned goods, bottled water, and toiletries around, I'm going to reflect upon my good fortune: I have a home, my friends and family are safe, and I have work that gives me purpose and direction -- in large part because the archival profession is, on every conceivable level, a service-oriented profession.

I'm also going to think about the most important passage in Father Michael Kelly's funeral homily for Father Mychal Judge:

And so, this morning … we come to bury Mike Judge’s body but not his spirit. We come to bury his mind but not his dreams. We come to bury his voice but not his message. We come to bury his hands but not his good works. We come to bury his heart but not his love. Never his love.

State archives and state archivists in the news

Icicles and blowing snow at the Cultural Education Center, which houses the State Archives, State Library, and State Museum, Albany, New York, 27 December 2010, 5:43 PM.

Just in case you missed them in the holiday whirlwind, here are some recent news stories relating to American state archives and state archivists:

• A lengthy feature highlights the work of Kentucky state archivist Barbara Teague and the other archivists at the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives.
• The Vermont State Archives now has a renovated and expanded facility that incorporates a host of energy efficiency measures.
• Outgoing New York Governor David Paterson vetoed a bill mandating transfer of gubernatorial records to the New York State Archives but signed an executive order propelling creation of a gubernatorial records management program.
• A descendant of one of the nation's first Supreme Court justices is suing the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources; he claims that the justice's papers were lent, not given, to the North Carolina State Archives more than a century ago.
• A broken water pipe damaged 10 boxes of paper records held by the Alaska State Archives. Fortunately, staff expect that the records can be salvaged.
• South Carolina state archivist Eric Emerson discusses the lingering impact of the Civil War and North-South cultural divisions.

Video of New York State Archives Partnership Trust honoring Richard Dreyfuss

On 28 September, the New York State Archives Partnership Trust, Greenberg Traurig, the Albany Times Union and History^TM sponsored an evening conversation between Academy Award^®-winning actor and 2010 Empire State Archives and History awardee Richard Dreyfuss and nationally prominent Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer.

Many people are familiar with Dreyfuss's storied acting career, but most of them aren't aware of the depth of his passion for history, archives, and civic education. In May 2004, Dreyfuss and Holzer took part in a similar discussion concerning Ulysses S. Grant, and everyone in the audience was stunned by the depth of Dreyfuss's knowledge of Grant's autobiography and all of the recent scholarship concerning his military and Presidential careers and his personal life.

If you weren't able to come attend the 2010 event but live in the mid-Hudson Valley, southern Vermont, or western Massachusetts, you can catch a broadcast of it on WMHT, the Capital District's public television station, tomorrow evening at 8:00 PM. If you're further afield or will be otherwise engaged tomorrow evening, streaming video of the event will be available here on Friday, 29 October.

I missed the 2010 event (I was heading to the 2010 Best Practices Exchange the day it took place) so I'm really looking forward to seeing this broadcast. I hope you enjoy it, too.

Catching up: Haiti, metadata, New York State Archives

Sorry for the light posting as of late. On 13 October, I confidently predicted that a flurry of posts would be forthcoming. Well, it didn't happen. That 13 October post went live during a long layover at CLT, and during the flight from CLT to ALB I started feeling . . . bad. I had come down with a cold several days earlier, but it seemed to be a peaceable, mild sort of virus, and I figured it would go away after a couple of days. However, the cold kicked into high gear during the flight to ALB, and it stayed that way for more than a week. Now that I've recovered, you should see some more activity around here.

Here are a few things that may interest you:

• People before records: as you probably know, there is an outbreak of cholera in Haiti, which is still reeling from the devastation caused by the 12 January 2010 earthquake. At the time of this writing, over 200 people have died and over 2,600 people have been sickened. Health workers on the ground are increasingly afraid that the disease, which can result in rapid, agonizing death, will spread to the capital of Port au Prince; if it does, an already horrific situation will become truly calamitous. Doctors Without Borders and Partners in Health have seasoned personnel on the ground in Haiti, and on the right-hand side of this page you'll find links that make it easy for you to donate to these organizations. Please consider giving whatever you can to Doctors Without Borders, Partners in Health, or other reputable groups working to help Haiti recover from the earthquake and its aftermath.

• Earlier this month, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that the metadata associated with e-mail is a public record subject to disclosure under the state's Public Records Act. The majority opinion also contains some other interesting tidbits. First, the plaintiff's initial request, which centered upon the message itself, did not, in and of itself, constitute a request for the accompanying metadata; however, the opinion notes that the case at hand marks the first time that the issue of metadata has arisen in litigation relating to the state's public records law. Second, the local government being sued has the right and the obligation to inspect the hard drive of the home computer of the official who received the message at the center of the request. This official opened the message while at home, printed a copy, and then deleted the message from the local government's e-mail system. Finally, the court cited as precedent a recent decision (Irwin v. Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency) handed down by the 4th Department of the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court -- which, despite its name, is not New York State's high court. (Thanks to my colleague Linda for this tip!)

• As of 16 October, the New York State Archives and the New York State Library are open Monday-Saturday. I helped to staff our reference desk today and had a surprisingly good time -- we got some great researchers, and having a workday devoid of meetings and urgent e-mails was a really pleasant change of pace. Please visit the State Archives or State Library on Saturdays -- lots of eager reference personnel will be waiting to help you! And be sure to check out the superb New York State Museum, which is located in the same building.

New York State Archives Partnership Trust to honor Richard Dreyfuss in Albany, New York, 28 September 2010

The New York State Archives Partnership Trust, Greenberg Traurig, the Albany Times Union and History^TM are sponsoring an engaging evening of conversation between Academy Award^®-winning actor and 2010 Empire State Archives and History award honoree Richard Dreyfuss and nationally prominent Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer as they talk about Mr. Dreyfuss’ life, work and passion for history.

Many people are familiar with Dreyfuss's storied acting career, but most of them aren't aware of the depth of his passion for history and archives. In May 2004, Dreyfuss and Holzer took part in a similar Archives Partnership Trust-sponsored discussion concerning Ulysses S. Grant, and everyone in the audience was stunned by the depth of Dreyfuss's knowledge of Grant's autobiography and all of the recent scholarship concerning his military and Presidential careers and his personal life. Dreyfuss fielded almost all of the audience questions -- none of which concerned his acting career -- and did so with aplomb and wit. It was a superb event, and I'm really looking forward to seeing Dreyfuss receive a well-deserved award and engage in another discussion with his friend Holzer, who is a first-rate historian.

If you're going to be in Albany, New York on 28 September 2010, please consider attending this event, which will be held at 7:30 PM at The Egg (also known as the Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Performing Arts Center), which is part of the Empire State Plaza complex. Tickets are $10.00 per person (plus handling fees). To make reservations, simply call The Egg Box Office at (518) 473-1845.

You may also wish to attend a special reception honoring Richard Dreyfuss that will be held at The Egg from 5:30-7:00 PM on 28 September. Tickets for the reception are $50.00 per person for Archives Partnership Trust members, $65.00 per person for those who wish to become Trust members at the time they purchase their tickets, and $75.00 for non-members who wish to attend the reception, and everyone who purchases a ticket to the reception will receive a complimentary ticket to the program itself. All proceeds from the reception will support the programs of the New York State Archives and the Archives Partnership Trust.

Reservations for the reception must be made by September 22, 2010, and reservations are confirmed when payment is received. No refunds are available. You may purchase reception tickets online or by calling the Archives Partnership Trust office at 518-486-9349. The Trust accepts Visa, MasterCard, AMEX and Discover. Personal checks can be made out to the Archives Partnership Trust and brought or mailed to to the Archives Partnership Trust, Cultural Education Center , Suite 9C49, Albany , NY 12230.

The week before SAA . . .

. . . is always hectic, and as a result there probably won't be a lot of activity around here until the 2010 joint annual meeting of the Council of State Archivists, the National Association of Government Archivists and Records Administrators, and the Society of American Archivists gets underway next week. I'm in the throes of readying my slides, battening down the hatches at the office, trying to figure out what to pack, and beating back the domestic clutter so my housesitting friend won't have to live amidst my mishegas.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the latest group of photos that my awesome colleagues at the New York State Archives have posted on Flickr. All of them are of the city of Saratoga Springs, which has a storied history and a surplus of loveliness. I'm particularly fond of this image of the elegant State Drink Hall (i.e., mineral water bar), which was taken in August 1908 (i.e., 102 years ago). Maybe it's just me, but the State Drink Hall looks like an upscale blend of Rick's Café Américain, Café du Monde, and the café that appears 18 seconds into this Duran Duran video.

New York State Archivist Chris Ward on gubernatorial records

Last Friday evening, New York State Archivist Chris Ward appeared on Capital Tonight, YNN Albany's statewide public affairs program, to discuss gubernatorial recordkeeping practices in New York State, proposed legislation concerning gubernatorial records management and transfer of archival gubernatorial records to the State Archives, and an upcoming symposium on electronic records. In the process of doing so, she explained -- in clear and easy-to-grasp terms -- what the New York State Archives does and why preserving gubernatorial records is so important. It's a nice segment, even if the quality of the video that Capital Tonight posted to YouTube leaves something to be desired.

An Earth Day treat

From the holdings of the New York State Archives (series L0102): Pete Seeger, a tireless and effective champion of the clean-up of the Hudson River, performs the song "Garbage." This performance was featured in a New York State Legislative Commission on Solid Waste Management-produced documentary (ca. 1986) entitled The Mountain in the City.

For more great archival footage -- from "I Love New York" commercials to the 1980 Winter Olympics to the opening of the Tappan Zee Bridge -- be sure to check out the New York State Archives YouTube channel.

Open Government in the Digital Age Summit: videos, slideshow, and other resources

On 19 March, the New York State Chief Information Officer/Office for Technology (CIO/OFT)and the New York State Archives jointly hosted the Open Government in the Digital Age Summit in Albany. Speakers included Archivist of the United States Ferriero, U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Open Government Beth Noveck, and e-Republic Inc. Chief Content Officer Paul Taylor.

CIO/OFT's Web site now features video recordings of all Summit speeches and panel discussions, Paul Taylor's PowerPoint presentation, and the final Summit agenda. It has also prepared a news release that captures many of the day's highlights and posted photos of the Summit on its Facebook page.

Over 150 people attended the Summit, which brought together information technology professionals, archivists and records managers, public policy experts, journalists, and others interested in the relationship between information technology, recordkeeping, and government accountability and transparency. If you're interested in these issues, be sure to check out the resources above.

Open Government in the Digital Age Summit: David Ferriero

Approximately 150 people -- IT professionals, archivists and records managers, public policy experts, and journalists -- attended the Open Government in the Digital Age Summit jointly sponsored by the New York State Office of the Chief Information Officer/Office for Technology and the New York State Archives.

In lieu of a lengthy recap, I’m going to put up two or three shorter posts -- one centering on the keynote address delivered by David Ferriero, the 10th Archivist of the United States, and at least one other post highlighting the key threads of the day’s discussion. I have several reasons for doing so:

• I expect that all you archivists out there are at least a little curious about the new Archivist.
  
• Certain points and themes kept coming to the fore throughout the day, and it makes more sense to take a little time and tease them out than to do a session-by-session summary.
• I’m on vacation. I have some pretty intense sightseeing plans for the next few days -- which means that I need to break things up a bit and that posts about the Summit are likely going to alternate with posts about my travels. (Where am I? Come back tomorrow, and you’ll find out.)

First, however, a few words about “open government.” As a number of speakers and panelists pointed out, “openness” is commonly seen as being synonymous with transparency of operations and decision-making processes, accountability to citizens, and promotion of citizen participation in the creation of policy and development of services. Moreover, as several Summit participants noted as the day went on, open government requires an ongoing commitment to transparency and accountability -- and to ensuring that essential government information remains uncorrupted and accessible over the long term.

David Ferriero really helped to bring into focus the relationship between records and openness by stressing that if open government is your goal, you should focus on records management. In many respects, his point is obvious, but it’s all too often overlooked: how can you promise transparency and accountability if you can’t find the records that provide insight into government operations or policy development or can’t guarantee their completeness, accuracy, or integrity?

He then focused on the management of electronic records and the immense amount of work awaiting the federal government: a recent U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) survey of federal agencies revealed that agency records management and information technology staff, who really need to work together in order to manage electronic records appropriately, rarely do so. Moreover, almost every agency surveyed had records subject to a moderate or high risk of loss.

(Sadly, this situation isn’t unique to the federal government: the records management-IT disconnect is a big problem in New York State government and, judging from what I’ve heard from colleagues elsewhere, most other state and local governments are in the same boat. We’re all falling far short of the mark.)

Ferriero then discussed NARA’s own efforts to become more open and citizen-centered. Its Open Government Working Group, which is responsible for enhancing NARA’s ability to interact and collaborate with agency personnel and the general public, will post a formal plan for doing so on NARA’s Web site on 7 April. However, Ferriero gave us a preview of some of the recommendations that may appear in it:

• Establish an ongoing group charged with figuring out new ways of doing business and increasing openness
• Retool NARA’s strategic plan to include open government
• Create staff-only Web 2.0 tools that will enable NARA personnel to share ideas and collaborate more effectively
• Seek to engage the public via Facebook and other popular social media sites -- in essence, go where users are instead of waiting for users to come to NARA’s site
• Redesign NARA’s Web site with end users in mind, update the records management section, incorporate an “Ask an Archivist” interactive feature, and set up a wiki so that researchers can share the results of their research
• Sponsor an Apps for Archives competition (akin to the Apps for Army and other federal competitions) competition for development of applications that will improve access to NARA’s holdings
• Realign digitization priorities and give users ability to see what’s in the digitization queue
• Continue publishing high-value datasets in open formats on www.data.gov -- in essence, move from providing services to providing a platform for others to develop services
• Investigate the possibility of developing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Web dashboard on FOIA services and responsiveness
• Actively declassify records and streamline declassification protocols
• Create an open government Web portal

Ferriero also took questions from the audience and offered up a number of fascinating tidbits:

• NARA is working with the secretaries of the Senate and the House of Representatives to ensure that draft versions of bills are captured and preserved appropriately
• NARA holds about 1 million e-mails from the Reagan administration, 250 million e-mails from the administration of George H.W. Bush, and anticipates getting approximately 1 billion e-mails from the Obama administration. Several of the people sitting around me gasped audibly.
• In an effort to breach the records management-IT divide, he’s convening the first-ever joint meeting of the federal CIO Council and the federal Records Management ??
• Like everyone else, NARA is still trying to figure out how to preserve Web sites, which change constantly; however, it’s plain that sporadic crawls such as those performed by the Internet Archive aren’t sufficient. (I agree; however, it’s just about the only practical approach available to most archivists at this time.)
• When developing new online tools and services, you really need to focus on users’ circumstances and preferences, not your own internal uses of technology; if you don't, you're not really committed to openness. For example, only fifty percent of New York City residents have home Internet connections, but most of them have cell phones -- and want mobile services and applications.
  

The last couple of questions centered on e-mail, BlackBerries, and cell phones, all of which pose particular challenges for archivists and records managers.

• Even the most conscientious employees occasionally use them to send and receive personal messages. Ferriero noted that, in the absence of automated tools that can pick out personal messages, it’s probably easier to keep everything than to conduct a manual review of messages. As an archivist who works with a small but growing volume of e-mail “archives,” I agree wholeheartedly: weeding these archives would be a time-consuming, soul-sucking task, and the resulting reduction in storage costs simply wouldn’t justify the investment of staff time.
• Determining which messages to keep is a particular challenge. I disagree with the approach that Ferriero advocated -- keeping everything -- but I understand why someone charged with upholding the Presidential Records Act and acutely cognizant of the research potential of routine correspondence would advance this argument. There has to be a way to preserve an adequate historical record -- sampling (by individual or by agency), targeting the accounts of key personnel -- without committing to saving every message that passes through an agency’s e-mail servers.

Ferriero’s speech was really well received, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how NARA evolves under his direction. The next few years ought to be really interesting.

Last call: Open Government in the Digital Age Summit

If you're interested in electronic records, open government, and the relationship between the two and will be in (or can arrange to be in) New York State's Capital District this Friday, you'll definitely want to attend the Open Government in the Digital Age Summit jointly sponsored by the New York State Chief Information Officer/Office for Technology and the New York State Archives.

We've got a first-rate group of speakers. David Ferriero, the 10th Archivist of the United States, will deliver the opening address, and Cal Lee of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's School of Information and Library Science will take part in the discussion on the archival implications of government openness. Panelists representing state government, the news media, software companies, and the open source community will explore the meaning of government openness in the digital age and citizen expectations for access to government records. Beth Simone Noveck, the U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Open Government, will discuss the federal government's openness efforts, and Paul Taylor of e.Republic, Inc. will deliver the closing address. I'm really looking forward to hearing each and every one of them.

The Summit agenda, registration information, parking information, and directions to the Empire State Plaza and a map showing the location of the Cultural Education Center, where the Summit will be held, are all available online.

If you can join us in Albany this Friday, we would love to see you! If you can't, recordings of all of the speeches and panel discussions should be available via the Web shortly after the Summit takes place; once the links are up, I'll be sure to post them. I'm also planning to blog about the Summit, but I may be a little tardy in doing so: for reasons I'll explain later, the end of this week is going to be really, really hectic -- but in a good way!

Open Government in the Digital Age Summit: tentative agenda

Last week, I posted registration information for the Open Government in the Digital Age Summit, which the New York State Chief Information Officer/Office for Technology and the New York State Archives are hosting in Albany on Friday, 19 March 2010 in Albany.

If you're interested in electronic records, government openness, and the relationship between the two and can arrange to be in New York State's Capital District on 19 March, I strongly encourage you to attend this free event. We're still confirming a couple of speakers, but those we have lined up really are first-rate. Archivists and records managers will be particularly pleased to note that David Ferriero, the 10th Archivist of the United States, will deliver the opening address and that Cal Lee of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's School of Information and Library Science will take part in the discussion on the archival implications of government openness. Moreover, I've heard several of the other confirmed speakers at other events and can promise that they'll have interesting things to say on 19 March.

Here's the tentative agenda for the Summit, which is also available online:

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

• Registration

9:00 a.m. – 9:20 a.m.

• Susan E. Beaudoin, Counsel, CIO/OFT: Introduction of the State CIO
• Dr. Melodie Mayberry-Stewart, New York State Chief Information Officer/Director of Office for Technology: Introduction of U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer

9:20 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

• Guest Speaker, U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer

10:00 a.m. – 10:10 a.m.

• Break
  

10:10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

• Geof Huth, Director of Government Record Services, New York State Archives: Introduction of the State Archivist
• Christine Ward, New York State Archivist: Remarks and Introduction of David S. Ferriero

10:30 a.m. - 11:10 a.m

• Guest Speaker, David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States

David S. Ferriero was confirmed as 10th Archivist of the United States on November 6, 2009. Previously, Mr. Ferriero served as the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the New York Public Libraries (NYPL) where he developed the library’s digital strategy. Before joining the NYPL, Mr. Ferriero served in top positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Duke University libraries.

11:10 a.m.– 11:20 a.m.

• Break

11:20 a.m.– 12:30 p.m.

• Panel Discussion: "Meaning of Open Government in the Digital Age"

• Susan E. Beaudoin, Counsel, CIO/OFT, moderator
  
• Andrew Hoppin, CIO, New York State Senate
• Sam Litt, Deputy CTO, New York City DoITT
• Stuart McKee, National Technology Officer, Microsoft Corporation
• Patrick Toole, CIO, IBM (invited)

12:30 p.m.– 1:30 p.m.

• Lunch on your own

1:30 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.

• Panel Discussion: "Citizen Expectations for Access in the Digital Age"

• Michael Ridley, Director of High Performance Computing, NYSTAR, moderator
• John Wonderlich, Policy Director, Sunlight Foundation
• Dr. Steve Sawyer, Associate Professor, School of Information Studies, Syracuse University
• Dr. Jerry Mechling, Vice President, Gartner Research (invited)

2:40 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.

• Break

2:50 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

• Panel Discussion: "Open Government Implications of Sunshine Laws and Archival Responsibilities"

• Robert Freeman, Executive Director, New York State Committee on Open Government, moderator
  
• Dr. Cailin Brown, Assistant Professor Communications Department, College of St. Rose
• Dr. Cal Lee, Assistant Professor, School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Robert Port, Senior Editor for Investigations, Albany Times Union

4:00 p.m. – 4:10 p.m.

• Break

4:10 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

• Closing Address, Paul Taylor, Chief Content Officer, e.Republic, Inc.

Paul W. Taylor, Ph.D., is the Chief Content Officer for e.Republic, Inc. Previously, Dr. Taylor served as the Chief Strategy Officer for the Center for Digital Government. Prior to joining the Center, Dr. Taylor served as Deputy State CIO in Washington State.

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

• Reception - State Museum

Open Government in the Digital Age Summit, Albany, New York, 19 March 2010

If you're interested in electronic records, digital preservation, and government accountability and transparency, you'll want to attend this event if at all possible. I'll post the full agenda as soon as possible (we're awaiting final confirmation from a couple of speakers), but if you know you can make it to Albany, New York on 19 March 2010, by all means register now! NB: although registration is required, this event is free.

In support of Governor David A. Paterson’s commitment to increased transparency and openness in government, the New York State Chief Information Officer/Office for Technology and the New York State Archives cordially invite you to attend the . . .

Friday, March 19, 2010
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
New York State Cultural Education Center – Clark Auditorium
Reception to Follow

This Summit, which is free and open to the public, will feature an opening address by David S. Ferriero, the Archivist of the United States.

Paul Taylor, Chief Content Officer, e. Republic, Inc., will present the closing address.

Panel discussions will focus on “hot-button” issues in “open government” including:

• The Meaning of “Open Government” in the Digital Age
  
• Citizen Expectations for Access in the Digital Age
  
• Open Government Implications of Sunshine Laws and Archival Responsibilities

The summit includes additional speakers and panelists of national stature as well as representatives from the highest levels of government, academia, research and industry.

Please visit http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/245446/open-government-registration to register for this exciting event!

Please register by March 12, 2010 as space is limited. An email confirming your registration will be sent to you.

If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact Terry Jovanovic at (518) 473-5115 or terry.jovanovic[at]cio.ny.gov.