MUSEUM ARCHIVIST ║ ║ SECTION BUSINESS ╚═════════════════════════════════╝ ╚══════════════════════════════════ Is Issued Twice a Year by the from the Chair, Cont
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▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ MUSEUM ARCHIVIST ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ Newsletter of the Museum Archives Section Society of American Archivists February 1993 Volume 7 Number 1 ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ FROM THE CHAIR . The increasing challenges and opportunities of the manuscripts and records. The Section must also assist Museum Archives Section both inspire and intimidate, museums to maintain and improve existing archives but I look forward to every minute of the next two years programs. as section chair, as we build on past accomplishments. Naturally, museums need money to devote to their Like anyone responsible for the care and management records and funding is becoming more and more difficult. of museum records, I often feel a bit like the proverbial NHPRC, the primary source of funding to archives square peg in my "round" institution. As a result, I have programs, will receive a 7% cut in funding in 1993; new always valued our museum archives organization. It has goals and priorities have already been drafted which will provided me with the advice of knowledgeable and maximize the impact of grant dollars. The Section, its helpful colleagues, as well as the strength of numbers to members, and museum staffs must face this challenge. attack major concerns. At this juncture in the history of We, along with SAA, must do all we can to increase the museum archives movement I would like to take the NHPRC funding. opportunity to thank the dedicated, forward-looking individuals who have contributed to our progress. We also must help museum administrators justify archives programs by providing them with information We have come a long way since the 1979 Belmont that will allow them to allocate eternally tight resources Conference, sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution to a program that is too often seen as a luxury. We must and the Archives of American Art. Since that small group formulate practical suggestions that large numbers of of people met and drafted guidelines for museum museums can use to help them fund their archives archives, we became a task force, then a roundtable, efforts. For example, some of the most valuable records and now enjoy section status within SAA. With all of our that a Museum creates are funded by grants. Perhaps forward movement, and there has been a great deal, we should be asking our institutions to include such one issue still dominates all our efforts--the need to record-related costs as supplies and staff time in all of create awareness of the value of museum records. their grant applications. In fact, we may want to encourage granting agencies to require the professional The Museum Archives Section must continue to promote management of records created by projects they fund. the establishment of new museum archives programs and encourage all museums to develop professional The Museum Archives Section will continue its policies and procedures for the care and management of commitment to education. When not fighting for our their existence, museum archives ╔═════════════════════════════════╗ ╔═══ ║ MUSEUM ARCHIVIST ║ ║ SECTION BUSINESS ╚═════════════════════════════════╝ ╚══════════════════════════════════ is issued twice a year by the From the Chair, cont. Museum Archives Section of SAA. staff have on-going issues needing resolu-tion. Some News items, letters to the editor, and comments from the examples are: archives community are welcome. * What records shall we keep/destroy? Next deadline: July 1, 1993. * Can we participate in shared-collect- ing agreements? Chair 1992-93.............. Kristine Haglund * What will evolving technologies mean Denver Museum of Natural History, 2001 to us? Colorado Boulevard, Denver, CO 80205 * How do we make our operations more 303 370 6361 effective/efficient? Immediate Past Chair .....Kathleen Robinson Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Box 6826, The Section's relationship to professional museum Houston, TX 77265 organizations will need to be strengthened, since it is 713 526 1361 fax: 639 7595 through them that we are able to contact museum Membership Secretary..... .........Alan Bain personnel wanting to know more about establishing and Smithsonian Archives, A & I Building, Room maintaining archives. Over the next year we will be 2135, Washington, DC 20560 discussing the possibility of a more formal relationship 202 786 2747 fax: 357 2395 between the SAA and the American Association of Recording Secretary........ .....Susan Glenn Museums (AAM). We will also work with museum Smithsonian Archives, A & I Building, Room organizations on the national and regional levels to 2135, Washington, DC 20560 produce educational sessions and workshops. Our 202 786 2751 fax: 357 2395 mailing list will be examined to be sure it includes the Editor.................... ....Deborah Wythe names and addresses of current editors of museum publications and the staff of museum studies programs. The Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11238 We will continue to provide speakers and teachers as 718 638 5000 fax: 638 3731 needed. Outreach............... ..Theresa Rini Percy A draft of the Section's 1992-96 plan is included in this Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village newsletter. Though it may make for dry reading, it is Road, Sturbridge, MA 01566 useful for more than an insomnia cure. It does guide the 508 347 3362 fax: 347 5375 work of the Section and helps us prioritize our activities. I Publications........ ....... Maygene Daniels hope you will read it through thoughtfully, especially if National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC 20565 you want to help the Museum Archives Section to help 202 842 6175 museum archives. Program........... .......... Maureen Melton Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 465 Huntington So, what can you do for the Museum Archives Section? Ave., Boston, MA 02115 Some of the options are: 617 267 9300 * Volunteer to serve on one of the Section's committees Additional contributors: Prudence Backman, Fred by calling or writing the committee chairs. Their names, Calabretta, Robert Harding, Chuck Hill, Penny Holewa, addresses and phone numbers are found on page 2 of Steve Johnson, Belinda Rathbone, Cynthia Rogers, this newsletter. Rona Roob, John Smith, Karen Stevens, Sharron Uhler, Anita Weber and the volunteers. * Provide articles (short or long) for the newsletter. Let ╔═════════════════════════════════╗ us know who you are and what you're doing. What are ║ ║ your problems? What solutions have you found? ╚═════════════════════════════════╝ * Keep your address up to date and provide Alan Bain with the names and addresses of people who should be receiving this ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Museum Archivist p.2 ╔═══ 2. Appraisal: (a) Explore methods for the exchange ║ SECTION BUSINESS of information among museum archivists regarding ╚══════════════════════════════════ appraisal of records. (b) Seek external funding as From the Chair, cont. required to implement information exchange. newsletter, if they aren't already. Outreach: * Let us know where you think the Section should 1. Museum organizations: Establish closer ties with concentrate its efforts. All suggestions are welcome. museum organizations. (a) Explore the benefits and feasibility of an official SAA liaison to the AAM. (b) * Write to people who vote on funding for NHPRC. Update mailing list to include current editors of regional museum organizations on the Section's newsletter * Organize sessions and/or give talks at museum mailing list. (c) Work with 1-2 regional museum organization meetings. Literature about the Section and organizations to develop and implement plans of action the Society of American Archivists is available to for increasing the Section's visibility and promoting distribute. awareness of archives. (d) Section members participate in a meeting called and hosted by the AAM to develop All of us have more than full-time jobs. Anyone who archives-related program ideas for the 1994 AAM works in a museum does. But service to the Museum meeting. (e) Section members speak/teach at 1993 AAM Archives Section pays itself back many times over. In meeting/pre-conference workshop. (f) Develop addition, because we're not a large group, we can't presentations for museum organizations as appropriate, expect others to do the work. We all have a valuable role e.g. Society for the Preservation of Natural History to play. Collections and the International Council of Museums. Kristine Haglund 2. Museum studies programs: Raise awareness of Denver Museum of Natural History the SAA and the Museum Archives Section among the administrators and faculty of museum studies programs. MUSEUM ARCHIVES SECTION (a) Select and include museum studies programs on the CURRENT ACTIVITIES & THREE YEAR PLAN Section's newsletter mailing list. (b) Respond to requests for information about archives and potential speakers. Section Activities: September 1992 To August 1993 Management & Planning: Publications: 1. Plan and seek funding for Belmont II conference to (a) Assess progress made by the Museum Archives 1. Newsletter: Produce and distribute two issues. movement since the 1979 Belmont Conference. (b) (Thanks to the Smithsonian Institution for absorbing Develop goals, objectives, and strategies for the most production and distribution costs.) Museum Archives Section (2000 and beyond). 2. Museum Archives manual: