Congressional Papers Roundtable NEWSLETTER
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Congressional Papers Roundtable NEWSLETTER Society of American Archivists July 2007 From the Chair The Advisory Committee on the Records of Jeff Thomas Congress – June 25, 2007 It has been a rather busy time The Advisory Committee on the The gift tax issue will be revisited since the publication of our last Records of Congress met on June 25, by Robin Reeder and Karen Paul newsletter in March. As 2007 in the LBJ room of the Capitol. who were named to head a task announced in June, the most Nancy Erickson, Secretary of the force. It also was determined to notable recent news for the CPR is Senate, presided at this semi-annual form a “working group” to meet the grant from the National meeting that was designed to set an with office and systems managers to Historical Publications and agenda for the next two years of her address preservation of electronic Records Commission (NHPRC) chairmanship. Committee members records and to highlight for funding our long-sought goal introduced items for discussion preservation of members’ papers at of producing Guidelines for regarding committee goals, many of orientation events for new Managing Congressional Papers. which were outlined in the executive members. In connection with this, it Officially starting on July 1, 2007, summary of the committee’s Fourth was suggested that each body this one-year grant provides Report (available on the Center for consider adopting a “sense of the $37,500 to cover the costs of the Legislative Archives site). Following House/ Senate” resolution writing, editing and publication lively and extensive discussion, it encouraging the preservation of of the Guidelines. The grant will was determined that three issues members’ papers. It was also be administered by the CPR Task would receive immediate attention: agreed that the Center for Force on Guidelines for the gift tax issue, education of staff Legislative Archives would produce Congressional Papers regarding electronic records a plan to begin updating the Guides Repositories working through the preservation and of members on the to House and Senate records in their offices of the Society of American preservation of their papers, and custody. Archivists. updating the guides to House and Karen Paul, Senate Archivist Cynthia Pease Miller is Senate collections at the Center for contracted as the author for the Legislative Archives. publication, with members of the CPR Task Force serving as the editorial board. As outlined in In This Issue: the grant, plans call for Cynthia to produce a first draft prior to the ACSC Conference Summary (Karen From the Chair .................................1 2007 SAA Conference. The Paul) ...............................................10 Institutional News ...........................3 editorial board will meet with her Advisory Committee on the Records of on August 28th in Chicago to go National Archives Preservation Congress .............................................1 over the draft and suggest any Conference Summary (Karen Paul) 12 necessary changes. CPR Candidates ...............................9 SAA Annual Meeting Events .........3 Continued on Page 2 From the Chair (cont. from page 1) Representatives from the SAA publications staff elections. There will be plenty of time for questions will meet with Cynthia and the editorial board later in and remarks from the audience, so please come the day. Work on a final version will continue after prepared to share your own experiences or insights. these meetings, with a target date for publication The pre-conference session will take place in the being no later than June 30, 2008. The grant funds an Video Theater of the Chicago Public Library’s Harold initial run of 500 hard copies of the Guidelines to be Washington Library Center located at 400 South State distributed by SAA. The cost of a hard copy is yet to Street. Look for an announcement in August with be determined. As stipulated in the grant, SAA will details on transportation options to the library. The provide a free on-line copy of the publication through theater seats ninety people, so space at the session the Society’s web site. should not be an issue. However, for planning This is an exciting time for the CPR as we finally purposes I ask that members wanting to attend the have the means to fulfill a goal first proposed in 1985 pre-conference session register with me either by at a conference on congressional papers held in email at [email protected] or by telephone at 614- Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Further news on the 688-8429. progress of the project will be on the agenda for our Our regular business meeting will take place from meeting in Chicago. 4 to 6 pm in the Fairmont Hotel. As in the past, the Speaking of Chicago, I hope everyone has made meeting will include the election of new officers, plans to attend the SAA conference in August. The updates from various congressional historical offices, Steering Committee has lined up a day of events we and a report on the May 2007 meeting of the hope will be interesting, informative, and entertaining Association of Centers for the Study of Congress. for CPR members. The schedule for Wednesday, Highlighting the meeting is a program by Naomi August 29th, includes a pre-conference session from 1 Nelson and Alan Haeberle on the correspondence to 3 o’clock that afternoon, followed by our regular management systems used by the U.S. Senate. meeting from 4 to 6 pm. Reservations are in place Naomi’s presentation will include an overview of the starting at 6:30 at a near-by restaurant for members to history of the various systems used in the past by the gather to eat, drink, catch up with old friends, and Senate, followed by information about the make new acquaintances. A separate announcement Constituent Mail Analysis Project she developed at about the restaurant, the menu offered for the dinner, Emory University using the papers of former Senator and the cost will be forthcoming in July. Sam Nunn. Alan will provide an update on the mail The pre-conference session planned for the early systems currently in use by the Senate. afternoon consists of an informal panel discussion As I write, SAA currently is offering discounted focusing on the acquisition of new collections by rates for rooms at a fourth conference hotel due to the various CPR members as a result of the November sellout of rooms reserved at three other hotels. So if 2006 elections. Included on the panel are Chris Burns you have not already done so, make your reservations of the University of Vermont; Brian Keough of the without delay for what evidently will be a well- University at Albany, State University of New York; attended conference. Rebecca Johnson Melvin of the University of I look forward to conversations about CPR Delaware; and Abigail L. Dixon of History Associates, activities with everyone in August. Please let myself Inc. located in Rockville, Maryland. Chris, Brian, and or a member of the Steering Committee hear from Rebecca each will talk briefly about their respective you if you have any issues, suggestions, or ideas you new acquisitions, while Abigail will provide some want discussed when we meet. In the meantime, insights on the role her company played in closing have a great summer! various congressional offices as a result of the Jeff Thomas 2 Mark Your Calendar! Congressional Papers Roundtable Pre-Conference Program Wednesday, August 29, 2007 SAA Meeting, Chicago, IL 1 – 3 pm Pre-conference session on Acquisition of New Collections Video Theater of the Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington Library Center, 400 South State Street. Chris Burns of the University of Vermont; Brian Keough of the University at Albany, State University of New York; Rebecca Johnson Melvin of the University of Delaware; and Abigail L. Dixon of History Associates, Inc. located in Rockville, Maryland. 4 – 6 pm CPR Annual Meeting at Conference hotel, Fairmont Hotel Featuring a program by Naomi Nelson and Alan Haeberle on the correspondence management systems used by the U.S. Senate. 6:30 – Informal Dinner, to be arranged. Members wanting to attend the pre-conference session or dinner should contact Jeff Thomas by email at [email protected] or by telephone at 614 688-8429. INSTITUTIONAL NEWS University of Mississippi The Modern Political Archives is pleased to In January 2007, the Modern Political announce the opening of File Series 2: Public Archives received a $1,000 grant from the University Relations of the James O. Eastland Collection. The of Mississippi Provost Office to restore and make 133 boxes and 74 canisters in this series comprise digital access copies of selected audio reel-to-reel eleven subseries: (1) photographs, negatives, & slides; recordings in the collection. Among those reels were (2) audio recordings; (3) audiovisual recordings; (4) a 1957 speech Eastland delivered at a Belzoni, clippings; (5) floor speeches; (6) other speeches; (7) Mississippi Citizens’ Council rally as well as scrapbooks; (8) original political cartoons; (9) press campaign jingles for the senator’s 1972 campaign. releases; (10) newsletters & publications; (11) public Also included were three reels of a Senate Judiciary relations correspondence; and (12) published writings subcommittee hearing in 1972 to take the testimony of & interviews. The finding aid is available online at Dita Beard regarding allegations of ITT bribes to http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/general_library/files/ar effect a favorable antitrust settlement from the Justice chives/collections/guides/latesthtml/MUM00117.html. Department. Since the U.S. Senate retains ownership 3 of official committee records, the original and master with the dedication of the campus civil rights DVD-R copies of these hearings were transferred to memorial and the anniversary of the university’s U.S. Senate Archivist Karen Paul for placement at the integration.