New Exhibition Opened at Hoover Library. Publications.. Grants.. 24 24 25 25 26 27 55 64 Compiled and edited by Susan Cooper of the Public Affairs Office of the National Archives. For further information telephone her at (202) 523-3099. Any of this material may be reprinted without permission. Kindly credit the National Archives. NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Conference on Development of Statewide Preservation Programs The National Archives, the Library of Congress, and the National Endowment for the Humanities co-sponsored on March 1-3 a national invitational conference on the development of statewide preservation programs. The Archivist of the United States, Don W. Wilson, the Librarian of Congress James H. Billington, and the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Lynne V. Cheney addressed the conference. Other key participants include President of Brown University and former President of the New York Public Library, Vartan Gregorian, Director of the Northeast Document Conservation Center, Ann Russell, and Executive Director of the American Association for State and Local History, Larry Tise. The purpose of the conference was to alert participants to the benefits of coordinated statewide programs and to provide information and assistance needed to move forward. Preservation challenges confronting states were highlighted and the kinds of materials at risk and the options for their preservation were reviewed. Three panel discussions focused on building public awareness, legislative efforts, and funding preservation programs. Fourth Annual Preservation Conference The National Archives sponsored its Fourth Annual Preservation Conference, entitled "Current Trends in the Preservation of Audiovisual Collections" on March 1 in the National Archives Theater. The conference coincided with the Statewide Preservation Conference. The one-day conference featured four sessions focusing on video, sound recording, motion picture, and still picture holdings and provided a nontechnical update for archivists, librarians, preservation administrators, and curators on the issues, problems, and concerns in the preservation of these materials. Jim Wheeler, of the Ampex Corporation, served as chairman of the conference. Presidential Library Board Meets The Advisory Committee on Presidential Libraries established by the Archivist of the United States in May of 1988 met on November 17 to discuss a wide variety of topics relating to the Library system. The committee met with Frederick Ryan, Special Assistant to President Reagan, who provided a briefing on the Ronald Reagan Foundation's plans for the Reagan Library. President Reagan joined the meeting briefly to greet the committee. The They The committee is a standing advisory group with no fixed duration; each member serves renewable three-year terms. committee is composed of nine members, each providing a perspective on the development of Presidential libraries. include David Eisenhower, grandson of the former President and author of the recent "Eisenhower at War"; William J. vanden Heuvel, President of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute in New York City; Tom Johnson, Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles Times; Frederick J. Ryan, Jr., Assistant to the President and Director of Private Sector Initiatives at the White House; and Caroline B. Kennedy, daughter of the late President. Dr. Wilson said the committee was "essential to the effectiveness of the libraries' archival, museum, and public programs by ensuring that they are responsive to public needs and interests." He called the nine members "a singularly distinguished group who will provide fresh insights on how the libraries can enhance their roles as research centers and community resources." Recent National Archives Staff Appointments Dr. Wilson has designated Martha B. Girard, Deputy Director of the Office of the Federal Register, to be Acting Director following the retirement of John E. Byrne. Mr. Byrne, who retired December 31, will spend six months in New Zealand on Fulbright Scholarship. The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) has ratified the Archivist's appointment of Richard A. Jacobs "for a period not to exceed two years." Dr. Wilson said he was pleased with the NHPRC's action and was confident that Mr. Jacobs would continue the excellent work he had begun earlier as Acting Director from April 1985 to December 1987. Lewis J. Bellardo, Jr. was recently named Director of the Center for Legislative Archives in the Office of the National Archives. He is currently Director of the Georgia Historical Society. Prior to that, he served as Kentucky State Archivist and Records Administrator and as a past President of the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators. Deputy Director of Kennedy Library Appointed Bradley S. Gerratt was named Deputy Director of the Kennedy Library on October 31, 1988. Before his appointment to the library, Mr. Gerratt worked for the city of Boston, most recently as the Director of Administration and Finance of the Public Facilities Department. He holds an MBA Degree from the University of Chicago. |