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The Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board
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Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board Meeting
Minutes, Minutes, January 25, 2007
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Charles Arp, Barbara Floyd, Laurie Gemmill, Raimund Goerler, William K. Laidlaw, Jr., Marjorie McLellan, James Oda
BOARD MEMBERS NOT PRESENT: John Fleming, Julie McMaster, Kermit Pike, Julia Michael Scott, Carol Tomer
OHS STAFF PRESENT: Jelain Chubb, Todd Kleismit, Jim Strider, Pari Swift, Rachel Tooker
1. Welcome
Dr. Laidlaw called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.
2. Review of State Archives Assessment Report and Transition Report
Jelain Chubb reported that in October 2006, David Carmicheal, State Archivist of Georgia and immediate past-president of the Council of State Archivists, met with key State Archives and other Ohio Historical Society staff in order to prepare an assessment report on the current state of the State Archives of Ohio. The final report with short and long term recommendations was submitted in late December 2006. Chubb identified actions OHS is taking to address key issues in the report. Chubb also mentioned that capital funds will be used to support a 2-year electronic records archivist position to assist with processing the Taft records and establishing protocols for handling future electronic records accessions. Jim Strider encouraged board members to share the report with others.
Additionally, board members discussed the Transition Report, commissioned by Governor Strickland in late December 2006. While the report encompassed all operations of the Ohio Historical Society, it paid special attention to the Ohio Historic Preservation Office and State Archives.
The board discussed at length various issues raised by the reports, including:
- How to learn from the 2003 public records conference to make the “public records summit” proposed in the Assessment report more successful.
- The legal barriers to the disposal of records that affects not only State Archives, but State Records Management, especially with regard to electronic records. One suggestion was to give State Archives state agency status for the purpose of acting on retention schedules.
- The organizational structure that impacts State Archives; its location within OHS and within state government.
- The possibility of forming a special task force on public records and state archives.
- Practicality of a line item for State Archives in the state budget.
Laidlaw summarized his response to the Transition Report and distributed to the board the letter that he sent to Governor Strickland’s office. He also encouraged board members to urge colleagues and others to write letters in of support the State Archives to the Governor’s Office.
3. Approval of November 2006 Meeting Minutes
Barbara Floyd moved to approve the minutes with changes and Marjorie McLellan and Rai Goerler seconded. The minutes were approved.
4. Review of Strategic Plan Activities
4a. Public Records Subcommittee
i. House Bill 9
Pari Swift reported that House Bill 9 was signed by Governor Taft in late December and will become effective near the end of June 2007. Board members felt that it is important to work with the new Attorney General, Marc Dann, on the rule-making aspects of the bill, such as training and public records policy. Swift reported that she has already had informal talks with the Public Records Unit about continuing to work together on training initiatives, and Chubb will be meeting with the new Attorney General in coming months.
ii. Subcommittee on Privacy and Public Records Access
Swift reported that the committee has not met since the report given at the November OHRAB meeting. OHS will continue to monitor the committee and take the lead on any communications.
4b. Nominations and Renewals of Board Members
Strider reported that Governor Taft did not act on OHRAB nominations before leaving office, therefore each nominee will be submitted to Governor Strickland for consideration. The need to mentor and provide better orientation to new members was discussed.
4c. Process for Selecting Vice-Chair
Strider reviewed section 5 of the by-laws which states that non-OHS employed members of OHRAB should select a vice-chair. Several members felt that it would be best to wait until the board had its new members before selecting a vice-chair. It was decided that the process would consist of nominations from among non-Ohio Historical Society OHRAB membership and a majority vote.
4d. NHPRC Update
i. OHRAB Financial Status Report
Chubb reported that there was approximately $2,231 remaining in the current NHPRC board support grant and that an extension has been requested to use the funds for the next two meetings as well as contribute to the cost of the 2007 Archives Week poster. She encouraged members to turn in their travel expenses as well as report any time spent on OHRAB related work so that we can get a better idea of OHRAB’s actual costs.
ii. NHPRC Grants for Electronic Records Projects
Chubb encouraged members to think about possible electronic records grant projects both within their institutions as well as any contacts that they have externally and to think strategically about how OHRAB can encourage NHRPC grant submissions. Chubb and Floyd will promote grant opportunities at the next Ohio Electronic Records Committee meeting. The NHPRC grant deadline is June 1, 2007.
5. Institutional Updates
5a. Ohio Historical Society
Chubb reported that the Taft records transfer went very smoothly, due in part to assistance from members of the Governor’s staff, particularly Deputy Chief of Staff Ann Aquillo. The transfer involved 1,240 boxes plus approximately 500 gigabites of electronic records. State Archives has received several requests for records and there are access policies and procedures in place to facilitate those requests.
Todd Kleismit noted that Governor Strickland has visited OHS several times, including one visit to the Archives/Library.
Kleismit reported that the state budget will be tight this year due to low growth and restrictions placed on growth through recent legislation.
Statehood Day will be held on March 1, 2007 in the Statehouse Atrium. Governor Strickland has been asked to deliver the luncheon address. There will be display tables and small group meetings with legislators. The State Archives budget is a top legislative priority.
5b. Member Institutional Updates
Charlie Arp stated that Battelle is piloting a project that employs electronic content management and knowledge management at the desktop level.
Laurie Gemmill reported that OCLC merged with RLG and is undergoing the transition process wherein some products are being merged and others are simply shifting over to OCLC.
Floyd reported that she is in charge of establishing an archives for the Medical College of Ohio, which recently merged with the University of Toledo. The archives is also receiving the papers of Dick Ruppert and in the final stages of hiring a Digital Initiatives Archivist.
Goerler reported that the Ohio State University is undergoing major administrative transitions. They are also looking into collaborating with Battelle Memorial Institute.
McLellan noted that the Wright State University Archives split their digital imaging into a separate division from the archives. She also reported that they have a high enrollment in the public history program and the students are looking for internships. They are also considering developing an interdisciplinary public history track.
Jim Oda announced that construction has begun on the Flesh Public Library’s $19 million renovation project.
6. Adjournment
Before adjournment, Oda requested that the board consider not having meetings in January or February due to unpredictable weather and travel difficulty.
Goerler motioned to adjourn the meeting, with Oda seconding the motion. The next meeting will be April 20, 2007 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Ohio Historical Center.
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