Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board Meeting
Minutes, October 26, 2007
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Bill Laidlaw, Jelain Chubb, Amy Johnson Crow, Barbara Floyd, Laurie Gemmill, Marjorie McLellan, John Runion, Roger Verny
BOARD MEMBERS NOT PRESENT: Charles Arp, Raimund Goerler, Julie McMaster, Julia Michael Scott
OHS STAFF PRESENT: Todd Kleismit, Jim Strider, Pari Swift, Rachel Tooker
1. Welcome
Dr. Laidlaw called the meeting to order at 8:40 a.m.
Jelain Chubb provided the members present with copies of the new OHRAB Manual. The manual was complied by the Council of State Archivists as a resource for State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) members and has been customized for OHRAB. New members Amy Johnson Crow, John Runion and Roger Verny and reappointed member Marjorie McLellan received copies of the manual during the orientation session on Thursday, October 25.
2. Approval of April 20, 2007 Meeting Minutes
Laurie Gemmill moved to approve the minutes and Marjorie McLellan seconded. The minutes were approved.
3. Review of Revised State Archives Policies
Jim Strider presented background information on the previous and current versions of the Procedures Governing Records of State and Local Government Agencies Transferred to State Archives. Following recommendations in the assessment report of the State Archives written by David Carmichael, staff created a new document which updates the accession and deaccessioning policies and will allow the State Archives to function more efficiently while retaining safeguards for the disposal of records. Board members discussed the policy document and offered suggestions for improvement, including specifically mentioning electronic records, the role of retention schedules, distinguishing processing discards from deaccessioned materials, and clarifying policy versus procedures.
4a(i). Advocating for Ohio’s Documentary Heritage: Ohio Historical Society-State Archives
Laidlaw thanked the board for their support of the State Archives during the budget hearings and stated that OHS is committed to applying the additional $300,000 to the State Archives. He then asked how OHRAB can make another case for funding during the next budget cycle. Chubb noted that state agencies and constitutional officers are taking more interest in records issues. It was agreed that, in addition to finding those stories to bring the issues home to the legislators, OHS needs to track exactly how the additional funds are being spent and the impact that those funds have on the creators and users of records.
The board also discussed some other methods of funding records programs, such as a tax check-off, federal funding, and fee funds.
Todd Kleismit asked the board members for their thoughts on priorities to be addressed on Statehood Day, of which OHRAB is an organizational partner, on March 4, 2008. Last year Statehood Day helped focus attention on the importance of historical records and the need to increase funding for the State Archives.
4a(ii). Advocating for Ohio’s Documentary Heritage: Federal Programs
Chubb presented the board with information about the Preserve America’s Historical Records (PAHR) Act. Each board member was asked to write to the legislators in their district explaining why historical records are important and why the bill should be supported. In addition, Amy Johnson Crow agreed to co-author a letter with Laidlaw to the Federation of Genealogical Societies. Board members were encouraged to send a copy of any letters that they write to State Archives. Kleismit will add PAHR to Capwiz on the Ohio Historical Society website once the bill is introduced in Congress.
4b. NHPRC Grant Applications
The board was asked to discuss how the availability of grants can be better promoted along with OHRAB’s role as a reviewing and mentoring entity. One idea was to post information that explains NHPRC grants and OHRAB’s role in the process to pertinent Ohio listservs. Another suggestion was for OHRAB to target communications to institutions with known nationally significant collections and encourage them to submit grant applications over the next year. Many noteworthy collections can be found in state universities or major metropolitan library systems.
4c. Ohio Electronic Records Committee (OERC)
Barbara Floyd turned the report over to John Runion, chair of the OERC. Runion also provided updates on the status of various OERC guidelines including a draft letter aimed at making professional associations aware of the OERC. Runion also informed the board that OERC has asked Pari Sabety, Director, Office of Budget and Management to be a speaker at its next meeting.
4d. Nominations and Renewals of Board Members
Strider reported that OHS was working with the Governor’s Office to finalize Jill Tatem’s nomination. In addition, there are four remaining board positions to be filled. The board was informed of prospective nominees for those positions. The board was also asked to be thinking of potential future nominees, keeping in mind functional, ethnic and geographical diversity.
The board discussed resolutions of appreciation for retiring board members and Chubb asked for assistance in drafting the resolutions. Gemmill offered to provide some assistance.
4e. Process for Selecting Vice-Chair
Strider stated that the bylaws require that a non-OHS board member serve as vice-chair of OHRAB. Past discussion of the selection process had been tabled until there was a full compliment of board members. Assuming additional members have been appointed, the board will select the vice-chair at the January 2008 meeting.
4f. OHRAB Financial Status Report
Chubb reported that the entire $10,000 in funds from the 2005 administrative grant was expended by April 30, 2007 and that final narrative and financial reports were sent to NHPRC in July. The 2007 administrative grant began on May 1. OHRAB contributed $1000 to the production of the Ohio Archives Month posters. Future NHPRC board support funds must be connected to specific board projects. The next deadline for a “State and National Archival Partnership Grant” is March 3, 2008.
5. Establish 2008 Meeting Calendar and Sites
The board discussed potential meeting dates for 2008. McLellan offered to contact Dawne Dewey at the Wright State University Archives in Dayton regarding the possibility of hosting an OHRAB meeting next year. Chubb asked that members contact her with schedule conflicts; she will email the final dates and locations.
6. Member Institutional Updates
Board members briefed those present about recent activities at their respective institutions.
7. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 11:55. The January meeting date will be announced via email.
