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An administrative support grant of $10,000 allowed the Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board (OHRAB) to continue to plan and implement activities integral to its mission of advocating, nurturing and advising programs that identify, preserve, and provide access to Ohio's documentary heritage. During a one-year extension of this grant, the remaining funds were expended for board-related activities, primarily in conducting board meetings.
This final narrative report highlights activities resulting from the board's eight meetings during this period. Seven of those meetings convened at the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus, Ohio; one meeting took place at the Adena State Memorial in Chillicothe, Ohio. A more complete narrative of board activities can be found in interim reports and meeting minutes found on the OHRAB website (http://www.ohiojunction.net/ohrab/index.html), which was maintained and expanded during this time. Copies of these minutes and interim reports are attached to this report.
During the first year OHRAB continued to implement The Ohio 2003 Plan: A Statement of Priorities and Preferred Approaches for Historical Records Programs in Ohio. The plan guided the Ohio Historical Society and other organizations in improving access to historical materials and launching initiatives such as the Ohio Memory Project, the award-winning online portal to historical treasures owned by more than 300 archives, historical societies and museums in Ohio.
On September 26, 2003, the board held "The Future of Our Past: Ohio's Historical Records at 200 Years" Conference. More than 100 archivists, librarians, curators, records managers, and public officials discussed a long-range, collaborative plan for creating, maintaining and preserving Ohio's historical records. Sustaining accomplishments, overcoming challenges and rekindling the enthusiasm of those who create, use and preserve Ohio's historical records were the major topics of discussion. Speakers included Dr. John Grabowski, associate professor in applied history at Case Western Reserve University and director of research, Western Reserve Historical Society, and Dr. Ken Thibodeau, director of the electronic records archives program at the National Archives and Records Administration. Additionally, William K. Laidlaw Jr., executive director of the Ohio Historical Society, and Elaine H. Hairston, vice president of the OHS Board of Trustees, opened the records summit.
During the extension of the grant period, OHRAB drafted a strategic plan to guide its endeavors from 2005 through 2007. To view the plan, click here:
The plan outlines the board's initiatives to address the major issues facing its constituents. Three major themes guide the plan:
Acquiring and delivering Ohio's documentary heritage to today and tomorrow
Advocating for Ohio's documentary heritage
Strengthening OHRAB as a partner in Ohio's documentary heritage
As a result of the plan, an official OHRAB representative was appointed to the Ohio Electronic Records Committee. Board members also continued working not only to increase state funding for Ohio's documentary heritage, but also to facilitate training on best practices for electronic records issues. A draft of OHRAB by-laws and a board membership manual are also in progress.
The strategic plan charges OHRAB to increase the number and quality of grant applications to NHRPC for historical records projects in Ohio. To accomplish this goal, the board plans to distribute a letter and accompanying brochure to selected Ohio records repositories about the availability of NHPRC grants.
To encourage organizations to attend workshops to help them design a successful grant projects, the board also contributed $500 to the Society of Ohio Archivists to sponsor a grant-writing workshop at SOA's Spring 2005 conference. Presented by Tom Clareson, Manager of Education & Planning, Digital Collection & Preservation Services Division of OCLC, this one-day workshop focuses on preparing for and writing grants for digitization and/or preservation projects. Participants will learn how to evaluate appropriate funding sources, design a project, and obtain hands-on practice in preparing a grant proposal. Registration fees are $35.00 per participant. For more information about this workshop, visit
http://www.ohiojunction.net/soa/conference/workshop.html.
Since some statewide records management programs have instituted filing fees to fund local government records programs and improve access at state and local levels, OHRAB is exploring ways to create more effective management of public records. Two possible proposals to state government are being considered: a county filing fee and a license fee.
In May 2004, William K. Laidlaw, executive director of the Ohio Historical Society, was appointed as State Coordinator to replace Gary Ness. Laurie A. Gemmill was appointed as OHRAB's new Deputy State Coordinator in June 2004. Charles Arp, Barbara Floyd, and James Oda were re-appointed for three-year terms, while John Fleming, Kermit Pike, and Carol Tomer were re-appointed to two-year terms. The board is currently working to fill two vacant positions.
As a result of the financial support received from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, OHRAB continues to make significant progress on improving access to all historical records, whether derived from local and state government or maintained in paper or electronic format.
Attachments
Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board Roster
Agenda/Discussion Topics for The Future of Our Past: Ohio's Historical Records at 200 Years
Evaluation Results, The Future of Our Past: Ohio's Historical Records at 200 Years
Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board Strategic Plan 2005-2007
OHRAB Meeting Minutes from February 21, 2003, June 13, 2003, October 30, 2003, January 15, 2004, March 12, 2004, June 18, 2004, August 20, 2004, and October 29, 2004
OHRAB Interim Reports from December 1, 2002-June 1, 2003, June 1, 2003 to November 30, 2003, and December 1, 2003-May 31, 2004
