FYI...more funding cuts...call for help... ----Original Message Follows---- From: Bob Schmidt <[email protected]> Reply-To: Bob Schmidt <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Subject: [ARCHIVES] Support for NHPRC Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 15:22:08 -0400 Hello Everyone, Rand Jimerson asked that I forward this message about pending NHPRC cutbacks to the list. Bob Schmidt Archives Listserve Coordinator Miami University Archives Oxford, Ohio 45056 Tel: 513-529-6720 Email: [email protected] _______________________________________________________ To: Archivists and friends of archives From: Rand Jimerson, President of the Society of American Archivists As part of SAA's mission to provide education and information about archives and archival concerns, I want to inform you about proposed funding cutbacks for the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). These cutbacks threaten to reduce funding available for publications and archival projects designed to ensure preservation and access to historical records. Your support for NHPRC could make a significant difference, especially if you live in Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. (See list of committee members and contact info at the bottom of this message.) The appropriations bill that passed the House contained just $3 million for NHPRC. That amount would mean a drastic cut in programs and no chance for new programs. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, and General Government can raise the amount. The final amount would be negotiated in conference committee. A few emails, faxes, and phone calls to key senators - Richard Shelby (AL) is the chair and Patty Murray (D-WA) has expressed interest in supporting the NHPRC - can make an enormous difference, especially from citizens in the subcommittee members' home states. One politician noted that getting thirty constituents' comments on an issue was an avalanche, so every message counts. Note: Mail continues to be delayed due to testing for biohazards. If you send a written letter by post, it will probably arrive too late. Some tips: Messages that are cordial and offer insights into an issue are often more effective than direct requests to do something. If you choose to write, consider some of the following key points about the benefits of the program and the small amount of money allocated to the program. Indicate concrete benefits rather than point to noble goals ("Saved the papers of Mr. Smith of Localville" is more effective than "Those who fail to remember the past are condemned to repeat it.") - Personalize the letter with information about NHPRC grants in your state. Check NARA's website for recent projects: (http://www.archives.gov/grants/funded_endorsed_projects/funded_endorsed _projects.html) Mention projects that have benefited you, even though it's not from your state. (For example, the forthcoming revision of the SAA Glossary was funded, in part, by funds from NHPRC.) - The US Census website indicates that the US population is 293,987,103 (12 August). The full $10 million dollar funding for NHPRC is less than four cents for every man, woman, and child in the US. - Talk about the kinds of work that you need to do that NHPRC supports. NHPRC funds The Commission funds projects that deal with records of state, county, municipal, tribal, or other non-Federal units of government; manuscripts, personal and family papers, or organizational and business archives; collections of photographs, motion pictures, sound recordings, electronic records, and/or such visual materials as unpublished architectural, cartographic, and engineering drawings. The Commission funds projects that focus on the following activities authorized in the NHPRC statute, including collecting, describing, preserving, compiling, and publishing (including microfilming and other forms of reproduction) documentary sources significant to the history of the United States; undertaking projects seeking solutions to the various questions in the Commission's research agenda on electronic records; conducting institutes, training and educational programs, and fellowships related to the activities of the Commission; disseminating information about documentary sources through guides, directories, and other technical publications; or more generally: documentary editing and publishing; archival preservation and processing of records for access; developing or updating descriptive systems; creation and development of archival and records management programs; development of standards, tools, and techniques to advance the work of archivists, records managers, and documentary editors; and promotion of the use of records by teachers, students, and the public. The Senate will be back in session soon. Please contact Senators befoe September 7, to make a difference. Contact information: Appropriations : Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, and General Government Shelby, Richard - (R - AL) Class III 110 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-5744 E-mail: [email protected] Bennett, Robert - (R - UT) Class III 431 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-5444 Web Form: bennett.senate.gov/contact/emailmain.html Bond, Christopher - (R - MO) Class III 274 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-5721 bond.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm Brownback, Sam - (R - KS) Class III 303 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-6521 Web Form: brownback.senate.gov/CMEmailMe.htm Byrd, Robert - (D - WV) Class I 311 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-3954 Web Form: byrd.senate.gov/byrd_email.html Campbell, Ben - (R - CO) Class III 380 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-5852 Web Form: campbell.senate.gov/email.htm DeWine, Mike - (R - OH) Class I 140 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-2315 Web Form: dewine.senate.gov Dorgan, Byron - (D - ND) Class III 713 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-2551 E-mail: [email protected] Durbin, Richard - (D - IL) Class II 332 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-2152 Web Form: durbin.senate.gov/sitepages/contact.htm Hutchison, Kay - (R - TX) Class I 284 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-5922 Web Form: hutchison.senate.gov/e-mail.htm Kohl, Herb - (D - WI) Class I 330 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-5653 Web Form: kohl.senate.gov/gen_contact.html Mikulski, Barbara - (D - MD) Class III 709 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-4654 Web Form: mikulski.senate.gov/mailform.html Murray, Patty - (D - WA) Class III 173 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-2621 Web Form: murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm Reid, Harry - (D - NV) Class III 528 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-3542 Web Form: reid.senate.gov/email_form.cfm Specter, Arlen - (R - PA) Class III 711 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-4254 E-mail: [email protected] A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org. For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [email protected] In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname *or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES To post a message, send e-mail to [email protected] Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[email protected]>