Hall of Records Commission
Agenda

for a Meeting 
at the Maryland State Archives
Electronic Classroom
12 Noon
September 1, 1998

Call to Order by the Acting Chairman

The meeting was called to order by the Acting Chairman at 12:17 p.m.

•  Dr. Papenfuse stated that this is the first meeting held since the former Chairman's passing away last July and asked for a moment of silence.

• moment of silence for the former Chairman

Election of New Chairman

• report and motion of the nominating committee (Treasurer Dixon)

Attendees & Introduction of Special Guests

Reports and Minutes of Previous Meetings,

• March 19, 1998
• Special meetings
• Maryland Day Ceremonies in Baltimore and Annapolis, March 25, 1998
Proposed Action: motion of approval of minutes (as amended, if amended), and recognition of the special meetings of the Commission as defined by standing resolution

Records Retention and Disposal Schedules

• Retention
• Disposal

Proposed Action: motion of approval of Records Retention and Disposal Schedules as presented

Old Business

• 

Plinth dedicating Courts of Appeals Building in honor of Judge Murphy
 
• report of the subcommittee on Newspaper preservation (Dr. Ridgeway, Dr. Phillips, Mr. deLorenzo).  Defer with Proposed Resolution of an additional charge to investigate the best means of centrally preserving the master negatives of all newspapers, serials, and periodicals published in Maryland and for the Archives to extend its Newspaper guide to include serials and periodicals such as Niles' Register and Benjamin  Lundy's Universal Genius of Emancipation.

Archivist's Report & Staff Activities (see Bulldog for details)

• Recent contributions to the collections of the State Archives: The Cristofane and Mitchell Collections
• Recent contributions of Archives volunteers: improving the parking lot through the efforts of Douglas deKeyser
• as it was
• as it came to be

Recent Acquisitions

• Special Collections sc981001.html
• Government Records  090198t.html

Finding Aids, Reference Services, and Publications

• State Agency Records: Comptroller's Records, 1958-1998
• Special Collections (see Summer Internship Program)

Education & Outreach

• Teaching in the Age of Internet: web-based courses to be taught by the State Archivist
• Maryland History (Fall 1998, Johns Hopkins University
• Baltimore and the Bay (Spring 1999, Johns Hopkins University)
• Public History (Spring 1999, University of Maryland, with emphasis on Maryland as a model)
• Proposed Resolution: The commission recognizes that Dr. Papenfuse prepares and teaches his courses independently of his duties as State Archivist on his own time and at his own expense, although he shares his work with the public at the Archives web site as a personal contribution to advancement of the study of American and Maryland history, and that it seems proper, reasonable, and not a conflict of interest  for him to be compensated for his teaching and his educational innovations.
• Summer Internship Program

Administrative & Fiscal Matters

• Taskforce for the creation and communication of verified and authentic electronic files
• report on progress and

proposed resolution: That the taskforce be urged to consider the dual problem of securing permanently valuable electronic files in a well-managed archival environment at the State Archives to which recourse can be made for verification of unalterd content and the problem of providing accountable individuals with sercure identification for the communication of electronic mail and other electronic records.
• Reorganization of the Archives to create a program of Electronic Archives managed by a Director of Electronic Archives
• a position approved in this year's budget permits consolidation of all electronic archival related issues and personnel within the compass of a new program of Electronic Archives.

Proposed Resolution: That the Archives create a program of Electronic Archives within the State Archives, the necessity for which has been discussed and outlined at previous Commission meetings,  and actively recruit a Director who will coordinate and manage the development of a truly permanent archives of electronic records utilizing the funding and staff provided for in the current and future budgets of the Archives.
• Audit Report:

major issues-

1) the auditors argue that honorariums cannot be paid to management staff from Federal Grants, even though the work is done on personal time and at personal expense with the approval of the Federal granting agency. The issue for this audit was resolved (but not to the satisfaction of the employee or the Archives) by the employee returning the honorarium to a holding account pending directions from the Federal Granting Agency with regard to its final disposition.

2) the auditors dispute the Commission's definition of the Archives of Maryland Series and contend that approximately $40,000 in interest should have been earned by the General Fund instead of by the Archives Fund. The issue is still in dispute and may need further legal clarification through legislation or an opinion of the Attorney General's office.

• Budget Issues, Present and Future:

FY 2000 budget proposals
• The Archival Challenge: ensuring quality, reliability and permanence for all forms of the historical record
• The Archival Challenge: space for existing collections and future acquisitions- beyond the year 2000
• The Archival Challenge: providing a spatial context for interpretation and education

Forthcoming special meetings of the Commission & events of interest

forthcoming exhibit of items from the Peabody Collection at Government House, Opening planned for October 1
 

Next meeting

Adjournment

Dr. Edward C. Papenfuse
State Archivist

Email: If you have an Email account linked to your WEB browser, click here to activate your mail program to send an inquiry or message to me at archives@mdarchives.state.md.us or contact me at (410) 260-6403.

© Copyright 1998 Maryland State Archives