SC State Historical Records Advisory Board (SC SHRAB)
Frequently Asked Questions
1) When was the SC SHRAB established and under what authority does it operate?
2) What is the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)?
3) What are state historical records advisory boards and what do they do?
4) Who is the state historical records coordinator?
5) What kind of budget and other resources does the SC SHRAB have?
6) What is the relationship between the SC SHRAB and the SC Department of
Archives and History?
7) What are the mission, vision, roles and functions of the SC SHRAB?
8) What are the major SC SHRAB activities?
9) What is the SC SHRAB state plan and who is it for?
10) What are the responsibilities of the SC SHRAB Members?
11) How often does the Board meet?
12) Are Board members paid for their service?
13) Does the Board have bylaws?
14) What are the SC SHRAB’s funding priorities?
15) How do I find out more about the SC SHRAB?
16) Who do I contact for more information about the SC SHRAB?
Governor James B. Edwards’ November 17, 1975 Executive Order established the Board as the “central advisory body for historical records planning” to serve as the liaison with the National Historical Publications and Records Commission grant program “…for the purpose of analyzing and funneling grant requests to the Commission from the public and private repositories.”
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), a
statutory body affiliated with the National Archives and Records Administration
(NARA), supports a wide range of activities to preserve, publish, and encourage
the use of documentary sources, created in every medium ranging from quill pen
to computer, relating to the history of the United States.
The NHPRC was established by Congress in 1934. It is a fifteen-member body
chaired by the Archivist of the United States. The Commission is composed of
representatives of the three branches of the Federal Government and professional
associations of archivists, historians, documentary editors, and records
administrators. NHPRC administrative staff at the National Archives Building in
Washington, DC, implements Commission policies and recommendations and advises
NHPRC on proposals and provides advice and assistance to potential applicants
and grantees.
Further information is available at:
http://archives.gov/nhprc/about/
Each state must have a formally constituted board appointed by the Governor or another approved process to participate in the NHPRC grants program. According to the NHPRC, state boards:
“…consist of at least seven members, including the State Historical Records Coordinator. The SHRAB should be as broadly representative as possible of the public and private archives, records offices, and research institutions and organizations in the state. Members are appointed for three years with the possibility of renewal. Board members receive no Federal compensation for their service on the SHRAB. SHRAB members should learn as much about the archives and historical records programs and issues in their state as possible. SHRAB members participate in SHRAB-sponsored activities such as planning and training sessions, information gathering, public education efforts, project development, grant proposal review, and conferences or workshops sponsored by the board or other organizations with complementary concerns and interests.
The SHRAB serves as the central advisory body for historical records planning and for Commission-funded projects developed and carried out within the state, as a coordinating body to facilitate cooperation among historical records repositories and other information agencies within the state, and as a state-level review body for proposals as defined in the Commission's grant program guidelines.”
More detail is available at:
http://archives.gov/nhprc/about/state-coordinators-boards.html#shrabs
Links to state board websites are available at:
http://www.statearchivists.org/shrabs.htm
According to the NHPRC: “The governor of each state desiring to participate
fully in the NHPRC grant program appoints a State Historical Records Coordinator
(SHRC), who shall be the full-time professional official in charge of the state
archival program or agency. The SHRC is appointed to a minimum four-year term
and serves as the chair of the State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB),
unless otherwise specified in state statute, and is the central coordinating
officer for the historical records grant program in the state. The SHRC provides
leadership to the SHRAB as well as others concerned with the state's documentary
heritage and garners additional support and resources for this important work.
The SHRC is not an official or employee of the Federal government and receives
no Federal compensation for such service.”
This is the link to a directory of state historical records coordinators:
http://www.statearchivists.org/statearchivists.htm
Funding for most Board activities comes from the NHPRC on a competitive grant basis for specified activities. The SC Department of Archives and History (SCDAH) staff provide support to the Board.
The SC SHRAB relies on staff assistance provided by the SC Department of
Archives and History (http://scdah.sc.gov/
), which has mandated responsibilities for state and local government, but not
non-government, historical records. As the largest archival repository in South
Carolina, the SCDAH realizes it has a leadership role to play for non-government
as well as state and local government records, and does so as much as possible
through the SC SHRAB.
The Board Chairman/Coordinator is the Director of the South Carolina Department
of
Archives and History. Several of his staff handle the day to
day work of conducting Board grant projects, training sessions, website
maintenance, and other activities as time permits in addition to their regular
SCDAH duties.
7) What are the mission, vision, roles and functions of the SC
SHRAB?
The SC SHRAB adopted the following statements in 2007:
Mission
The SC SHRAB advises and supports efforts to identify, preserve, and provide access to South Carolina’s historical records.
Vision
The SC SHRAB is an active and effective agent for the preservation of and wider
public access to South Carolina’s historical records and serves as a model for
the nation’s other SHRABs. It fosters and supports communication and
collaboration, as well as plays the roles of educator, advocate, promoter,
planner, and coordinator.
The SC SHRAB aids its wide array of constituents directly through grant funding
and indirectly through its coordinating role. The board provides a meeting
ground where common agendas and goals can be developed and pursued.
A) Planning
Develops and promotes a strategic plan for historical records in South Carolina
by:
B) Advocacy and Education
Promotes and encourages programs and projects to raise public awareness of the
significance of historical records and their conditions and needs
Encourages and supports communication and collaboration for preserving and
making available the state’s historical records
Monitors and offers commentary on legislation, regulations, rulings, opinions,
and procedures affecting South Carolina’s historical records
Supports education and professional training on archives and records
C) Funding
Advocates and seeks financial support for historical records programs and
education
Serves as the state-level review body for grant proposals to the National
Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) from South Carolina
institutions and organizations
Promotes and publicizes grants programs and encourages participation through
advice and assistance in proposal development
Reviews and monitors the progress of grant projects that were previously
evaluated by the Board
The Board sponsors a number of activities, including an annual awards
program, archival education and training, analysis and planning for improvement
of historical records preservation and administration, travel scholarships for
National History Day students, maintenance/updating of a statewide historical
repositories directory, sponsorship of Archives Month, review grant proposals
from SC repositories to NHPRC, and grant awards through regranting projects
funded by NHPRC.
These links provide information on NHPRC-funded grants to South Carolina
institutions and organizations since 1977:
http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/shrab/shrabnhprcgrantinstitutions.htm
http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/shrab/grants/Map-CountyLinks.htm
Every five or six years the Board assesses historical records conditions and
needs within South Carolina in both the government and private sectors, develops
a state plan for addressing the problems identified, and formulates priorities
for NHPRC funding within South Carolina. The plan is based on extensive
information-gathering and involves a great deal of input from many interested
individuals from around the state.
The strategies identified in the plan are for all those interested in the future
of our historical records, not just for the SC SHRAB, though the Board plays an
active and supporting role wherever possible.
The current state plan, including links to the report on information gathering,
is available at:
http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/shrab/shrabstateplan07.htm
Copies of previous state plans as well as reports on accomplishments are
available at:
http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/shrab/stateplanaccomplish.htm
Meeting attendance and participation and service on committees and grant
reviewing are the most important responsibilities.
As noted above (#3), the NHPRC recommends that: “SHRAB members should learn as
much about the archives and historical records programs and issues in their
state as possible. SHRAB members participate in SHRAB-sponsored activities such
as planning and training sessions, information gathering, public education
efforts, project development, grant proposal review, and conferences or
workshops sponsored by the board or other organizations with complementary
concerns and interests.”
Full Board meetings are held two to three times per year. Committee meeting of Board members are also held during the year.
Board members are not paid for their service on the SC SHRAB. They are eligible, however, for travel reimbursement to Board meetings and other related events in conformance with state government travel policies and procedures.
Yes. A copy is available at: http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/shrab/shrabbylaws1.htm
The following are the three priorities (of equal importance) the SC SHRAB
will use in rating grant proposals from South Carolina institutions and
organizations seeking NHPRC and/or other funding administered by the Board.
Below each of the three priorities are examples of the types of projects that
would be appropriate for grant funding. These are examples only, and do not
preclude the possibility of other projects being considered.
The SC SHRAB is especially interested in projects that would address
under-documented subjects and social groups and access to historical records.
These projects could fall under any of the priorities. The SC SHRAB is very
interested in collaborative efforts.
1. Improving the preservation of and access to non-digital/electronic historical records
Examples:
- Identifying gaps in documentation and making them widely known to the archival community and the general public
- Making publicly accessible through arrangement and description South Carolina’s historical records, especially those of under-documented topics and social groups
- Preserving historical records through proper storage/housing and reformatting to microfilm
- Providing training at professional association conferences and workshops and via the Internet on such topics as preservation, access, and disaster planning, especially for staff and volunteers at smaller repositories
- Developing collaboration/coordination in planning for recovery from potential local, regional, statewide disasters
2. Improving access to and management of historically significant digital/electronic records
Examples:
- Conducting projects in the state’s larger repositories, based on best practices, for the management and preservation of born digital/electronic records that can serve as models for wider use
- Sharing the expertise in information technology by the state’s larger repositories to make recognized standards and best practices more understandable and accessible to staff from other repositories
3. Increased advocacy and collaboration
Examples:
- Creating Archives Month celebrations and other events to capture public interest
- Developing assistance programs for smaller repositories that take advantage of economies of scale in such areas as bulk purchases of archival supplies and scanning
There is a great deal of information available on the Board website:
http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/shrab/shrab1.htm
Included are meeting summaries, annual reports and annual work plans, and news
on projects and other activities.
Contact:
Heather South
(803) 896-6112
southh@scdah.state.sc.us