CPR ROUNDTABLE ELECTIONS
The Nominating Committee of the SAA Congressional Papers Roundtable is pleased to present the following candidates for the position of chair-elect and for two (2) positions on the steering committee. Nominations were sought from the membership, with the exciting result that more members indicated an interest in leadership and increased involvement in the roundtable than we might have anticipated. In order to make these people known to the membership as potential leaders in both this and future elections, the committee decided to offer them all as candidates, requesting from each of them the following information:
Your name, official title, and institution
Your experience with congressional papers
What you would like to bring to the CPR chairmanship
What you would like to see the CPR doing over the next four years
Their statements are presented as they submitted them.
Voting will be by electronic ballot through the SAA system and is scheduled to begin May 20. This array of fine candidates is a credit to both our present and our future as a roundtable.
Watch for notification, and be sure to vote!
CANDIDATES (2) FOR CHAIR-ELECT (Vote for 1)
JOHN MURPHY
Curator for 20th & 21st Century Western Manuscripts
L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University
John Murphy is Curator for 20th & 21st Century Western Manuscripts in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University; as part of his professional responsibilities he acquires, arranges, and describes congressional and political collections. He graduated from Brigham Young University in 1994 with a degree in history and political science, and in 1997 he completed a MA degree from Brandeis University in Comparative History. That same year he completed a MSLIS (Archives Concentration) from Simmons College.
Prior to his current position, he was Archivist for Congressional and Southwest Collections at the University of Arizona Library Special Collections. In graduate school, John worked as a corporate archivist for Kapor Enterprises Inc.; following graduate school he was a Lemelson Center Archives Fellow in the Archives Center, National Museum of American History. He is an active member of the archival community. He is a past president of the Conference of Intermountain Archivists; he is a past president of the SAA Security Roundtable; and he is a past member of the SAA Ethics Committee and the SAA Standards Committee.
If elected, John would like to see the Congressional Papers Roundtable take the lead in developing clear and concise DACS compliant descriptive standards for congressional and political collections. In addition, he would like to collaborate with archivists at smaller institutions to identify and better promote “hidden” congressional collections. Finally, John would like to further promote CPRs work to preserve and maintain electronic records.
JILL SEVERN
Head of Access and Outreach
Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries
In my twelve years at the Russell Library I have worked with congressional papers in our collections in a variety of ways. Initially, I participated in the processing of political papers on the state and federal level including the papers of Congressman Lindsay Thomas. In 2001, the focus of my worked shifted to management of reference, access, and outreach initiatives for all of the Library’s collections, which include over forty congressional collections.
In this work I developed an instructional program for undergraduates and graduates at the University designed to introduce and illuminate the great potential for research in all of our collections and specifically our congressional collections, which offer a broad snapshot of constituent interests and concerns. I also implemented an outreach program of exhibits and public programs focused on topical themes instead of individuals. This emphasis has allowed us to incorporate a much broader array of materials from our collections and to help visitors realize the breadth and wealth that political papers offer for understanding our history.
In 2007, I began to define a new major outreach initiative focused on civic engagement. Working in concert with the National Issues Forums Institute, we established the Russell Forum for Civic Life in Georgia. The mission for this project is to encourage community engagement with critical public issues through public deliberative forums, training, and collaboration. This initiative changes people’s assumptions about what the archives can be, and provides an excellent opportunity for synergies to develop between forums on current public concerns and exhibits and programs that treat past discourse on the same issues. Also, public forums have the potential to inform and enrich collections development strategy.
If elected chair of the Congressional Papers Roundtable (C.P.R.), I would bring a strong foundation of experience with congressional papers and with the roundtable. I served as a member of the steering committee from 1998 to 2000, and have an active knowledge of issues and projects within the roundtable as well as working within the SAA framework. I also gained relevant leadership experience as president of the Society of Georgia Archivists in 2007. In addition, I would draw heavily upon my experience with outreach and instruction to assess the needs and interests of members to plan engaging and imaginative conference programming and to advocate effectively on their behalf.
In the next four years I would like to see C.P.R. learn more about its members and their needs and interests through a strong program of regular assessment. There are many new faces joining those present since the organization’s inception. To understand how best to serve all of our members, we need to learn more about their expectations, experience, interests, and concerns. As chair, I would charge the steering committee to undertake a major membership survey to provide the critical data necessary to plot a direction forward for the organization.
At the same time, we are looking within the organization for inspiration and guidance, I think it is critical to cast our gaze outwards towards those who use congressional collections and, more importantly, those who do not. During C.P.R.’s tenure, its members have built strong and enduring relationships with congressional members and staff. We can build on this foundation and forge new ties by demonstrating the myriad ways that their collections educate and inform citizens long after they leave office. To do this we need to learn more about the outreach strategies and experiences of C.P.R. members. With this information, C.P.R. can serve as a conduit for developing cooperative projects between and among members and as a clearinghouse for sharing innovative and successful outreach and advocacy programs. Similarly, CPR can look at alliances with related organizations, such as the Association of Centers for the Study of Congress.
CANDIDATES (6) FOR STEERING COMMITTEE POSITIONS (Vote for 2)
JULIA COLLINS
University Archivist and Moakley Institute Director
Suffolk University
Julia Collins is University Archivist and director of the Moakley Archive and Institute at Suffolk University. Since 2002, Collins has served in a variety of roles in the development of the archival program at Suffolk University that includes the political papers of Congressman Joe Moakley. As University Archivist, she oversees collection development and archival processing; curates the oral history program; provides curriculum, research and programming support for faculty, students and the general public; has recently launched Suffolk’s online archives catalog and is embarking on the development of a university-wide records management program at Suffolk. Additionally, she oversees the Moakley Institute which sponsors speaking programs, exhibits and leads service learning trips to El Salvador – all in relation to Congressman Moakley’s public policy campaigns and the study of Congress. Before joining Suffolk, Collins worked at the Harvard Theatre Collection and Widener Library at Harvard University and the Cambridge Public Library.
Ms. Collins earned her B.S. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her MLIS from Simmons College. She is active in the following organizations: Congressional Papers Roundtable, Association of Centers for the Study of Congress (Archives Committee Member), Society of American Archivists and New England Archivists.
What you would like to bring to the CPR Steering Committee
In addition to a passion for political papers and promoting the study of the Congress, to the committee I would bring my experience working with new technologies, strategic planning and public outreach.
What you would like to see the CPR doing over the next four years
Over the next few years, I would like to see CPR increase its role as standards-making body as it relates to collecting and processing congressional collections, whether in traditional paper format or in electronic formats. Additionally, we should continue to promote the use of congressional papers to new audiences and in new ways; strengthening strategic relationships between congressional papers repositories and the research communities we serve.
MICHAEL LOTSTEIN
Assistant Archivist for Collections and Records Management
Arizona State University Libraries - Department of Archives and Special Collections
Your experience with congressional papers
During my tenure at the ASU Libraries, Department of Archives and Special Collections, I have processed the Congressman Richard F. Harless Papers, processed a 100 linear foot accretion to the Congressman John J. Rhodes Papers, supervised the inventory of the Congressman Bob Stump Papers and have worked with the papers of Senator Carl Hayden and Senator Henry F. Ashurst.
What you would like to bring to the CPR steering committee
I would like to bring to the CPR steering committee the enthusiasm that comes with being a new member of an organization that will hopefully translate into a successful term of service.
What you would like to see the CPR doing over the next four years
I would like to see the CPR over the next 4 years doing more outreach with members of Congress directly to help prepare their papers for transfer to the appropriate archival institution as well as investigate the feasibility of a mentoring program for archivists tackling congressional collections for the first time.
CARY G. OSBORNE, MLIS
Political Papers Archivist
New Mexico State University
Professional Experience: Political Papers Archivist, New Mexico State Libraries, Las Cruces, 2008-Present. Graduate Assistant/archivist, Carl Albert Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, 2006-2007.
Education: Master of Library & Information Studies, University of Oklahoma, 2007. Graduate studies, history, James Madison University. BA, History/Communications, Mary Baldwin College, 1981 (summa cum laude).
Professional Activities: SAA, 2006-Present, attended annual conference, Washington, D.C., 2006. SSA, 2006-Present, attended annual conference, Oklahoma City, 2007. American Library Association, 2006-Present, attended annual conference, Washington, D.C., 2006. New Mexico Library Association, editor, NMLA Bulletin, 2008-Present.
Publications/Presentations: Six novels, 16 short stories, and several articles on writing. Book Review: “Texas Devils: Rangers & Regulars on the Lower Rio Grande, 1846-1861,” Southern New Mexico Historical Review, Jan. 2009. Presentation: “Robert L. Owen, Oklahoma’s First Senator,” annual conference of Oklahoma Historical Society, 2007. Exhibit: “Dick T. Morgan, Oklahoma Representative,” Carl Albert Center, 2007. Online exhibit: “Out of the Dark Room,” 2007. Five small articles in professional newsletters on the Pete V. Domenici collection, announcing the state of processing and my appointment as Political Papers Archivist in charge of processing this collection.
One of the qualities I would bring to the CPR Steering Committee would be perseverance, demonstrated by my non-traditional college education. In my career I have worked in two separate archives, the Carl Albert Center, a Congressional Archives with well established collections; Political Papers Archives, the recently acquired Senator Domenici collection. Although NMSU houses several archives, this is the first congressional archive and I came as their first archivist with experience in this field. As such, I have established everything from processing procedures to office procedures based on accepted methods learned at Carl Albert, from manuals published by SAA in several areas of work, and other sources.
I have been a member of SAA for close to 3 years; the same for CPR. In that time I have only begun to get to know other members. I believe it is important that we work together, especially in the face of the small size of both our organization and our profession. Thus far in my short time as a member of CPR and as a recent member of the profession and in coping with a new position – even moving to a new city – I have been mostly a lurker in the organization, particularly on the listserv. Now, work has begun on the Domenici collection in earnest with the help of information and discussions gleaned from other members of the CPR. It is time to begin to give back and to learn more by doing than by simply reading.
As we all know, the next four years will be very interesting ones. Several archival issues wait to be resolved on local, regional, and national levels. Perhaps we will work to increase our effectiveness and influence over archives as a whole, and Congressional Archives in particular. As a major source for processes and procedures, and knowledge of the materials and organization with which we deal in congressional collections, we are well placed to assist others in their efforts at research. We must educate researchers and other professionals not only about who we are and what we do, but also demonstrate the importance of preserving some of our history through these collections.
BETSY PITTMAN
Interim Director, Thomas J. Dodd Research Center
University of Connecticut
Your experience with congressional papers
I have worked with Congressional Collections since 1997 in my capacity as Curator of Political Collections. In the past eleven years, I have been involved in all aspects of access and reference in addition to donor relations, processing, exhibitions and publications associated with the ten Congressional collections I inherited and the 5 I have been involved in adding to the holdings of the Dodd Research Center.
What you would like to bring to the CPR steering committee
I would enjoy sharing my experience with the CPR steering committee in the hope of enabling others to learn (and not repeat) my mistakes while building upon my successes. All too many of us have a wide spectrum of responsibilities and it is only through ongoing dialog with our colleagues that efficiencies are achieved and “best practices” refined.
What you would like to see the CPR doing over the next four years
In the next four years, I would like to see CPR engage in more collaborative activities. By sharing our knowledge, resources and experience to highlight the significant materials each of us manages I believe we can highlight more of what is possible in collections that are frequently overwhelming in size, scope and complexity.
LORI SCHWARTZ
Special Projects Archivist
South Carolina Political Collections
University of South Carolina
I have been a full time political papers archivist at SC Political Collections since 2004 when I graduated from the University of South Carolina with degrees in LIS and Public History. Mostly, I have worked with the papers of Ernest F. "Fritz" Hollings, who was lieutenant governor and governor for SC before serving as U.S . Senator from 1966 to 2005. I've attended the pre-conference sessions held by CPR for several years and now would like to step up and serve on its steering committee. I would bring to the committee a willingness to share my honest opinion about what is working for our group and what is not, and what I see as the problems we deal with in our chosen niche in the archives world.
I would like to see CPR identify and reach out to all the part-time congressional papers archivists out there who have not yet connected with our group and could use a group of peers to reach out to with questions. Though I know there are many part-timers already involved in CPR, we all know there are many more hidden out there in university manuscript divisions and historical societies and state historical agencies. Also, I would like the pre-conference to continue bringing in speakers with whom we can have good question and answer sessions, but I would also like to set aside time for smaller group discussion, perhaps with set topics -- to serve as a bridge between dialoguing with speakers and the networking time that most of us would agree has been valuable and rewarding.
JACQUE SUNDSTRAND
Manuscripts & Archives Librarian
Special Collections Department
University of Nevada, Reno
Experience with congressional papers:
My work with congressional papers began in 2001 when I came to the Special Collections Dept. at UNR. The department already had three processed congressional collections (both House and Senate) with three more senator’s papers waiting in the wings. I began work on former Senator Richard Bryan’s papers with a graduate assistant. We also have an agreement of deposit with Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid and have already received some of his early materials. Both collections have been learning experiences on how to work with these large, complex papers, and I learn more each time! I value the written information I’ve found in the professional literature but even more so the knowledge that other colleagues have shared at the CPR meetings.
What I would like to bring to the CPR steering committee:
Mine would be the voice of a congressional papers archivist from the western section of the continental U.S. The honor and challenge of working with congressional papers is a humbling experience as you learn so much about the inner workings of these political offices, and thus, how to deal with these papers. Therefore, I will continue to encourage the CPR to maintain its informational training voice both in the newsletter and at the SAA meetings, with hopes that we can expand these presentations into additional written formats for all to refer to.
What I would like to see the CPR doing over the next 4 years:
- Help document the advice and mentoring of experienced CPR colleagues from the SAA/CPR list through more written guidelines, articles and “best practices.”
- Use the CPR website to house a “Wikipedia” for shared forms, legal guidelines, definitions, etc.
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