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Archives & History Committee

Archives & History Committee

Committee 

The committee shall comprise of at least one committee chair, as appointed by the PaLA president,  with other supporting members.

Purpose

To maintain the history of the Association. The archives are maintained on a secure digital repository accessible through this URL. Materials prior to 2021 are maintained physically at the State Library of Pennsylvania.

Duties:

  • Arranges for preservation of archival material of the association.
  • Maintains a current inventory or finding list of the archives.
  • Documents the history of the association.
  • Assists PaLA staff in reference questions and other inquiries about the association’s history.
  • Oversees standards for file naming, metadata, and format sustainability.
  • Recommends to the Board procedures for digital storage, cybersecurity, access control, and disaster recovery.
  • Ensures archival materials are stored in secure, backed-up systems approved by the Board of Directors.
  • Coordinates migration of files to updated formats or systems as needed to prevent data loss.

Archive Overview

Archive Contents

The PaLA Archives contains items that are of permanent historical interest to the association.

All Divisions, Round Tables, Chapters  and Committees will supply headquarters with materials to be considered for placement in the archives.

Outgoing officers and chairs should transfer archival materials to headquarters at the end of their terms in office. A Donor Information Form and Deed of Gift (see Appendix 1) should accompany every donation.

As the permanent record of the association, archives should contain materials of genuine historical importance. These include items that illustrate the association’s organization and development, its functions, and its activities.

Transfer and Retention Guidelines

Association members shall exercise care in transferring items to the archives. In general, material that is being used to conduct association business should stay with the pertinent officers, committees, or staff. Upon completion of a project or at the end of an officer’s or committee’s term, digital records shall be transferred to the designated archival repository using the file submission procedures established by the Archives and History Committee When in doubt, association members and staff shall consult with the Archives and History Committee before discarding any materials or holding them for their own use. Members wishing to retain copies for personal or professional reasons may duplicate digital files prior to submission.

All submitted files must follow established file naming conventions and include appropriate metadata (name of the office, committee, or project to which the records pertain, as well as a date range)

Once transferred to the Archives and History Committee will evaluate incoming materials to decide which are of lasting importance to the association. In general, routine correspondence (such as thank you notes, announcements of meetings, and receipts) will not be kept. Unless otherwise noted, the records listed below shall be kept in perpetuity. Other records will be kept at the discretion of the Archives and History Committee.

General Association

  • Bylaws, including revisions and amendments
  • Histories and chronologies of the association
  • Conference programs and materials
  • Legislation sponsored by the association
  • Membership lists or directories
  • Memorials and awards given to the association
  • Minutes of business meetings
  • Obituaries of prominent or longtime members
  • Photographs
  • Procedure Manuals
  • Publicity and clippings about the association, its activities, or prominent members
  • Other materials reflecting the establishment and growth of the association, as well as its important accomplishments, controversies, or policies.

Officers:

  • Rosters of officers and committee members
  • Executive Board minutes and reports

President:

  • Annual report to the association
  • Correspondence (including letters and emails)
  • Reports from Committees

Treasurer:

  • Annual report to the association
  • Audits
  • Bank statements, checks, passbooks, receipted bills, etc. ( keep only 5 yrs & current)

Other Officers:

  • Reports
  • Meeting Minutes
  • Correspondence (including letters and emails)

Divisions, Committees, Round Tables, Chapters:

  • Reports
  • Rosters of officers and committee members
  • Correspondence ( including letters and emails)

Projects, including joint conferences, workshops, grant activities, etc.:

  • Reports
  • Correspondence ( including letters and emails)
  • Flyers, handouts, and other materials distributed at events

Publications:

  • PaLA Bulletin
  • Web Site
  • Other publications

Donations

The Archive and History Committee shall solicit donations of association-related materials from officers and the general membership at least once every year. All donations should be accompanied with a Donor Information and Deed of Gift form, which transfers ownership and copyright to PaLA

Usage and Reference Services

All items in the archives shall be open for consultation and use by the Archives and History Committee, PaLA officers and members, PaLA staff, and researchers from the general public. PaLA staff and/or the Archives and History Committee shall respond to brief, factual questions within six weeks of a request.

Archival materials shall be accessible through secure digital access as permitted by the Archives and History Committee and in accordance with privacy, copyright, and data protection policies.

The Archives Committee may restrict access to certain records due to confidentiality, copyright, or legal considerations.

 

Preservation

The Archives Committee shall follow recognized digital preservation best practices, including redundant backups, periodic integrity checks, controlled access permissions, and migration of files to sustainable formats as technology evolves.

No digital files shall be altered once accessioned, except as part of documented preservation processes.

Digital Repository Standards

  • Files shall be stored in non-proprietary or widely supported formats when possible (e.g., PDF/A, TIFF, CSV).
  • The repository shall maintain at least two redundant backups in separate locations.
  • Access permissions shall be managed through role-based controls.
  • Sensitive or confidential materials shall be restricted in accordance with legal and ethical standards.
  • Periodic review shall be conducted to ensure continued accessibility of file formats.
  • Shall investigate best practices, such as those advocated by the Society of American Archivists, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference, and or other local archival repositories. 

Other Projects

At the discretion of the President and the Archives and History Committee Chair, the committee may undertake other projects to document and preserve association history, as well as the history of libraries and librarianship in Pennsylvania. Before undertaking any project (such as oral history), the committee shall apprise itself of relevant federal, state, and local laws regarding copyright and human subjects research. It is recommended that the committee seeks guidance and/or approval of an academic Institutional Review Board.

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