State Historical Records Advisory Board
What's New
We compiled and publlished a list of Local, State, Federal, and Private grant sources available to historical repositories in Oregon. Also included is a brief introduction to grants and grant funding.
NHPRC Grant Opportunities and Deadlines
Comprehensive List of Grant Opportunities Available to Historical Repositories in Oregon
Contact Dan Cantrall, Deputy Coordinator, for additional iinformation and grant funding advice and assistance.
Background
In 1934, Congress created the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) to provide grants for the identification, preservation, and use of public and private papers and records that further an understanding and appreciation of local, state, and national history. In order to receive federal grants under the records program, states were required to establish state historical records advisory boards. NHPRC makes grants to help develop and sustain active state boards that can provide leadership to ensure the preservation of their state's documentary heritage.
The Oregon State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) was established pursuant to Public Law 90-620 as amended by Public Law 93-536 (1974), which created the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The governor appoints a minimum of seven members to three-year terms. NHPRC guidelines require that the majority of the members have experience in the administration of historical records or in a field of research that makes extensive use of such records. The Board does not receive any state funding. All funding comes from the NHPRC in administrative support grants coupled with cost-sharing by the Oregon State Archives.
All organizations, institutions and individuals create records simply in the process of doing their day-to-day activities. Such organizations and institutions include governmental agencies, businesses, churches, synagogues and other religious bodies, colleges, universities and other educational institutions, labor unions and a broad array of other cultural, social, political and economic organizations and institutions. Individuals include ordinary citizens as well as distinguished or prominent persons.
Records created by individuals, institutions and organizations in the course of their everyday activities may contain information or evidence that has value for future generations. If so, these records are considered to be historical records. As such they deserve to be preserved in an archival repository and made accessible for use both today and in the future by government officials, historians, attorneys, genealogists, students, journalists and members of the general public.
Historical records have many formats: they may be paper-based textual records such as letters, diaries, memoranda and financial records; they may be audio and visual records such as magnetic tapes, CDs, photographs, and motion picture films; or they may be generated by computers in electronic formats and stored on magnetic disks, tapes, cartridges or CDs.
No matter what their origin or format, historical records provide invaluable information on what happened in the past, and frequently they illuminate the present. As such they clearly deserve to be preserved for use today and conveyed to future generations who will want to know what happened in past times and why those things happened.
Historical records are held by two basic types of archival repositories:institutional archives that have as their primary mission the preservation of historical records of the particular institution of which they are a part and general or cultural archival repositories that have as their primary mission the preservation of historical records for historical or cultural purposes. Archival repositories are institutions where historical records are identified, preserved and made accessible for use.
Among institutional archives are those administered by governmental agencies (these include federal, state and local repositories), corporations and other businesses, religious bodies, and various other cultural, social, educational, economic and political organizations and institutions. Among general or cultural archival repositories are those administered by historical societies, libraries, manuscript repositories and museums. Archival repositories at colleges and universities often carry out the functions of both of these two main types of repositories.
Historical records may be public records (i.e., created by taxpayer-funded governmental entities) or private records (i.e., created by private organizations, institutions and individuals).
Many private and public organizations and persons have created lists of repositories in Oregon. The following are some of the websites that list institutions that may maintain archival repositories in Oregon.
Oregon Blue Book - Oregon History Organizations
Oregon Blue Book - Cultural Resources
Oregon State Library , Oregon Library Websites
Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept: Heritage Programs: Oregon Heritage Commission
Cyndi's List - Oregon Libraries, Archives, and Museums
Oregon GenWeb - Genealogical and Historical Societies with Websites
Repositories of Primary Sources
The State Historical Records Advisory Board promotes and supports the identification of, preservation of, and access to all historical records in Oregon. To this end, the Boards' specific goals are:
1. Support the Governor's mission of Oregon State Service to preserve and enhance the quality of life for all citizens. The values of focusing on the customer; fostering collaboration; maintaining excellence; respecting teammates; innovating; and appreciating diversity are emphasized. Board members follow in a long tradition of citizen participation in government.
2. Promote and publicize the NHPRC grant program, encouraging participation. Carry out the SHRAB's mission as defined in federal regulation to serve 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 grant proposals as defined in the Commission's guidelines." (NHPRC Literature)
3. Perform studies and surveys, and create reports, to assess and define the conditions and needs of our state's historical records. Seek funding from the NHPRC to perform these activities.
4. Review proposed legislation concerning records administration, advise on its applicability and potential effects, and recommend legislation when appropriate. Endorse or oppose pending legislation as warranted, and submit legislation when appropriate.
5. Promote archival awareness and cooperation in Oregon by offering educational programs, sponsoring conferences, and cooperating with affiliated agencies. Establish communications with associations and organizations having records management and/or archives interests, defining areas of mutual interest to support systematic collection of Oregon historical records and preclude duplication of effort. Seek funding from the NHPRC to assist with these activities.
Members:
Mary Beth Herkert, State Archivist and SHRAB Coordinator, Oregon State Archives
Dan Cantrall, SHRAB Deputy Coordinator, Oregon State Archives
Diana Banning, City Archivist, City of Portland
MaryKay Dahlgreen, State Librarian, Oregon State Library
Pat DuVall, City Recorder, City of Milwaukee
James Fox, Head, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon
Max Geier, History Professor, Western Oregon University
Larry Landis, University Archivist, Oregon State University
Mary McRobinson, University Archivist, Willamette University
Contact Dan Cantrall, Deputy Coordinator, for additional iinformation.
More information is available from the NHPRC on grant funding.