I recently attended the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ public hearing on broadband access, hosted at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC. I was joined by colleagues from Federal agencies, universities, museums and libraries to examine the need for high speed broadband access in America’s libraries, and how this access … Continue reading Making Access Happen by Expanding Broadband
Modernizing Records Management
The Managing Government Records Directive (OMB M12-18) charges the National Archives and Records Administration to lead the efforts to modernize records management in the Federal Government. The Directive focuses on two main goals: agencies will require electronic recordkeeping by managing all their email in an accessible electronic format by the end of 2016 and managing … Continue reading Modernizing Records Management
Be Bold. Build Our Future Through Our People
Our fourth strategic goal, our most important goal, focuses on the real treasures of the National Archives--our staff. Photograph of Female Statue, The Future, Located near the Pennsylvania Avenue Entrance to the National Archives Building, 06/30/1936. National Archives ID: 7657960 This goal highlights our commitment to provide our staff with the training, tools and opportunities necessary … Continue reading Be Bold. Build Our Future Through Our People
Be Bold: Maximize NARA’s Value to the Nation
In this goal we recognize that public access to government information creates measurable economic value, which adds to the enduring cultural, historical, and evidentiary value of our records. National Archives Identifier: 196401 When we talk about economic value, we are not talking about the appraised value or the replacement value of our records. Historically, we … Continue reading Be Bold: Maximize NARA’s Value to the Nation
Be Bold: Connect with Customers
State Fair, 10/1972. National Archives Identifier 545457 The second of our new strategic goals is to “Connect with Customers.” Having spent most of my career working with the public, customer service is a passion of mine. In my personal life I am always looking for exemplars—places where I am dazzled by attention to service, places which … Continue reading Be Bold: Connect with Customers
Be Bold: Make Access Happen
Photograph of Women Working at a Bell System Telephone Switchboard. National Archives Identifier 1633445. The first of our new strategic goals is to “Make Access Happen.” Increasingly, access means digital, online access. Our first goal has one objective, to make our records available to the public in digital form to ensure that anyone can … Continue reading Be Bold: Make Access Happen
Creating The Best Commencement Speech Ever
Commencement Season is fast approaching and I am honored to have been selected to deliver the address at North Carolina State University in May. I don’t know about you, but I don’t remember who my commencement speaker was or what he or she had to say! During my years at MIT and Duke, Commencement was … Continue reading Creating The Best Commencement Speech Ever
Being Bold!
From Photographs Taken Aboard the Ocean Survey Vessel (OSV) Bold, National Archives Identifier 5998403 Over the past eighteen months, the staff and I at the National Archives have been working diligently to develop our next Strategic Plan. Many meetings, long conversations, Town Halls, thoughtful emails, and loads of feedback from staff and stakeholders have gone … Continue reading Being Bold!
Patent of the Month: Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin
When I was a kid growing up in Beverly, MA, every morning I would walk by the site of the cotton mill visited by George Washington. That mill, the Beverly Cotton Manufactory, even predated Eli Whitney’s cotton gin, which was patented 220 years ago today! Eli Whitney's Cotton Gin Patent Drawing, 03/14/1794 From Records of the … Continue reading Patent of the Month: Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin
Help Us Innovate!
In the video below, Jennifer Pahlka, U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer, invites you to make a difference and serve your country by applying to become a Presidential Innovation Fellow. This is the third round of the Presidential Innovation Fellows. Projects from the first two rounds included: making government data more openly available, programs to assist … Continue reading Help Us Innovate!