Recent events at the Innovation Hub

Since the Innovation Hub opened in July 2015, many visitors and volunteers have passed through its doors to scan documents from our holdings, attend presentations and conferences, and participate in brainstorming sessions as well as scanathons and editathons. The Innovation Hub accomplishes an important part of NARA's mission to make access happen through digitization, and … Continue reading Recent events at the Innovation Hub

Celebrating American Archives Month

Standing midway between the White House and the U.S. Capitol, the National Archives building at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue is as impressive today as when it opened in 1935. Surrounded by seventy-two Corinthian columns, each over 50 feet high, it is among the most popular photo backdrops for tourists. As we celebrate Archives month, however, I … Continue reading Celebrating American Archives Month

Join us for an Archives Hashtag Party!

Last month we kicked off a new social media campaign. The Archives Hashtag Party is a way for our colleagues in the archives community to highlight the diversity of their holdings around a fun topic. We invite you to bring your own collections and join in! The new surprise theme in our Archives Hashtag Party … Continue reading Join us for an Archives Hashtag Party!

Sharing the Excitement about Open Government

This week I had an opportunity to address the World Library and Information Congress of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) on the work we have been doing here at the National Archives in support of the Administration’s Open Government Initiative.  Thirty two hundred librarians, archivists, and other information professionals from 145 … Continue reading Sharing the Excitement about Open Government

Let’s Talk! Join me for the Open Government Webinar

Since 2010, we have made significant accomplishments in open government at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). We have published 3 plans and accomplished more than 120 commitments. NARA commitments are even featured in the U.S. National Action Plan on Open Government.  But we still need to do more and we need to hear … Continue reading Let’s Talk! Join me for the Open Government Webinar

Launch and Learn: Our New History Hub Pilot Project

I am pleased to announce a new pilot project from the Office of Innovation at the National Archives called the “History Hub.” This new platform may be thought of as an external collaboration network, a place where subject matter experts from the National Archives can engage with researchers and the public, to share information, work … Continue reading Launch and Learn: Our New History Hub Pilot Project

Innovate To Make Access Happen

Today we share our new Open Government Plan. In the four years since we published our first plan, we have demonstrated our contribution to strengthening the principles of open government. We have implemented more than 90 actions to improve transparency, participation, and collaboration. In our new plan we focus our efforts to engage the public … Continue reading Innovate To Make Access Happen

Congratulations to the Digital Public Library of America

What happens when archives, libraries and museums come together? They build something amazing. The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) is here, and the National Archives is proud to participate as a leading content provider in this exciting online portal and platform. The DPLA provides a single online access point for anyone, anywhere to search and access … Continue reading Congratulations to the Digital Public Library of America

Solving the Problems of Our Time

On his first day on the job President Barack Obama told his Senior Staff, “Our commitment to openness means more than simply informing the American people about how decisions are made. It means recognizing that Government does not have all the answers, and that public officials need to draw on what citizens know. And that’s … Continue reading Solving the Problems of Our Time

Together We Can Do It!

Today we launch the Citizen Archivist Dashboard (http://www.archives.gov/citizen-archivist/) and encourage you to get involved in elevating the visibility of the records of the United States. Did you know that many grade school children aren’t taught cursive handwriting anymore and can’t read cursive?  Help us transcribe records and guarantee that school children can make use of … Continue reading Together We Can Do It!