Vermont State Archives open houses during Archives Month
Fri Oct 12 2012
Secretary of State Jim Condos and State Archivist Tanya Marshall announced today that the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA) will be holding two open houses during the month of October in celebration of Vermont Archives Month. The open houses will be held on:
Tuesday, October 16 Thursday, October 25
from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm at the State Archives and Records Administration building located in Middlesex. The events are free and open to the public.
Each open house will offer exhibits, tours, and the opportunity to talk with VSARA staff about the work of the State Archives and Records Administration. Archival records on exhibit will include the 1777 Vermont constitution; Vermont’s copy of the Bill of Rights; maps of the 1927 Flood and Tropical Storm Irene; and other records documenting Vermonters, their government, and their history. Tours also will be available for those visitors interested in a behind-the-scenes look at VSARA and its activities. Light refreshments will be served.
“We welcome everyone to join us for a ‘Night at the Archives’ to help celebrate Vermont Archives Month” Condos said. “Vermont archives and the individuals who manage them play an important role in ensuring that the records that underlie our basic rights and our collective history remain for our benefit and the benefit of future generations.”
According to Marshall, Archives Month is a collaborative effort by professional archival organizations and repositories around the nation to highlight the importance of archives. Archivists are responsible for identifying records with enduring, permanent value, and ensuring that they are preserved and accessible over time. VSARA archivists are actively working to identify and preserve the state’s archival records, many of which are now being created by public agencies in digital format.
VSARA, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, advises and guides public agencies in records and information management; appraises and schedules public records; preserves and enhances access to the archival records of state government; and operates the state records center. The State Archives and Records Administration building is located at 1078 US Rte 2 in Middlesex. Directions and additional information about the open houses can be obtained by contacting archives@sec.state.vt.us or 802-828-2207.