Wednesday, February 20, 2013
How do you transform the nation’s record keeper? David Ferriero, archivist of the US has a plan. Why make 12 billion pieces of paper available to the world? Ferriero thinks it is mission critical. David Ferriero, archivist of the United States

The National Archives is more than just the nation's record keeper and protector of records. It is the steward of the American story that preserves the past to protect the future. The records it holds are the original sources of that story, documenting the collective history of our nation through the actions of individuals and institutions.

Every day, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) touches the lives of people all over the nation from the visitors who come to see the Constitution to the government officials seeking assistance in managing their records of their agencies.

Yet changes in the federal government, in our society, and in the nature of records themselves drives the National Archives to change the way it does business and how it addresses the needs of the users.

How is the National Archives transforming the way it does business?

What about its digitization strategy, and how can you become a citizen archivist?

Before we explore these very pressing questions, let’s begin at the beginning.

Begin at the beginning...

Ferriero on the National Archives' scale of operations…

Mission focus of the nation’s record keeper… as the nation's record keeper, NARA safeguards the records of all three branches of the federal government, which is a unique mandate…

Ferriero on the challenges facing the National Archives…

Why make 12 billion pieces of paper available to the world? David Ferriero, archivist of the US thinks it is mission critical…it’s about making records available, accessible, discoverable on-line. To make that happen requires a very comprehensive digitization strategy...

Ferriero is transforming the way the National Archives does business…