New York Folklore Society Newsletter

Ensuring a Future for Our Past sets priorities and goals to be addressed by all who are involved in the creation, preservation, and use of historical records.

NOTE: The New York Folklore Society Newsletter and New York Folklore Journal were replaced by Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore which debuted December, 2000.

New York Folklore Society
P.O. Box 764
Schenectady, NY 12301
518/346-7008
Fax 518/346-6617
nyfs@nyfolklore.org

Summer 1998

SUMMER 1998 NEWSLETTER MAIN PAGE

Ensuring a Future for Our Past

For the past 18 months, NYFS director John Suter has served as co-chair of the New York State Historical Records Advisory Board. In June, the board released its ten-year strategic plan, Ensuring a Future for Our Past, which sets priorities and goals to be addressed by all who are involved in the creation, preservation, and use of historical records. Historical records is a broad term that covers all kinds of documentation of topics that are deemed historically valuable. The plan "gives high priority to activities that redress past inequities in the documentary record and that help ensure a place for under-documented constituencies in the state’s documentary heritage." This includes folklore, and folklore is mentioned explicitly in the plan as an area of importance.

Based on extensive research conducted by the State Archives and Records Administration through surveys, focus groups in ethnic and occupational communities, and public meetings, the plan will guide the development of funding guidelines and priorities at the state level and will influence federal funding in New York State as well. It is also expected to stimulate program initiatives at the state and local levels.

A brochure summarizing the plan is available from the New York Folklore Society; the brochure and the complete plan itself are available free from the State Historical Records Advisory Board, Room 9C49 Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY 12230 (518-474-4372).

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