Geoffrey Huth, Candidate for Council

Professional Experience: New York State Unified Court System: Chief Records Officer, 2015–present. New York State Archives: Director, Government Records Services, 2006–2015; Manager, Records Advisory Services, 2004–2006; Manager, Records Service Development, 1999–2004; Regional Advisory Officer, 1993–1999; Grant Administrator, 1991–1993. Albany-Schenectady-Schoharie BOCES: Records Management Coordinator, 1990–1991. University at Albany: Field Archivist, Capital District Labor History Project, 1989–1990.

Education: MLS, archives and records management concentration, University at Albany, 1989; MA in English, Syracuse University, 1985; BA in English, Vanderbilt University, 1982.

Professional Activities: Society of American Archivists: Council, 2012–2015; Chair, Digital Archives Continuing Education Task Force, 2010–2011; Dictionary Working Group, 2011–present; Digital Archives Specialist Faculty and Workshop Presenter, 2003–2014; Publications Board, 2009–2012; American Archives Month Task Force, 2006–2008; Government Records Section, Chair, 2005–2006, Vice-chair, 2004–2005; Chair, Electronic Records Section, 2002–2003, Vice-chair, 2001–2002; Key Contact Representative, 1996–1999; Host Committee, 1991–1992. MARAC: Chair, 2005–2007; New York State Caucus Chair, 2000–2004; Distinguished Service Award Committee Chair, 2007–2009; Nominations and Elections Committee Chair, 2008–2009; Local Arrangements Co-chair, 1998; Program Committee, Co-chair 1998, 2005, 2008, 2014; Capital Area Archivists of New York: President, 1991–1993; Vice President, 1990–1991. Lake Ontario Archives Conference: Chair, 1997–1998; Co-chair, 1992–1993. ARMA: ARMA Glossary Task Force, 2004–2005; Albany Chapter, President, 1993–1996.

Related Professional Activities: Archives Leadership Institute Steering Committee, Berea College, 2015–present; Luther College, 2012–2015: Cohort, University of Wisconsin—Madison, 2008; Selected Advisory Committees and Grant Projects: Improving Electronic Records Programs in the SUNY System, NHPRC, 2013–2015; New York State Electronic Records Committee, 2008–2010; Managing and Preserving Geospatial Electronic Records, NHPRC, 2003–2005; New York Archives Magazine Editorial Board, 2001–2015. Presentations and Publications: Over 200 workshops and presentations across the country on many topics in archives and records management, particularly digital records. Publications include Appraising Digital Records, 2016; Digital Imaging Guidelines, 2014; Using PDF/A as a Preservation Format, 2013; “Conducting an Inventory of Electronic Records,” 2008; Managing E-Mail Effectively, 2002. 

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Question posed by Nominating Committee:

SAA is a member-governed organization that is composed of dozens of constituent groups with a variety of viewpoints. In recent years, SAA’s governance structure has strived to be more transparent and responsive in addressing member concerns. If elected, how would you help insure that Council continues on this path and represents the broad interests of our diverse profession in a transparent manner?

Candidate's Response:

The majority of my career has occurred in government archives and records environments, and my enduring goals in that career have been to ensure accessibility of public records and to recognize the ultimate goal of my work is to serve the public. These goals translate directly into support for transparency and responsiveness within SAA. I recognize this by working to ensure that all members know what the Council, the staff, our committees, working groups, and task forces are doing. And I do this by promoting the idea that the work of all those groups must be fed by streams of ideas originating from all SAA members. SAA’s leadership must work in the world of ideas by encouraging member input, considering it carefully, and making reasoned decisions based on a clear understanding of members’ sometimes divergent viewpoints and the likelihood that any decision will better members’ professional lives and SAA itself.

I believe that SAA Council has become better at embracing transparency and responding quickly to members’ viewpoints. I also believe that improvements are possible. When I was on Council, I encouraged us to release information to members as soon as we could and to welcome whatever comments we received. When discussing these comments, I noted that, as individuals with a public role, we had to understand that our role was to evaluate the points being made as coolly and rationally as we could.

An organization runs best when it is open to new ideas and open about the ideas and information it holds. As an organization of and for archivists, SAA must believe that—and we SAA members must feel it. Just as I have always pushed for openness and responsiveness in my work, I have always done so and will continue to do so within SAA. If we members don’t, then SAA as a whole and we as individuals will suffer. Ideas and innovation make an organization prosper. If we shut off or impede the flow of those ideas, in any direction, we will reduce interaction, overlook great new ideas, and fail to be the vibrant organization we always need to be.

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