Technical Subcommittee on Archival Facilities Guidelines (TS-AFG)

I. Purpose

The Technical Subcommittee on Archival Facilities Guidelines (TS-AFG) of the SAA Standards Committee oversees the ongoing maintenance and development of Archives and Special Collections Facilities: Guidelines for Archivists, Librarians, Architects, and Engineers (“Facilities standard”), a standard adopted by SAA. The Technical Subcommittee also investigates the feasibility of expansion of the Facilities standard to a national standard and/or a multi-organizational standard.

II. Subcommittee Selection, Size, and Length of Term:

The Technical Subcommittee shall be composed of five to nine individuals, including the chair(s), to be recommended by the TS-AFG chairs.for appointment by the Vice President. for three year terms. The chair(s) and at least four other members of the Subcommittee shall be members of SAA with demonstrated experience in archival facility issues. However, the Technical Subcommittee may include one to three members from other professions who have significant knowledge of and experience with archival facilities.

Ex officio members of the TS-AFG shall include the following:

• Co-chairs of the Standards Committee;
• Liaison from the Canadian Council of Archives (CCA).
• Immediate past chair of TS-AFG
• Standars Committee Liaison to TS-AFG

III. Reporting Procedures:

The chair(s) of the TS-AFG shall report at least annually to the chair(s) of the SAA Standards Committee at the SAA Annual Meeting. If extramural funding is obtained by the SAA, the chair(s) shall provide all necessary narrative reports to the SAA office in order that reporting requirements of SAA and funding source are met.

IV. Duties and Responsibilities:

To fulfill its mission as described above, the TS-AFG is specifically charged to:

• Carry out the maintenance and development of Archives and Special Collections Facilities: Guidelines for Archivists, Librarians, Architects, and Engineers, on an ongoing basis in accordance with the Procedures for Review and Approval of an SAA Developed Standard.
• Investigate expansion of the Facilities standard to a national standard in conjunction with the American National Standards Institute. 
• Investigate expansion of the Facilities standard to a multi-organizational standard in conjunction with the Canadian Council of Archives. 
• Promote the understanding and use of Archives and Special Collections Facilities: Guidelines for Archivists, Librarians, Architects, and Engineers by the American and international archival community.
• Support SAA’s educational efforts related to Archives and Special Collections Facilities: Guidelines for Archivists, Librarians, Architects, and Engineers.

V. Meetings:

The TS-AFG shall carry out its charges primarily via electronic mail, regular mail, and conference calls. It may meet at the SAA Annual Meeting and as necessary provided that SAA Council-approved funding is available.

Revised by the SAA Council: January 2011; December 2013; July 2015; November 2016; February 2019; November 2020; November 2023; October 2024, August 2025