Advocacy Task Force

Task Force on Advocacy

The Task Force on Advocacy was formed by Ben Rogers in January 2012.  It was charged with examining the summary produced during the 2011 CPR meeting in Chicago in order to develop a strategic plan on advocacy.  The Task Force developed a plan and presented it to the CPR Steering Committee for revisions.  The final plan was approved by the Steering Committee in October 2012.

Resources for Advocacy:

• “The Documentation of Congress:  Report of the Congressional Archivists Roundtable Task Force on Congressional Documentation” (1992) by Karen Dawley Paul.  http://archive.org/details/TheDocumentationOfCongress
   
• Association of Centers for the Study of Congress: http://www.congresscenters.org/web
  This website contains a wealth of information about resources, news, and events.  Included are yearly press releases and posters for Congress Week, links to the sites of member institutions where various studies and relevant data may be found, and grant and fellowship award information.  Transcripts of past meetings are available to members.  Of particular interest are the sessions by scholars who are utilizing congressional collections to study history and political science.

• Managing Congressional Collections by Cynthia Pease Miller.  Available at the SAA store:  http://saa.archivists.org/store/managing-congressional-collections/967/
   
• The Political Archivist Wiki, developed by Brad Wiles and Burton Altman, contains items related to advocacy:  http://thepoliticalarchivist.wikispaces.com/

Tools for Advocacy—Useful examples that can be adapted for your institution:

Jeffrey W. Thomas of The Ohio Congressional Archives at Ohio State University submitted this tri-fold brochure that not only provides a fine example of how to solicit collections from congressional offices, but also explains why collecting and preserving congressional records is important for students, researchers, and the general public.

(see attached)

Leigh McWhite of The Modern Political Archives at The University of Mississippi submitted a brochure that provides a useful tool for outreach.  It summarizes the activities of the archives, educates the public about its mission, and seeks to solicit donations and financial support.

(see attached)