Archives Workshops for Astoria and Baker City

<<via Heritage.Info>>

The State Historical Records Advisory Board, headed by the Oregon Secretary of State – Archives Division, received a federal grant to present “Basics of Archives” workshops.

These workshops are open to all city, county and special district employees, local historical society employees, local library staff and volunteers, and all interested members of the general public. The workshops are full-day, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.. The workshop is a basic overview of archival best practice, focusing on setting up and maintaining any size archives collection.The next workshops will be June 26 in Astoria and June 28 in Baker City.

If you are interested in attending, contact Dan Cantrall at daniel.e.cantrall@state.or.us or 503-378-5222. The free workshop includes interactive exercises and presenters want to have sufficient workshop materials on hand to accommodate all participants.

Locals honored with Heritage award

<<via the Mail Tribune>>

Individuals and organizations in 12 communities were honored with Oregon’s first Heritage Excellence Awards. A local history curator and a local association were among those honored.

Carol Harbison Samuelson of Medford was singled out for providing outstanding assistance as library manager for the Southern Oregon Historical Society. She worked with SOHS for more than 20 years. The Jacksonville Woodlands Association was honored for protecting the natural and cultural heritage of historic Jacksonville since 1989 through the establishment of the Jacksonville Woodlands Natural Park and Trail System and its related programs.

Established to recognize outstanding efforts on behalf of Oregon heritage, the awards were presented at the recent Oregon Heritage Commission conference. Oregon First Lady Mary Oberst assisted with the presentations.

Commission coordinator Kyle Jansson of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s Heritage Programs Division said the award recipients have produced the most from available resources and skills. Other awardees include: Adams Julie Reese, for her dedication, advocacy and vision for heritage in Umatilla County; Blodgett Sara Swanberg, for the creation and development of the Preserving Oregon’s Artistic Heritage educational video series; The “Higher Ground” Documentary Project, for preserving stories from the Boardman community relocation of the 1960s; Clackamas Oregon Military Museum, for growing Living History Day as an event that presents Oregon history in a hands-on, easy-to-understand fashion; Benton County, for its commitment to preserving the county’s heritage and sharing it with the public, and for serving as a model for other counties; Larry Landis, for his enthusiasm and commitment to preserving and making accessible archival materials for all people of Oregon, and for the development of the Oregon Multicultural Archives and the Northwest Digital Archives; Harrisburg Museum Board of Directors, for its development of Heritage Park and serving as a bridge between the farming community and city residents; Tamástslikt Cultural Institute in Pendleton, for the groundbreaking book, Wiyáxayxt As Days Go By Wiyáakaa’awn; Mission Mill Museum in Salem, for the renovation and transformation of the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill building during its Saving Salem’s American Treasure project; Oregon National Guard, for its outstanding leadership and support during the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial commemoration; St. Paul Colleen Sump, for the development of outstanding interpretive and educational programs at Champoeg State Heritage Area; and Tillamook Forest Center, Oregon Department of Forestry, for the successful planning and development of the Tillamook Forest Center as a place for forest history and heritage.

Oregon Heritage Commission chair George Kramer said the recognition is intended to draw public attention to important heritage efforts in Oregon and raise the quality of heritage-oriented activities.

More information about the awards and nomination forms are posted at www.oregonheritage.org online.

Records access at issue in House

<< via the Albany Democrat Herald>>

By Hasso Hering
Albany Democrat-Herald

Two Senate-passed bills intended to improve public access to state and local government records in Oregon are pending in the House Judiciary Committee.

Whether they get a hearing is up to Rep. Greg Macpherson, D-Lake Oswego, the lawyer and 1968 Albany Union High School graduate who heads the committee as chairman.

He couldn’t be reached for this story, but a committee staffer said hearings were likely.

Senate Bill 554, which the Senate passed 28-0 on April 17, would require a public body to respond “as soon as practicable” to a request for a public record. It also requires units of government to to have a written procedure for making public records available, including a list of possible charges and a statement of how the charges are determined.

The Senate passed the other bill, SB 671, by a vote of 26-1 on April 12. It requires a public body to release a condensed version of factual information in a public record when the record itself is otherwise exempt from disclosure under the attorney-client privilege.

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