Excellence in Genealogy Research Awards
In-Person or E-mail Application Deadline

March 1, 5 p.m. EST.
Award winners will be announced at the National Archives Genealogy Fair in
April 2009

Staff, Retiree, and Volunteer Preview of the BIG Exhibit
Unveiling of the Commemorative Anniversary Painting by Carol Dyer

March 12, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
By Invitation Only

Calling all NARA Retirees! We’re looking for YOU! Please send your e-mail and mailing address to 75th-Anniversary@nara.gov to receive your invitation!

Exclusive Carol Dyer Commemorative Anniversary Painting Goes on Sale
100 Limited Edition Signed Prints Available

March 12, 10 a.m.
Washington, DC, Gift Shop

Also available online at the Archives eStore.

“BIG!” 75th Anniversary Exhibit Opening DEBUT

March 13, 2009 – January 3, 2010
O’Brien Gallery, Washington, DC, building

In honor of the anniversary, a new exhibit in the O’Brien Gallery will open March 13, 2009 featuring big records, big events, and big ideas.

At a time when many people struggle to see documents and images on smaller and smaller screens, the exhibit will feature original records in their full-scale glory. Included are the 13-foot scroll of the Articles of Confederation, the first Constitution of the United States, the size 22 sneakers of basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, a 5-foot 7-inch petition wound on gigantic wooden spools for the Establishment of a Roads Department, presented in Congress, December 20, 1893, and an enormous 13-by-13 foot Civil War–era map of the Gettysburg battlefield. Many of the exhibit documents have never before been seen by the public; therefore, the approach of such a significant milestone in National Archives history appears to be the perfect occasion to pull out all the stops for this BIG exhibit debut. (Can't make it? Read article about the BIG! exhibit online)

“Digitizing for Preservation and Access: Past is Prologue”
2009 Preservation Conference sponsored by NARA’s Preservation Programs

Thursday, March 26, 8:45 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Check-in and continental breakfast, 8 a.m.–8:45 a.m.
Early evening reception 5:30 p.m.–7 p.m.
McGowan Theater, Washington, DC, building

The 23rd Annual Preservation Conference, "Digitizing for Preservation and Access: Past is Prologue," will address the questions and challenges faced by governmental, historical and archival institutions large and small related to digitized analog records.

There are unique challenges faced by the archival community in each step of planning for digitization projects and specific challenges in each phase of the decision-making process and the execution of successful projects using original archival records. Experts from the National Archives and other public and private institutions will discuss partnerships, strategies to carry out appropriate preparation of original documents and challenges posed by unusual physical sizes and shapes of artifacts and records, appropriate metadata development, technical requirements, and project management.

Using successful models, this conference will compare and contrast the strategies that different sizes of institutions, with varying mandates and missions, have developed to meet the needs of users, manage in-house and partnership initiatives, and discuss the legal aspects of working with external partnerships. Models for providing access and interfacing with the public in an unmediated forum, as well as access issues related to documents and records will be presented. The challenges and costs, including the hidden costs, of maintaining the digital infrastructure and providing access to an expanded public will also be presented. The objectives of the conference will be to provide a forum within NARA and with the wider archival, educational and information management community.

Attendees should leave the conference with an understanding of what digitizing choices are appropriate for their institution, based in part on lessons learned and new ground broken by other institutions, large and small. The program will also feature an exhibit by vendors who provide products and services related to the digitization field.

The formal presentations will include:

• Digitization approaches from a few different institutions
• Federal guidelines and approaches to long-term management
• Archival and preservation preparation for digitizing records
• Public interface and providing access
• Case studies in digitization from a variety of institutions

This conference consistently draws attendees from a wide variety of institutions and will include opportunities throughout the day to meet with colleagues and the speakers, especially at the after-conference reception in the William McGowan Theater Lobby. For more information on the program agenda, and to register, visit www.archives.gov/preservation/conferences/2009/.