New York Association of Local Government Records Officers

"Preparing for the Future, Preserving the Past"

Home

Membership

Links to our Sponsors

About NYALGRO

Board of Directors

Bylaws

2023 School

Past Schools

History of NYALGRO

Archives

Past Newsletters

Meeting Minutes

A Short Retrospective

Robe
rt W. Arnold III

NEW YORK ASSOCIATION OF
LOCAL GOVERNMENT RECORDS OFFICERS

Hun
ter, New York
11 June 2007

New York was among the first states to enter the Union and one of the last to establish a state archives, in 1976. Before that, the State Library and other agencies had exercised many of the tasks now assigned to the New York State Archives, collecting historical records, including some sporadically and poorly documented transfers from local governments. The great Capitol Fire of 1911 destroyed unknown quantities of such records and gave rise to what I call the "Cask of Amontillado" school of state oversight for local government records, lots of patronizing advicea bout fire protection, indexing and filing and vaults.

By the 1980s, centuries’ accumulation of statutes, regulations, customs, civil procedure and folklore  had created  an  impenetrable  morass  of  obsolete,  obsolescent,  weak,  contradictory, vague, inconsistent and clumsy practices regarding local government records. No one knew what to do, least of all the State Archives. There was little help available anywhere.

There were no Regional Advisory Officers. There were few people in the State Archives who understood anything at all about local governments and their records. There were no grants beyond a piddling few dollars from the State Library’s discretionary grants program and the NHPRC.  Records Retention and Disposition Schedules were printed in miniscule type – the State Archives alone was responsible for the boom in bifocals during the 1980s – and were minutely detailed, hard to use and in fact were mainly not used. There was no training program. There were no advisory publications to speak of and those that existed were badly out of date. There was no Local Government Records Advisory Council to advise the Commissioner of Education.

To continue reading and to view PDF click here.


WHEELER B. MELIUS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN RECORDS MANAGEMENT

This award is given to a NYALGRO member who demonstrates outstanding service to his/her local government and New York's records managment community. It is named after a clerk who worked in the Albany County Clerk's Office in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Wheeler B. Melius gained his notoriety when on February 10, 1880 he was the first to reach the burning Albany City Hall which housed an immense quantity of public archives and legal records. Melius, once on site, began to pass precious volumes of land records through a narrow window to volunteers outside. Single-handely, Melius passed 700 volumes - nearly six tons of charred and often soaking, outsized books - out of the building.

To see a complete list of Wheeler B. Melius Award recipients click here.

GUY D. PAQUIN AWARD

The Guy D. Paquin Award is presented to an individual or organization to honor noteworthy achievements and exceptional support and involvements in the records management profession.

To see a list of the Guy D. Paquin Award recipients click here.

ROBERT ARNOLD AWARD FOR DISTINQUISHED SERVICE

NYALGRO presents its Robert Arnold Award for Distinquished Service to an individual who has demonstrated characteristics similar to that of a Regional Advisory Officer in lending expertise and assistance to other local officals in the establishment of furtherance of records managment programs.

To see a list of the Robert Arnold Award for Distinquished Service recipients click here.


CHERYL STEINBACH SCHOLARSHIP

This annual scholarship was established in honor of Cheryl Steinbach who was the Town Clerk and RMO for the Town of Chautauqua, and past Treasurer and NYALGRO board member.  Cheryl's committment and dedication to records management issues provided a leadership example for all public servants, not just those involved in records management. NYALGRO awards at least two (2) scholarships each year toward the total cost of school registration and hotel accommodations.

To view list of past recipient click here.


 New York Association of Local Government Records Officers