The Daily Bulletin Archive

The SUNY Buffalo State E. H. Butler Library Charles Rand Penney Lecture Series, in association with the Canisius College Rev. Clayton J. Murray Archives Speakers Series, presents "Archives Matter: A Presentation by Kathleen Roe" on Wednesday, April 15, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center’s Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Auditorium.

Archives are the essential evidence of the past, the individual and collective voice, the source of action and events, the thread and fabric of our society. Archives often occupy a hallowed but unclear role to people in our communities, universities and schools, places of business, and government. The archival community must effectively address several pressing issues in order to both safeguard the availability and use of the historical record and ensure that stakeholders and the public recognize the importance and value of archives. These issues include ensuring that a comprehensive historical record survives; concerns over “competition” for prestigious collections; threading our way through the complexities of electronic records; ensuring access to information; and the need for informed stakeholders and the general public to value and appropriately support the functions of archives. This talk will focus on these matters of concern to the archival community and the need for archivists to promote a strong understanding of why archives matter.

Kathleen D. Roe is president of the Society of American Archivists (SAA), the oldest and largest national archival professional association in North America with over 6,200 members. In that capacity, she has challenged archivists to spend a “Year of Living Dangerously for Archives” by getting out of their comfort zones to focus on raising awareness and advocating the importance of archives. She is also the director of archives and records management operations for the New York State Archives, where she oversees programs providing services to state and local governments and nonprofit historical records programs around the state. Roe has served as president of the Council of State Archivists, the national association for state archives, and on various committees for SAA and regional archival associations. She has published and taught extensively in the areas of archival descriptive practices and advocacy for archival programs.

The Burchfield Penney Art Center’s galleries will be open to attendees preceding the presentation. Free parking will be available in the Burchfield Penney Art Center lot.