GEN-EDITOR-L Archives

From: Lori Lisowski <>
Subject: Facility Planning Initiative Begins at NARA
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 18:10:42 -0500

Buildings for the Future:
Space Planning at the National Archives and Records Administration

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is about to embark on an ambitious space planning effort through which we are striving to improve preservation and access of historically valuable Federal records.

NARA*s mission is to ensure ready access to essential evidence that documents the rights of American citizens, the actions of federal officials, and the national experience. We want to enhance our ability to provide ready access to all of the essential evidence in our custody. To do this we plan to

* develop our electronic access capabilities so we can bring the National Archives on-line to millions of Americans who do not live near a NARA facility and to people world-wide,

* improve the quality of space in which records are stored so they will be preserved for generations to come,

* increase the quantity of space that we have so we can continue to add historically valuable records to our holdings, and

* reduce the cost of the space we occupy so money we have been spending on rent can be spent on programs and services for our customers.

This plan is in keeping with the goals and objectives of our Strategic Plan, which pledges NARA to make essential evidence *easy to access regardless of where it is or where users are for as long as needed* and to be sure that *all records will be preserved in appropriate space for use as long as needed.* Most of our regional facilities do not now meet current minimum preservation standards, nor do they have enough space for more permanent records. We need to take action to safeguard historically valuable records.

NARA*s space planning effort will analyze our current configuration of facilities and determine what kinds of facilities we should have and where they should be located to best serve all of our customers and protect the records. This project will happen in several phases over many months and will focus on options that
* enhance access to records,
* improve space quality,
* increase space quantity, and
* reduce space costs.

To make this work, we need your help. No option, no matter how cost-efficient, will be worth pursuing if it does not further our goal of making it easier for researchers to access the records they need. And no matter what option is decided upon, NARA is committed to maintaining, at a minimum, microfilm research rooms with Internet-accessible computer terminals in the metropolitan areas where regional archives now exist.Over the course of this planning effort, we will be reaching out to our broad spectrum of customers to get their input through public meetings, surveys, conferences, publications, and the Internet on such issues as where records should be located, what services are needed, and what amenities should be offered. Shortly, we will have a Web page devoted to progress on our space plan at http://www.nara.gov/nara/spceplan.html. In addition, we welcome your comments and suggestions via e-mail at



or by mail to

Space Planning Team
Room 4100 (NPOL)
National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740

The bottom line is we must develop a plan that meets user needs and provides the quanity and quality of cost-effective space that allows NARA to preserve the permanently valuable records of our government. I encourage everyone to participate in this effort as we work to make NARA*s holdings more available to all Americans no matter where they live.

This thread:

• Facility Planning Initiative Begins at NARA by Lori Lisowski <>