Wednesday, November 8, 2017
The New York State Archives and the Archives Partnership Trust awarded the 2017 Annual Archives Award for Excellence in State Agency Records Management Program Development award to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS). This award is presented annually to recognize a state agency’s accomplishments in records management program development. The award was presented to Records Management Officer Laurie Smith at a ceremony at the Cultural Education Center in Albany recently.
In 2011, the Department of Correctional Services and the Division of Parole merged to form DOCCS. DOCCS staff worked diligently to streamline the filing and management of the two agencies’ records, particularly by integrating the inmate and parole case files. One of the most voluminous and most-consulted records series in the State Archives is the DOCCS case files of inmates incarcerated in statewide correctional facilities. To date, DOCCS and its predecessors have transferred to the Archives 5,075 boxes of inmate case files, representing tens of thousands of former inmates, dating from 1894-2005. In recent years, the size of the case files and number of boxes transferred has increased significantly even though criminal populations are declining. Because of this, DOCCS and State Archives staff are engaged in thoughtful discussions about how to sample the incoming inmate case files to capture a slice of inmate records in a statistically meaningful way.
“We’re proud to present the Archives Awards to recognize and celebrate individuals, organizations, and students who have done exceptional work in preserving and promoting New York’s history,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. “We congratulate all the winners on their achievements and urge them to continue maintaining and researching historical records that document our heritage.”
“The Annual Archives Awards is an opportunity to acknowledge the excellent work that organizations and individuals do every day to maintain and preserve historical records,” said Regent Roger Tilles. “We’re also honored to acknowledge the exceptional work students across the state have done to incorporate archival records in their research and bring New York State’s history to life. Congratulations to all the winners."
“The Board of Regents and I congratulate the winners of the 2017 Archives Awards,” said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. “We’re proud to honor exemplary maintenance and use of archival records so our history is preserved for future generations. We applaud the student winners for their outstanding use of historical records in their research and encourage them to continue to explore New York’s rich history at archives, libraries and cultural institutions across the state.”
“The State Archives presents these awards annually to celebrate the significant role archives perform and to honor the archivists, researchers, educators and students who are analyzing and sharing information contained in New York’s historical records,” said State Archivist Thomas Ruller.
The annual Archives Awards program takes place every October, during American Archives Month, and recognizes outstanding efforts in archives and records management work in New York State by a broad range of individuals and organizations.
A complete list of this year’s award winners follows:
* Cheryl Steinbach Annual Archives Award for Excellence in Local Government Records Management:
Town of Livonia
* William H. Kelly Annual Archives Award for Excellence in Local Government Archival Program Development:
Warren County Records Storage Center and Archives
* Annual Archives Award for Excellence in State Agency Records Management Program Development:
NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision
* Annual Archives Award for Program Excellence in a Historical Records Repository:
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
* Excellence in Research Using the Holdings of the State Archives:
Sarah F. Rose, Associate Professor of History and Director of the Disability Studies Minor, University of Texas at Arlington
* Lifetime Achievement Award for the Protection of Archives or Cultural Collections in New York State:
Richard Lord, Chief of Mitigation Programs and State Hazard Mitigation Officer, New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
* Annual Archives Award for Student Research Using Historical Records, Grades 9-12:
The following students from Tamarac High School, Brunswick Central School District:
o Sara Kuken
o Ryan Hayden
o Nate LaPlante
o Elizabeth Machnick
o Kaylan Comache
o Katherine Champagne
o Lillah Jacobson-Schultz
o Sophia Baldwin
o Anthony Styles
o Lexis Carista
o Shannon Walsh
o Hunter Yearsley
o Renna Poulin
Teachers: Michelle Furlong, Steve Pomposello and Mark Spitzer
* Annual Archives Award for Student Research Using Historical Records, Grades 6-8:
The following student from The Wheatley School, East Williston Union Free School District:
o Manav Bansal
Teacher: JoBeth Roberts
* Annual Archives Award for Student Research Using Historical Records, Grades 4 & 5:
The following students from Drexel Avenue Elementary School, Westbury Union Free School District:
o Ryan Alvarez
o Alexander Munguia
Teacher: Patricia Matarazzo
