REPORT OF THE OCE HISTORY TASK FORCE NOW AVAILABLE

Last year, the New York State Education Department Office of Cultural
Education (OCE), which includes the State Museum, State Library and
State Archives and Records Administration, established a Task Force on
History to carry out a review of its history programs and services.
Building on discussions with representatives of the New York History
community, the study looked at ways in which OCE history programs and
services might better meet the needs of our customers.  The study
recommended ways to improve history programs in the State,
communicate with our customers, and change the way we do business
to make it easier for the public to find and obtain the services that they
need.  The Task Force identified the following six goals for the future and
developed a wide range of short and long term strategies to achieve
each goal.

GOAL 1 -- OCE HISTORY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES: Our customers'
history needs will be met efficiently and seamlessly.
GOAL 2 -- COLLECTIONS AND ACCESS: Our collections will be
comprehensive, diverse, preserved, and stored appropriately; they will
support the study of New York history and will be intellectually and
virtually accessible to everyone.
GOAL 3 -- RESEARCH: We will promote, conduct and disseminate
research in order to create and share knowledge about New York
history.
GOAL 4 -- EDUCATION: Students, teachers and the general public will
have access to increased and enhanced educational opportunities int he
field of New York history.
GOAL 5 -- STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES: Members of New York's
history community will be aware of, and encouraged to meet, standards
and best practices in the preservation, storage, intellectual control and
accessability of their collections.
GOAL 6 -- PUBLIC AWARENESS: New York State citizens will value
history-related activities and will support efforts to obtain resources for
them.

The Task Force also recommended that a permanent History Advisory
Council be established within the Office of Cultural Education to ensure
continuous improvement in our history programs and services.  That
Council has been established and is working on several projects to
advance the strategies and goals of the Task Force.  Within the next
year,  several representatives from our customer groups will be
appointed to serve on the History Advisory Council.

If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the report of the Task Force
on History, you may contact Chris Ward at  (518) 474-6771 or view it on
the Internet at the following addresses:
http://www.sara.nysed.gov/new/report.htm
http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/history
http://www.nysl.nysed.gov
Reports on the progress of the History Advisory Council, including
projects undertaken, will be posted periodically on these web sites.