As New York approaches the year 2000, it continues to face the challenge of informing the present and future by preserving the records of the past. The State Historical Records Advisory Board, a thirteen member body appointed by the governor, has received a planning grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to develop a long-term strategic plan to ensure the preservation of, care for, and access to New York's documentary heritage. The Board has developed a Draft Strategic Plan, and is making it available for review by interested people and organizations in New York. We would like to invite you to assist us by doing one of the following: 1. Attend a public meeting in your region to meet with members of the State Board planning project, and provide us with your thoughts on and reactions to the Draft Strategic Plan. The meeting schedule is at the end of this message. 2. Provide your thoughts and reactions in writing to the State Board. Copies of the plan may be obtained by email request from: [log in to unmask], by telephone 518.474.4372, or is available on the SHRAB website at: http://www.shrab.nysed.gov The plan, when completed, will serve as the blueprint for developments statewide for the next decade and will influence how state and federal resources for historical records programming are allocated in New York. We strongly encourage you to review the plan and to tell us your thoughts on the priorities we have identified, the goals we have established, and the activities you think are most needed by those who create permanently valuable historical materials, those who keep historical materials, and those who use them. Your input is a critical to making this an effective plan. We hope to see you at one of the public meetings! Schedule of Public Meetings on the SHRAB Draft Strategic Plan Syracuse/Central New York Region Central New York Library Resources Council, Syracuse, New York July 30, 1997 10 a.m. - 12 noon Western New York Region Western New York Library Resources Council, Buffalo, New York August 4, 1997 9:30 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. Rochester Region Ontario County Complex, Fire Safety Building, Hopewell, New York August 4, 1997 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Capital District Region Cultural Education Center, Empire State Plaza Albany, New York August 5, 1997 10 a.m. - 12 noon Southern Tier/South Central Region Dewitt Historical Society, Ithaca, New York August 6, 1997 10 a.m. - 12 noon New York City National Archives Regional Headquarters New York City, NY August 7, 1997 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Long Island Hempstead Public Library, Hempstead, New York August 8, 1997 10 a.m. - 12 noon Suffolk Cooperative Library System Bellport, New York August 8, 1997 2:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. Adirondack Region Adirondack Museum Blue Mountain Lake, New York August 11, 1997 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Southeastern/Mid-Hudson Region Southeastern NY Library Resources Council August 12, 1997 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Poughkeepsie, New York