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.