SAA Council Resolution:
Commendation Honoring National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections on Its 50th Anniversary
Issued by the Society
of American Archivists (SAA).
October 15, 2008
WHEREAS since its creation in 1959, the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC) has been a cooperative program partnered by the Library of Congress and eligible archival and manuscript repositories located throughout the United States and its territories that provides and promotes bibliographic access to the nation’s documentary heritage; and
WHEREAS since 1959, the NUCMC program has produced 114,493 catalog records describing collections held by 1,759 eligible repositories; and
WHEREAS NUCMC provides free searching access to the OCLC manuscript cataloging file via a Z39.50 gateway available at the NUCMC program’s web site that contains not only the MARC cataloging produced by NUCMC but also that produced by libraries, archives, historical societies, museums, and other holders of archival and manuscript collections around the world; and
WHEREAS NUCMC encourages greater awareness and use of the nation’s rich and varied documentary heritage with the potential for: 1) justifying increased support by repository administrators; 2) attracting researchers who can provide helpful contextual information which expands an understanding of the significance of collection content; 3) attracting donors who are eager to have their gifts utilized to the greatest extent possible; and 4) translating into better security for a repository’s collections;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Society of American Archivists commends the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections and the Library of Congress upon their 50th anniversary of providing exemplary service of the highest merit to archivists and repositories in the United States and its territories and to researchers and scholars everywhere.
October 15, 2008
|
