1. Archivist Qualifications:
Yes, the qualifications have been broadened. Here is the link to OPM's
revision:
http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-IV/B/GS1400/1420.asp .
I hope enables more good people to apply for jobs at NARA and elsewhere.
2. Tight budgets:
I mentioned tight budgets for federal agencies in one of my postings
last week. Naturally, that affects agencies' ability to hire new
staff. In the U.S., the longterm fiscal imbalance is a problem. For
of you who have the time to delve into some of this more deeply, I
recommend two speeches by my current boss, U.S. Comptroller General
David M. Walker.
See his speech at the London School of Economics, especially the part
about the deficit:
http://www.gao.gov/cghome/lsespeech0306.pdf
Also of interest is his speech on the public service at
http://www.gao.gov/cghome/byu.pdf . That one is appropriate since this
week is Public Service Recognition Week.
I mentioned in a recent posting that the golden days of reference
service probably are over at NARA, mostly for demographic and budgetary
reasons. There are many very good people who still work at NARA and
I'm sure the Archives will hire good people in the future, as well.
However, budgets are going to be tight and that is bound to affect
various archival initiatives. Dave's speech on public service points
to the many challenges facing government managers and leaders. He also
addresses stewardship obligations, something which should interest any
history buffs among you.
If you want to look in greater detail at the fiscal policies and where
the U.S. is headed, see
http://www.gao.gov/cghome/nat408/408natlconfstatelegis.pdf .
As Dave puts it in one of his speeches,
"In recent years, we’ve heard calls to relieve Americans of burdens
like the so-called “death tax,” but we need to talk more about the very
real and growing “birth burden.” That’s what I call the staggering
amount of government commitments that every American, including
newborns, will some day have to pay for. As a result, every new birth
certificate now comes with a bill of $156,000. With a “birth burden”
like this, it’s no wonder that newborn babies cry! Alternatively, this
means that every full-time worker carries a de-facto debt load of
$375,000. For a dual income family, this is like having a $750,000
mortgage without owning a house! Unfortunately, these numbers are
growing every second of every day because of continuing deficits, known
demographic trends, and compounding interest costs."
For more information, see http://www.gao.gov/cghome.htm .
As much as I would love to see NARA flush with money, now and in the
future, I just don't see that happening.
Maarja
-----Original Message-----
From: Leon Miller <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sat, 29 Apr 2006 09:27:41 -0500
Subject: Re: Brain Drain, was Re: Users v. Records, was RE: NARA was
etc.
"I quit applying for NARA positions once I realized that they do (or
did)
enforce the 30-semester-hour requirement in history courses."
My understanding is that on March 31 of this year, the United States
Office
of Personnel Management (OPM) announced a change in the federal
educational
requirements for archivist positions in the 1420 occupational series
that
for the first time allowed coursework in archival science to be credited
toward qualifying as a US government archivist. Prior to this change,
only
history coursework received credit.
So, is this correct? Is archival coursework now an accepted
qualification
for applying for archival positions in NARA, replacing NARA's former
"history only" policy?
Lee
----
Leon C. Miller, Manuscripts Librarian
Special Collections, Jones Hall
Tulane University Libraries
New Orleans, Louisiana 70118
ph: 504-865-5685, fx: 504-865-5761, [log in to unmask]
http://specialcollections.tulane.edu
-----Original Message-----
From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Arel Lucas
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 9:11 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Brain Drain, was Re: Users v. Records, was RE: NARA was etc.
I appreciate your points here, Maarja, and I only have one comment.
Library students like the one to whom you are responding should
realize that it's not just whether one is willing to take a government
job that affects NARA, it's one qualification in particular that many
or most library-science students won't be able to meet.
I don't know for sure whether this still applies, but I thought I had
seen the same requirement recently. I quit applying for NARA
positions once I realized that they do (or did) enforce the
30-semester-hour requirement in history courses. Now, when I got my
Master's in Library Science, I only had to take 42 semester hours of
courses to get the degree. (I took 45.) So 30 hours is a lot.
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A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org.
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