The following post is written by Capt. Emerson Marcus, Nevada National Guard

Capt. Emerson Marcus is the public affairs officer for the Nevada National Guard. He has a Master of Arts in history from the University of Nevada, Reno.

The Nevada National Guard’s annual Flag Day and Army Birthday celebration is a brief (about 30 minutes) and quiet event, consistent with many other celebrations around the country. The event avoids bombastic displays of militarism and jingoism and includes a historical flag presentation from the Nevada Air National Guard Non-Commissioned Officer Academy.

This year was different as thousands attended the “No Kings” protest on Carson Street, both events sharing the same time slot, separated only by the Supreme Court lawn and Capitol grounds. This made for a robust, unique display of patriotism and First Amendment rights in Carson City.

Additionally, State Archives opened for its “All For Our Country” exhibit dedicated to Nevada’s military history. This was the first event to kickoff Nevada’s “America 250” celebration that will include other events leading up to the nation’s quarter millennial birthday next year.

As the public affairs officer for the Nevada National Guard with a graduate degree in history from the University of Nevada, Reno, I helped lead the event and supported State Archives with content and writing for their exhibit. The staff at the State Archives, including Cyndi Shein, Taylor Chase, Hannah Chapman and Cynthia Lafambroise, did an excellent job on a short timeframe leading up to the Army’s 250th birthday and Flag Day. Mike Strom, the Nevada State Library and Archives Administrator, also provided remarks during the ceremony. 

But there’s one thing that I will never forget about the 2025 event: an email I received from the organizer of the “No Kings” protest.

On June 9, the Reno Gazette Journal reported on the contrast to be on display on Flag Day at the state capital. Reporter Mark Robison interviewed me and “No Kings” Northern Nevada organizer, Fassah Galt. After the news story published, Galt sent me an email that included the following:

“I'd like to ensure that all demonstrators present are conscious and respectful of your ceremony and that we as organizers do all we can to ensure that the reverence and respect of your ceremony are preserved,” Galt wrote in the email. “With that in mind I would like to adjust our programming such that our speakers begin after your ceremony has concluded. It is not our desire to impede, disrupt or detract from the ceremony… as it is important for those who will gather on Saturday to recognize that the rights which they seek to exercise are possible only because of those who have given their lives and their service to protect them.”

I’ll never forget that gracious note. He understood, as we did, that a celebration of the flag, the U.S. Army and the peoples’ rights to peaceably assemble were not mutually exclusive acts of patriotism. They were pillars of our nation’s founding that remain true today. The boisterous sound of Americans voicing concerns greatly added to the atmosphere of the day. Afterward, State Archives visitors included Nevadans from both events.

I would like to thank those who worked to support the Nevada National Guard’s 27th annual Flag Day and Army Birthday: the State Archives, the Nevada National Guard, Carson City Public Works, Capitol Police, Galt and so many other Nevadans who came together on June 14, 2025. As said before, the State Archives did a great job and I hope the public enjoys their exhibit as it remains on display through Veterans Day this year.

For me, that day will forever serve as a reminder that differences aren’t barriers — they are elements and anecdotes of our collective national identity and the American Experience. 

The Nevada State Archives would like to thank the Nevada National Guard for their assistance in making this Flag Day celebration and exhibit opening a huge success!

Photo Credits: Ahylin Arroyo, Meighan Herberg, Stephanie Mears

Funding for the exhibit provided by the National Historical Publications & Records Commission

“All for Our Country” commemorates the 250th birthday of the U.S. armed forces. The exhibit opens on Flag Day, June 14 as part of the Nevada National Guard’s birthday celebration. Please join us at 10:00 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial at the State Capitol adjacent to the State Library and Archives at 100 N. Stewart Street, Carson City. The exhibit is largely funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

When Nevada became a state in 1864, Nevadans stood ready to give “All for Our Country,” which became the state’s motto. The exhibit honors Nevadans’ contributions to U.S. efforts during the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II. It also tells the story of the Nevada National Guard. It features historical documents, photographs, objects, and uniforms from the Nevada State Museum, Nevada Historical Society, Stewart Indian School Cultural Center and Museum, Westwall Militaria antique store, Nevada National Guard, and Nevada State Archives.

This year, as we observe the 250th birthday of the U.S. armed forces, we recognize its essential role in the founding of our nation. The United States armed forces began with the establishment of the Continental Army on June 14, 1775 during the fight for American independence. The 250th birthday of the armed forces heralds the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of our nation in 1776. The Nevada State Archives is pleased to host this exhibit as part of the America250 celebration, which will last throughout the coming year. For more information about opportunities to become involved with America 250 initiatives in Nevada, visit https://www.america250nevada.org/.

Above: Photograph of Nevada Governor John Sparks and his military staff, taken on Labor Day in Reno, Nevada, September 3, 1906.

The exhibit will be open to the public June 14 to November 14, 2025 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) at the Nevada State Archives, 100 N. Stewart Street, Carson City.

Funding provided by the National Historical Publications & Records Commission

The Nevada State Archives and State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is excited to announce the receipt of a $79,754.00 State Programming Grant from the National Historical Publications & Records Commission (NHPRC). The award will support the State Archives and SHRAB as they plan and carry out activities aligned with SHRAB's Strategic Plan, provide direct assistance and mentoring to Nevada institutions to promote and support institutional advancement, and promote archives awareness.

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) administers grants for the National Archives. NHPRC supports a wide range of projects to help people discover, access, and use historical records held by repositories across the United States of America.

Learn more about the goals of Nevada's grant here: Nevada SHRAB State Programming Grant 

For additional information on Nevada's SHRAB members, meetings, and activities, see https://nsla.nv.gov/state-historical-records-advisory-board

Woodrow Wilson (1971) - Nevada State Archives Photo # LEG-0329

February is Black History Month and coincides with the beginning of the 83rd Nevada Legislative Session. This month celebrates the achievements and legacy of African Americans, remembers their struggles to gain full citizenship, and honors their contributions to medicine, industry, politics, culture, and science. The Nevada State Archives has a large collection of legislative records, including photographs and documents of prominent African American politicians in Nevada.

Pictured above is Woodrow Wilson (1915-1999), the first black legislator elected to the Nevada Assembly. Mr. Wilson was a Republican from Clark County and he served from 1966-1972. He worked hard to end segregation, was instrumental in pushing through the Nevada Fair Housing Law, and served as the chairman of the Nevada State Advisory Committee for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. You can find a biography for him on the Nevada Legislature's website here.

Pictured below (left) is Joe Neal (1935-2020), a Democrat from Clark County and the first African American elected to the Nevada Senate. He served from November 1972 until his retirement in November of 2004. With 32 years, Senator Neal holds the 2nd longest service in the history of the Nevada Senate. During his legislative service, Senator Neal fought for social justice, the African-American community in Nevada, and healthcare. Read more about him in his biography available here at the State Library.

Also pictured below (right) is Bernice Martin-Matthews (1933-), a Democrat from Washoe County and the first African American woman elected to the Nevada Senate. She served in the Senate from 1994 until she retired in 2010. During her 18 years of service, she advocated for education and women's rights and was the Assistant Minority Leader in 2007. She was also a member of the Governor's Commission on Nursing and Nursing Education, and a former City Councilwoman, City of Reno.

Joe Neal (n.d.) Nevada State Archives Photo # LEG-0403	Bernice Martin-Matthews (n.d.) Nevada State Archives Photo # LEG-0401

The Nevada State Archives has a large, but incomplete photograph collection of previous Nevada Legislators. If you would like to donate photographs that add to the history of the Nevada state government, please contact the Archives via our Ask an Archivist form here: https://nsla-nv.libwizard.com/f/archivist. 

Historic Images of the Nevada Division of Forestry on Exhibit through December 31, 2024

Smokey Bear at the opening of the Archives Month Exhibit, October 01, 2024

Did you know that October was American Archives Month? I didn’t know either, until I started working at the Nevada State Archives! Archives Month is a time to celebrate and embrace our past, while also looking to our future. Every October repositories all over the country raise public awareness on the importance and value of historic documents, records, and the archival profession.

For Archives Month 2024, the Nevada State Archives partnered with the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) and the Nevada Division of Forestry to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Smokey Bear’s fire prevention and education campaign. The Nevada Division of Forestry generously sponsored the poster printing through the State Fire Assistance Grant Program, funded by the USDA Forest Service. The National Historical Publications and Records Commission supported postage costs through a State Programming grant. Working together, we created and distributed Archive’s Month posters across Nevada in English and Spanish. 

The exhibit features historic photos and documents dating back to 1931 that showcase the Nevada Division of Forestry and Smokey Bear's commitment wildfire prevention education.  Imaging & Preservation Services Manager Kassandra Andicoechea-Schmaling designed the poster and oversaw the digitization of images for the exhibit. Certified Archivist Taylor Chase created a display spotlighting the Clarke-McNary Act, including maps and information on the origins of state forestry. The Nevada Division of Forestry added dimension to the exhibit by lending objects used in the field, such as filed guides, fuses used to light backfires, a last resort fire shelter safety device, and firefighter field supplies that include items you might not think of (like mini toilet tissue!).

This exhibit will be on display until December 31, 2024 on weekdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (excluding state holidays). While Smokey Bear is not able to be present due to his busy schedule, you can take a selfie with a life-sized cardboard cutout of the icon himself (pictured on the right)! 

My elementary-school aged children loved the exhibit, and I would highly recommend stopping by with your family. With winter break right around the corner, it is a perfect time to experience a small part of Nevada’s rich history, while also learning about the Nevada State Archives.

This exhibit is self-guided - there is no appointment needed. However, we are here to answer any questions that you may have.

For any inquiries, please call the Nevada State Archives at (775)-684-3310 or submit an Ask an Archivist and we will be happy to assist you.

Many thanks to the NHPRC and the Nevada Division of Forestry for making 2024 Archives Month and the exhibit a huge success!

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), the Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board, the Nevada State Archives, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas University Libraries partnered to offer a popular workshop on paper conservation.

Post written by Maggie Gaspar:

In October, the State Historic Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) held two Conservation Fundamentals for Archives workshops taught by Michael Don Fraser of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The workshops were offered at no cost to participants thanks to the support of UNLV, SHRAB, and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). In order to serve the greatest number of people, one workshop was held in Northern Nevada, in Carson City, and one was held in Southern Nevada, in Las Vegas.

In 2023, SHRAB conducted a needs assessment survey for those working with historic records in the state of Nevada and one major finding was the need for more archival education. The Conservation Fundamentals for Archives workshops were a response to the number one desire survey participants voiced for more education on how to protect and preserve paper-based records. 

Twenty-six participants from museums, libraries, archives, and records organizations across the state attended the seven-hour workshop during which they learned the basics of how to assess the physical conservation needs of paper-based historical records, repair fragile and damaged materials, rehouse materials following best practices, and protect materials from future damage. 

Participants particularly enjoyed the hands-on nature of the workshop, with one participant reflecting that they most liked, “The practical pieces that were woven throughout the workshop. For example, learning to make paste and then using it to fix documents later. It kept the workshop interesting and allowed you to practice the skills that you were being taught.” Another attendee reflected that the workshop gave them confidence, saying that, “This made repairing paper feel doable, rather than something daunting, which will aid me at work. I would strongly recommend this workshop to others. Extremely worthwhile. 

Workshop participants in Las Vegas

Post by Sarah Patton:

In 2023, the State Historic Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) conducted a needs assessment survey for those working with historic records in the state of Nevada, and one major finding was the need for more education, including arrangement and description of paper records. Responding to this expressed desire, SHRAB worked with the Nevada Museums Association (NMA) to offer a free workshop, Archives 101 for Museum Professionals, as part of NMA’s annual conference, held this year in Tonopah from October 15 to 18, 2024.

Facilitated by Emily Fellmer (The Neon Museum) and co-taught by Maggie Gaspar (The Neon Museum), Sarah Patton (Nevada Historical Society), and Cyndi Shein (Nevada State Library, Archives, and Public Records), the four-hour workshop focused on some of the fundamentals of archival work, including ethics; key concepts, such as provenance and original order; acquisition and accessioning of material; processing, including arrangement, description, and creating a finding aid; and providing access to researchers. Hands-on activities were interspersed throughout to give participants an opportunity to synthesize and digest the information presented.

The workshop attracted nineteen participants, including volunteers, registrars, curators, and directors, from museums and historical societies across Nevada. Feedback from participants in an anonymous post-workshop survey was positive, with one participant noting, “Access to learning opportunities like these will only increase understanding and improve the care of archives across the state. What an excellent professional development opportunity.” Another reflected, “This workshop was a great use of my time and was immediately applicable to my work. Your funding has made a demonstrable contribution to Nevada museums. Thank you!” There were also great suggestions for how to improve future workshops and topics participants would like to see covered.

In talking with participants before, during, and after the workshop, it was clear that Nevada has dedicated professionals who deeply care about the material in their collections. They strive to adhere to best practices and share their materials with researchers. SHRAB is grateful to these individuals and is committed to continuing to support them through future educational opportunities.

The workshop was offered at no cost to participants thanks to a collaboration between the Nevada Museum Association and the Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board, the generosity of the workshop instructors, and the support of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Nevada Archives Month 2024 celebrates the legacy of Smokey Bear and his enduring commitment to wildfire prevention. Together, let’s protect our natural and cultural heritage for generations to come!

Archives Month is a time to raise awareness about the importance of preserving history for future generations by highlighting available information about our past. Archival and historical repositories across the United States celebrate Archives Month in October of each year and Nevada is no exception.

In recognition of the occasion, Governor Lombardo issued a proclamation declaring October 2024 in Nevada as Archives Month. Visit the Archives Month 2024 webpage to learn more about early efforts of the State Forester Firewarden's role in implementing the Clarke-McNary Act of 1924 in Nevada, and the Nevada Division of Forestry's dedication to the protection and management of our state's lands. On this page, you can also find the 2024 Archives Month Poster and information on Smokey Bear's 80 Years of preventing wildfires.

• View the Proclamation here: https://nsla.nv.gov/ld.php?content_id=78375250

We invite you to visit the Nevada State Archives in Carson City to view photographs, maps, correspondence, and other historical records that document Nevada’s history of forestry, fire prevention, fire control, and forest management. Learn about Nevada’s rich history of forestry, fire prevention, fire control, and forest management dating back to the 1930s. Materials will be displayed here online and in person at the Nevada State Archives from October 1 to December 31, 2024.

The State of Nevada is pleased to announce the launch of a collaborative pilot project funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Collections and Reference Resources grant program. The Nevada partnership—comprised of the Nevada Historical Society, the Stewart Indian School Museum and Cultural Center, the Nevada State Museum (Carson City), and the Nevada State Archives—has been awarded $59,999 to explore a shared online platform that has the potential to make descriptions of their historic archival materials discoverable for public use. The Nevada partnership was awarded one of only 33 awards out of 174 eligible applications. The Nevada partners are working with Atlas Systems, Inc. to implement a multi-institutional instance of ArchivesSpace.

Mike Strom, Administrator of the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records Division stated, “We are excited to collaborate with our partners on this project that will lead to increased discoverability of historic records. This will benefit those interested in Nevada history and the institutions that house and preserve those records. We thank NEH for this opportunity.”  

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES 

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at: www.neh.gov. 

In 2023, the Nevada State Archives proposed and was awarded a preservation assistance grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to hire a preservation specialist to visit the State Archives and provide recommendations.

Funded by this NEH grant, the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC), the premier conservation center in the country, sent two specialists to assess the State Archives in April 2024 and presented their final report in June 2024. The State Archives staff will use this report to determine priorities for their preservation activities so that future generations can access government records and that state government is accountable, transparent, and meets the needs of its citizens.

The State Archives successfully completed the grant and has already acted in response to the report. One recommendation from the specialists was to monitor environmental conditions with dataloggers and reporting software. The State Archives purchased ten dataloggers, deployed them strategically in the building, and began monitoring the temperature and relative humidity in the areas where records and archives are stored.

Preserving the documentary history of Nevada is a challenging responsibility. State government records come in a variety of formats, such as fragile paper, photographs, VHS tapes, cassette tapes, dictabelts, and digital media. Regardless of the format, dramatic fluctuations in temperature or humidity can have detrimental effects on materials. Monitoring the temperature and humidity in archival storage spaces will provide the data needed to identify potential areas of improvement.

For more information, please contact the State Archives Manager at 775-684-3319 or claframboise@admin.nv.gov.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES 

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at: www.neh.gov.

The Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board is pleased to offer a free workshop, Conservation Fundamentals for Archives, to individuals at organizations that care for Nevada’s historical records/archives. The workshop will be hosted at two locations--in Southern Nevada and in Northern Nevada. The workshop is offered at no cost to eligible participants thanks to the generous support of the National Historical Publications & Records Commission, UNLV Libraries Special Collections & Archives, and the Nevada State Archives.

Apply here: Conservation Workshop Application 2024

Download Flyer: Conservation Workshop Flyer 2024

Location 1: Carson City October 11, 2024 

8:45 am – 5:00 pm 

Nevada State Archives Conservation Lab

100 N. Stewart Street, Carson City, NV 89706

Application deadline: October 1.

Location 2: Las Vegas October 18, 2024 

8:45 am – 5:00 pm 

University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Lied Library

4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154

Application deadline: October 8. 

Historical documents, manuscripts, ledgers, maps, and prints are inherently fragile but can be effectively protected. This one-day hands-on workshop will cover important preservation issues: proper care and handling, storage, limiting light exposure, and the impact of temperature and relative humidity on archives. Instruction will cover the fundamentals of surface cleaning, paper repair, and humidification following professional standards. Under the guidance of a professional conservator, Michael Don Fraser, participants will learn how to assess the conservation needs of archival materials, repair torn paper, humidify and flatten rolled or crumpled documents, encapsulate documents, and protect records from further damage through proper rehousing and storage.

Each participant will receive a basic book/paper repair toolkit to bring back to their organization/institution. Applicants traveling more than 50 miles one way to their nearest workshop are eligible for a $100 travel stipend to help offset travel costs.

Due to the hands-on nature of the workshop, seating is limited to 18 persons per workshop. Workshop seats will be assigned on a first come, first served basis determined by the order in which completed applications from eligible individuals are received by the Nevada State Archives. The goal of the workshops is to provide conservation education to as many Nevada organizations as possible. Therefore, initially, only one participant from each organization will be admitted. Additional applicants from a single organization will be placed on a waiting list. Once the application deadline passes, if space permits, additional individuals from the same organization may be admitted. Space permitting, master’s students in library and information science, museum studies, public history, or closely related fields will be considered.

This is an introductory workshop. No prior experience or training is required of participants. 

Priority consideration will be given to applicants who

• are a current employee or volunteer in a Nevada-based organization,
• are tasked with care and handling of Nevada’s historical records/archives at the organization, and
• have no formal conservation training.

To apply, please complete the PDF application linked at the top of this post and email it to the Nevada State Archives: Smears@admin.nv.gov 

Genealogical Records in the Nevada State Archives:

The Nevada State Archives has some records for marriages and divorces for Carson County, Utah, and Nevada territories, dating from 1856-1862.

The Nevada State Library has marriage records for Douglas, Lyon, Ormsby, Storey, and Washoe Counties for 1862-1900. The latter are available on microfilm and are provided for research purposes only. Certified copies should be obtained from the office of record.

Other types of records available in the State Archives include:

• 1870 Nevada census - Includes Chinese Census Cards
• 1875 Nevada Census
• State Children’s Home Records
• Nevada Department of Corrections – Inmate Case files
• Historical State Land Patents – Digital Collection
• Nevada Territory Census Reports – Digital Collection
• Nevada Territory Census Reports 1861,1862,1864 - Digital Collection
• Indian census 1909-1939 - Microfilm available via the Nevada State Library
• Military Records – Muster rolls, DD Form 214s, Selective Service Cards

1870 Chinese Census Card

Genealogical Records not in the State Archives:

Naturalization, district court cases, and local government records are maintained in the district courts and the county offices. Vital records such as birth, death, marriage, and divorce are maintained at the county level and with the Office of Vital Records. The Nevada State Office of Vital Statistics has birth and death records from 1911 to the present for all counties.

Birth and death records from 1887 to the present are recorded in each county, either in the office of the County Recorder or County Health Officer. There were no birth or death records kept in Nevada until 1887 when the first vital statistics law was passed by the Nevada State Legislature. Access to birth certificates is limited during the most recent 100 years. Only those who are named on the certificate, their immediate family members, or persons with a legal interest may acquire these records.

The Vital Records Division transferred a small number of Death Records volumes to the archives since they are no longer confidential. The volumes date from the 1920s-1954. 

Prior to that date, the only possible sources available for proof of birth are newspapers or baptismal records. The Nevada State Library has microfilm of Nevada newspapers, the Nevada census from 1870 – 1930, and the Indian census from 1909-1939.

Marriage certificates are filed with the County Recorder in the county where the marriage license was issued, not where the marriage took place. Divorces are civil court actions and are kept in the office of the County Clerk for each county. Civil court cases are filed by case number and indexed by plaintiff and defendant. For up-to-date listings of County Officials, check out the Nevada Association of Counties website.

Additional Resources:

There are also several historical societies around the state of Nevada such as:

• Las Vegas Historical Society

• Clark County Nevada Genealogical Society - CCNGS has guides, links, and classes for genealogy research specifically in Nevada.

• Nevada Historical Society Research Library - the largest and most complete repository of library materials, photographs, and manuscript collections relating to the history of Nevada.

• Library of Congress Research Guide, Nevada Local History & Genealogy - Directs researchers to the location of many types of records, organizations, and publications when conducting research in Nevada.

• BYU Idaho, Western States Marriage Records Index - Index of Marriage records in Nevada from approximately 1862-1959 (depending on the county) - We recommend searching by name.

The Nevada State Archives has a small genealogical display in the Research Room which can be viewed from July to October 2024 during our open hours.

The Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is pleased to announce another winner of the 2024 Scholarship for archivists and associated professionals working to preserve Nevada's historical documents to attend the 2024 CIMA annual meeting and any workshops offered as part of the conference. This scholarship was funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Congratulations to Sarah Patton, Archivist at the Nevada Historical Society!

Post by Sarah Patton:

Thanks to SHRAB’s generosity, I was able to attend the pre-conference Society of American Archivists (SAA) workshop, “Preserving Digital Archives.”

Having graduated from library school 15 years ago, my knowledge of digital preservation was feeling a little out-of-date. As I’ve been tasked with managing our digital files in my role as Archivist at the Nevada Historical Society, I knew I needed to brush up on my skills in this area. This course, in the Tactical & Strategic tier of the SAA Digital Archives Specialist curriculum, aimed to address how to start a digital preservation program and help archivists “move from understanding the core vocabulary, standards, and best practices of digital preservation toward program planning, policy development, and systems evaluation” – just what I was looking for!

The workshop covered a lot of material in a variety of areas, and I felt like I came away with some specific tools to use to evaluate the Nevada Historical Society’s existing policies and procedures, assess what we have in the way of digital content, and identify next steps. The National Digital Stewardship Alliance Levels of Digital Preservation template was particularly useful for conceptualizing categories to consider and best practices for each.

The main takeaway was that “Doing something, no matter how imperfect, is better than doing nothing.” This was a helpful reminder to just get started, and I’m now feeling more motivated and better prepared to proceed with a digital preservation program at the Nevada Historical Society.

In addition to the educational component, the opportunity to connect with colleagues and hear about their own experiences and struggles in this area was equally valuable. I always find that workshops and conferences reassure me that I am not alone, and others are facing the same issues I am, so I’m grateful that I had the chance to attend in-person and have those conversations.

The Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is pleased to announce the first of the winners of the 2024 Scholarship for archivists and associated professionals working to preserve Nevada's historical documents to attend the 2024 CIMA annual meeting and any workshops offered as part of the conference. This scholarship was funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Congratulations to Kassandra Andicoechea-Schmaling, Imaging and Preservation Manager at the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records!

Attending the Preserving Digital Archives pre-conference workshop at the Conference for Inter- Mountain Archivists (CIMA) was an invaluable professional development opportunity, made possible through the generous support of the Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) Scholarship. The workshop focused on initiating digital preservation programs within organizations, addressing the challenge of managing digital records. 

In Nevada's state government operations, digital content creation is always occurring, resulting in a significant mass of digital records. Managing these records, from creation through preservation, poses substantial organizational and storage challenges. The Imaging and Preservation Services (IPS) at the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records digitizes analog materials. The resulting digital outputs, comprising thousands of images and PDFs, require continuous care to ensure their long-term accessibility and usability. 

Equipped with newfound knowledge from the workshop, I now feel empowered to assist state agencies by offering insight into a perceived daunting task. The workshop provided a foundational understanding of Digital Preservation, which I aim to share with the state agencies that come to IPS for services. It highlighted the importance of developing a Digital Preservation Plan tailored to each agency’s needs, despite common constraints such as limited manpower, technology, funding, and time. Discussions on "The Five Organizational Stages of Digital Preservation" by Anne R. Kenney and Nancy Y. McGovern underscored the steps agencies can take to establish preservation plans, a great source to ease their hesitations and validate their efforts. Instructor Daniel Noonan stressed the importance of initiating preservation efforts at any scale, emphasizing that taking action, no matter how big or small, is preferable to no action. 

Many of the state agencies we support have begun moving through the outlined preservation stages: Acknowledgement (Stage 1) of digital archive necessity, Action (Stage 2) through digitization efforts, and Consolidation (Stage 3), where the focus shifts to securing long-term resources and infrastructure. Stages 4 (Institutionalization) and 5 (Externalization) are the next phases of their preservation journeys. Understanding these stages enables IPS to validate the agencies’ progress and assist them in advancing their preservation plans. 

Again, thank you so much to the Nevada SHRAB and the NHPRC for their funding support, which enabled me to attend this workshop, connect with peers in the field, and advance my development in digital preservation practices. 

The Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is pleased to announce the second of the winners of the 2024 Scholarship for archivists and associated professionals working to preserve Nevada's historical documents to attend the 2024 CIMA annual meeting and any workshops offered as part of the conference. This scholarship was funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Congratulations to Liz Moore, former Senior Archivist at the Nevada State Archives!

Post by Liz Moore:

The 2024 CIMA Conference theme of Back to the Basics, Into the Future turned out to be a perfect balance of learning about new practices while reinforcing the value of current knowledge. Sessions such as “Publishing Archival Film on YouTube in an Institutional Repository” and “Starting with the Basics: Two Case Studies in Email Preservation Programs” led to thoughtful discussions about how archivists are negotiating the challenges of these problems. Another session tackled the more familiar topic of file naming conventions and reinforced the importance of maintaining a consistent system. Every session I attended provided the opportunity for me to reflect on my own challenges in the field and reinforced the importance of collaboration in resolving the issues faced by archivists on a daily basis. Conferences such as these are a great way to learn helpful hints and to network with others who may be able to help with the larger problems facing the archival community.

In my more than seventeen years with the Nevada State Archives, I have attended many CIMA Conferences and Fall Caucuses. I also spent two years on the CIMA Council, served as newsletter editor, and participated in the Local Arrangements Committee for this past year. I’ve found my time in CIMA to be both rewarding and educational and I plan to continue my membership as I transition into retirement from daily archival work. Networking with my now-former coworkers and colleagues provided me a chance to think about how I might continue to serve the Nevada archival community moving forward. My hope is that I can be a resource by sharing my knowledge of archival practices and the history of Nevada and Nevada state government. I’m grateful to the Nevada SHRAB and NHPRC for providing me with a scholarship to attend this year’s conference so that I can maintain my connections with the community.

The Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is pleased to announce the first of the winners of the 2024 Scholarship for archivists and associated professionals working to preserve Nevada's historical documents to attend the 2024 CIMA annual meeting and any workshops offered as part of the conference. This scholarship was funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Congratulations to Emily Fellmer, Senior Collections Manager at the Neon Museum in Las Vegas!

Post by Emily Fellmer:

Attending the Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists (CIMA) was an insightful and inspiring educational and professional development opportunity. This years’ focus of ‘Back to the Basics, Into the Future’ was a perfect blend to refresh core concepts and practices in the field but with the thought to advance those practices further with delving into newer trends with digital preservation and ways to streamline processes. The ‘Approaches to File Naming’ session encapsulated the theme by discussing multiple ways that institutions have used technology to assist with creating an efficient workflow while keeping professional standards in mind.

As a recipient of a SHRAB CIMA scholarship, I was able to attend the CIMA conference for the first time. The sessions gave great insight into such a wide range of subjects from Email Preservation to Accessibility to Finding Aids. Many of the sessions showed creative methods of how to successfully execute a project with limited resources, something many institutions navigate regardless of their size. The session on ‘Backlogs’ and ‘Archiving the Archive’ gave many tips that I’ll be able to apply to my institution. The Poster Sessions created a great blend of learning about emerging projects at various institutions and allowing a space to ask questions. During the post sessions, I was able to talk to colleagues about projects that I’ve implemented similar to theirs and talk through what went well for each of us and brainstorm on ways we can streamline processes.

As a first-time CIMA attender, the community was so welcoming, inspiring, and encouraging. Making connections at this conference has widened my professional network by discussing trends in the field and projects with colleagues from other states and other institutions within Nevada. The Local Arrangements Committee and CIMA Board curated thoughtful networking experiences by hosting the reception at a local museum and ‘Dine-Around’ events at historic properties, which allowed additional educational opportunities while networking. The tour of the University of Nevada, Reno Special Collections and Basque Library were very informative on the scopes of their collections and their prioritization of accessibility. The conference sparked many ideas on how I can implement these new concepts at my institution.

Thank you to SHRAB and NHPRC for granting me this opportunity to attend the CIMA conference to expand my knowledge of current best practices and standards in our field.

The Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is pleased to have received an $11,980 State Programming Grant from the National Historical Publications & Records Commission (NHPRC). In addition to contributing to SHRAB's basic operations, the award will help raise awareness of the importance of archives by contributing to outreach efforts during Archives Month. Most significantly, the award will fund two conservation workshops for historical records keepers of Nevada. The workshops will be held on the following dates:

• October 11, 2024 - Carson City, Nevada
• October 18, 2024 - Las Vegas, Nevada

Stay tuned for more details about how to secure a seat at the conservation workshops! 

Learn more about the goals of this grant here: Nevada SHRAB State Programming Grant 

For additional information on SHRAB members, meetings, and activities, see https://nsla.nv.gov/state-historical-records-advisory-board

When the COVID-19 pandemic mandates reduced on-site work for Nevada State Archives staff, physical projects built up and more records kept coming in. This included inmate files coming from Nevada correctional facilities, which are some of the most frequently and urgently requested documents held by the State Archives. Requests included Department of Correction's requests to seal records, re-entry of inmates into the system, individuals conducting family and general history research, and individual’s requests for their own records. When life returned to normal, the Nevada State Archives received $108,570.68 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to process 1,090 boxes out of the many thousands of boxes of inmate records held in the Archives. The goal was to fast-track the most recent files of former inmates and make them more accessible to those who need them.

To achieve this goal, two dedicated archives' technicians, Zachary Peach and Lynda Klein, were hired to accelerate the processing of the inmate files and digitizing standard twelve essential document types in each inmate file. The technicians exceeded the 1,090-box goal, processing over 1,500 boxes of records and digitizing the newly processed files. Individuals and families impacted by the justice system will be better served, directly and indirectly, from the file refinement and digital accessibility. Because digitization increases the availability of the files, Archives' staff will be able to more quickly fulfill records requests online to serve those who are unable to travel to the State Archives in person.

The Nevada State Archives is extremely grateful to Lynda Klein and Zachary Peach for their reliability, dedication, and meticulous attention to detail. They went above and beyond to make this ARPA project a resounding success!

Nevada State Land Patents are state conveyance documents created on the initial transfer of land titles from the State government to individuals. Official records of patents for lands were issued by the Nevada Surveyor General or State Land Registrar. The original copy was issued to the individual for filing with the county recorder and recorded in the Secretary of State’s office in one of 24 volumes dating 1865-1995. Each includes the name of patentee, description of land granted by patent, patent number, and date.

The switch to working from home during much of 2020 and into 2021 provided the staff of the Nevada State Archives the chance to tackle an interesting project in collaboration with the Nevada Division of State Lands. The two agencies had discussed a “dream project” of providing access to Nevada State Land Patents through a GIS layer on an online map of the state. The events of 2020 allowed the opportunity for this dream to become a reality.

For many years, copies of these documents were made by retrieving the volume containing the requested patent from the Archives’ vault, making a photocopy, and then sending the copy by fax. This task led to wear and tear on the historic patent volumes. The Archives’ staff then began saving the copied documents in a file, organized by patent, volume, and page number. If a duplicate request came in, that copy could then be retrieved and faxed without having to pull the original again. Copies were only made upon request at this time so a full run of patents was not readily available.

A grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) helped to fund a digital platform for records of the Nevada State Library and Archives in 2011. At that time, all 24 volumes of the Nevada State land patents were digitized, indexed, and uploaded to the web. This provided 24/7 access to land patents without having to contact the Nevada State Archives. However, issues with that digital platform a few years later meant the records needed to be migrated to a new site and some of the search functionality was lost. This is when the staff of the Nevada State Archives and Nevada State Lands began discussing the dream of having a Nevada GIS land patent map.

Nevada State Archives staff working from home in 2020 and 2021 created a spreadsheet of unique URLs for each of the more than 13,700 Nevada State land patents on the digital platform. Once complete, this spreadsheet went to the staff of Nevada State Lands, who created the GIS layer with links to the patent images. Nevada State land patents are now searchable by patentee name, patent number, or can be found just by clicking on a specific portion of the Nevada map. View the Patent Search Map here: https://lands.nv.gov/patent-search-tool.

This search is for patents issued by Nevada State Government. In order to search for patents issued by the United States, a researcher will need to go to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management website here: https://glorecords.blm.gov/search/default.aspx.

State Land Patent Exhibit

We invite you to visit the State Archives from April 1st to June 28th to learn more about these documents and the history of land ownership in Nevada. Original land patent volumes will be available for viewing in the Research Room exhibit cases.

The Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is pleased to announce the first of the winners of the 2023 Scholarship in support of educational opportunities related to the care, preservation, and access of Nevada’s historical records. This scholarship was funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Congratulations to Maggie Gaspar, Curator of Library, Manuscripts, and Photographs at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas!

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Post by Maggie Gaspar:

The word "archives" typically brings to mind images of tangible, paper records stored in folders and boxes. However, in a world where much is done digitally, archival repositories are faced with the challenges of storing, organizing, maintaining, and providing access to digital materials. The Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas is no different. The museum's research library focuses on preserving Southern Nevada history, and in recent years it has begun collecting some born-digital materials. However, no concrete standards or workflows related to these records have yet been established, resulting in a reluctance to accept born-digital collections. When born-digital collections are received, there is a lack of workflows and procedures to guide their management.

In 2023, I was awarded a scholarship by the Nevada State historical Records Advisory Board to participate in three Society of American Archivists classes to help me better manage digital materials. I completed these classes:

1. Thinking Digital
2. Standards for Digital Archives
3. basics of Managing Digital Records.

These classes have given me the foundational knowledge that I was previously lacking and raised my comfort level in working with digital materials and creating local workflows to manage digital records. The classes have also given me the confidence to advocate for the inclusion of born-digital materials in the library's collections. This knowledge and confidence is essential as it will help the library grow its collections and meet the challenges of information management in the modern age. Thank you to SHRAB and the NHPRC for the funding and the opportunity!

The Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is pleased to announce the availability of at least two scholarships of up to $800 each provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. SHRAB scholarships are open to archivists and associated professionals working to preserve Nevada's historical documents. The Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists (CIMA) will hold its annual meeting  in Reno, Nevada from May 29 - June 1, 2024.Funds from this scholarship may be used for registration to the 2024 CIMA annual meeting, workshops offered as part of the conference, meals, and travel expenses. 

Apply now! Scholarships will be awarded to qualified applicants on a first-come-first-served basis. Applications must be submitted no later than March 18, 2024.

Award recipients will be expected to submit a brief essay and photo on their experience to be made publicly available through the Nevada State Library, Archives & Public Records website: https://nsla.nv.gov/blog. Award recipients will also be asked to submit a report on their experience following the conference that will be published in the CIMA Newsletter.

Qualifications

• Applicants must reside in Nevada.
• Applicants must have work experience of at least 1 year in an organization that handles Nevada's historical records or archival materials

Application Process

Send scholarship applications via e-mail to CIMA Vice President Brittany N. Alleman Ayers: brittany.ayers@churchofjesuschrist.org

Please include the following information in one PDF document:

• Name, institution, and email address 
• Current résumé
• 250-word cover letter including: 
  • A statement of the expected benefits of attending the CIMA meeting
  • Why an employing institution would not be able to assist with travel funding
  • If applying for the NVSHRAB scholarship: Funding request - broken down into categories for travel, meals, accommodation and registration (if requesting travel funds, GSA per diem rates apply for mileage, accommodations, and meals)
• Letter of reference from a person with knowledge of the applicant's work or educational program, stating how the individual would benefit from the knowledge gained through attending the CIMA meeting 

Deadline

Scholarships will be awarded to qualified applicants on a first-come-first-served basis. Applications must be submitted no later than March 18, 2024.

Questions?

Contact SHRAB Coordinator Cyndi Shein with questions about this scholarship: cshein@admin.nv.gov

The Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is pleased to announce the first of the winners of the 2023 Scholarship in support of educational opportunities related to the care, preservation, and access of Nevada’s historical records. This scholarship was funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Congratulations to Taylor Chase, Archivist II at the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records!

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Digital archiving is a constantly evolving field, and specialized training is essential when developing the set of skills that the Nevada State Archives needs to manage our permanent digital records. We live in a digital world now, which has led to an exponential influx of official government records being created and distributed in an electronic format.

My position here at the Nevada State Archives plays a unique and vital role in preserving the electronic and born-digital records of our state’s government. In addition to working with analog records, I spend a lot of my time accessioning and transferring digital records to secured storage, processing and organizing the records, and ensuring that they will be accessible to state agencies and future researchers. These records include the electronic records of the State Agencies and Constitutional Officers (Governor, Secretary of State, etc.) of Nevada.

As the recipient of this SHRAB scholarship, I have dedicated the funds to beginning my journey toward becoming certified as a Digital Archives Specialist (DAS) through the Society of American Archivists. This program is designed to teach the applied knowledge, fundamentals, and tools needed to implement standardized electronic records practices. Over the course of 3 months, I successfully completed 4 DAS courses:

1. Assessment & Certification of Digital Repositories
2. Standards for Digital Archives
3. Introduction to Processing Digital Records & Manuscripts
4. Digital Preservation of Audio & Video

With 4 out of the 9 total courses to achieve the DAS Certificate fulfilled, this SHRAB scholarship has significantly advanced my education as a digital archivist. The courses that I have finished covered: the evaluation and implementation of assessment tools; standards supporting digital archiving functions and their applications; high-level overviews and tools for processing digital records; and detailed guides on audio visual conservation and digitization.

Knowledge gained from these courses helped lay the foundation for the State Archives to keep our state’s historical electronic records organized and secure, appropriately respond to electronic records requests in a reasonable amount of time, and provide other state agencies guidance on maintaining compliance with their records retention & disposition schedules pertaining to electronic records. As I continue my DAS certification journey, the State Archives’ capability to ingest, process, and preserve born-digital records will continue to grow with me.

Thank you to SHRAB for this wonderful opportunity that has allowed me to substantially advance my personal education and professional work experience in the digital archiving field. 

As the old joke goes, if you don’t like the weather here, just wait 5 minutes. Tracking weather conditions in Nevada has a long history. Government meteorological observations in Nevada date back to 1870 when the National Weather Service (NWS) was created within the U.S. Army Signal Corps under the War Department. These military meteorologists were stationed in Nevada until 1890 when the NWS was transferred to the U.S. Department of Agriculture because weather conditions were recorded for the benefit of commerce and agriculture. Weather conditions were reported three times a day: morning, afternoon, and night.

In Carson City, a local jeweler named Charles Friend established a weather observatory on the grounds located across the street from the current State Library and Archives Building on Stewart Street. Nevada Historical Marker No. 258, in what is now the park, commemorates his service. In 1883, the Nevada State Legislature passed an act to procure his meteorological reports for the state. Friend was successful in expanding weather observations in Nevada, and in 1887 the Nevada Legislature established the Nevada State Weather Service.

Charles Friend was designated the State Climatologist until his death in 1904. In 1905, the weather stations around the state were required to post their observations to the Salt Lake City bureau of the National Weather Service under the Department of Agriculture. In 1940, the National Weather Service was moved from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Commerce.

In 1954, the National Weather Bureau Climatological Service Division created the State Climatologist Program thus reverting authority from the federal government back to the states. It would be several years until Nevada had another State Climatologist, but in January 1958 Merle J. Brown from Salt Lake City was appointed to the position. In February 1969, the Office of the State Climatologist was relocated from Utah to the University of Nevada, Reno. It is now called the Nevada State Climate Office and continues to produce climate summaries that are available online at https://extension.unr.edu/climate/.

We invite you to visit the State Archives during the next two months to view the Carson City and Reno weather condition summaries dating from 100 years ago, which are on display. Temperature, wind, precipitation, and cloud observations were written carefully in the ledgers and forms.

The State Archives has meteorological observations ledgers and forms recorded by volunteers dating from 1877-1979. For more information regarding the history of the State Climatologist & Weather Service and the finding aid to the collection, visit our website at https://nsla.nv.gov/archives-weatherservice. This collection contains invaluable primary source material with rich research potential for scholars and anyone interested in Nevada’s climate. The materials will be on display in the State Archives Research Room until March 29th, 2024.

This hand-painted flag flew over Fort Ruby in eastern Nevada on October 31, 1864: the day Nevada was admitted to the Union as the 36th state. This 36 by 21 inch flag arranges the stars in a 6-6-6-6-6-6 square pattern on a field a blue and displays the traditional 13 alternating red and white stripes representing the original 13 colonies. The 36-star flag did not become the Official United States Flag until July 4th, 1865, and only served for 2 years until Nebraska gained statehood in 1867. It served as the official flag for the end of the Civil War and the beginning of the Reconstruction era. The Fort Ruby 36-Star Flag is undoubtedly one of the first flags to include Nevada in the stars.

Dr. John W. Long served as the Post Doctor at Fort Ruby from 1863 to 1866 and took the flag home to Ohio as a memento after his tour of duty. In 1965, over a century after the flag was first raised, Dr. Long’s family presented the flag to Governor Grant Sawyer to be placed in the Nevada State Archives. For thirty years, the flag was encased in a Plexiglas frame and frequently exhibited, exposing it to excessive stress and harmful light. It was then freed from its frame, analyzed, and cleaned by a textile conservator. The flag is now preserved according to museum standards and can only be exhibited for a few days a year for as long as it lasts. In 2014, the Nevada Museum of Art displayed the flag as part of its exhibit “The 36th Star: Nevada’s Journey from Territory to State.” In addition, the flag is often displayed during the annual Nevada National Guard's Flag Day Ceremony each June.

A brief history of Fort Ruby:

Two years after construction in 1862, Fort Ruby became the first fort composed entirely of Nevada volunteers, the origins of the present-day Nevada National Guard. Anywhere from 100 to 300 soldiers could be found there, including Company B, 1st Nevada Volunteers, before the fort closed in 1869. Capt. George Alva Thurston was in charge beginning in the fall of 1864 until December 1865. 

The original Constitution approved for Nevada in 1864 remains in effect today. Based on the 1849 founding document of neighboring California, the 44 handwritten 17 x 24 inch pages were signed by secretary William M. Gillespie and members of the Nevada Constitutional Convention. Today, this document exists as part of the Nevada Revised Statutes, which is considered the “official” copy for legal use.

Nevadans’ approved their new Constitution on September 14th, 1864, with the votes collected, counted and approved on September 27th. Territorial Governor James W. Nye sent the canvass of votes and certified copies of the Constitution by Overland Mail. On October 24th, 1864, Governor Nye received a telegram saying the canvass of votes had been received, but not the Constitution. President Lincoln would not approve statehood until he’d seen the document. With only two weeks before the national election, Horace Carpentier, General Superintendent of the Overland Telegraph Company’s Placerville to Salt Lake City District, suggested that Nye telegraph the document to Washington. 

James H. Guild, the California Telegraph Company’s best telegrapher, began sending the 16,543 word document from Carson City to Salt Lake City on October 26th, 1864. There was no direct link from Carson City to Washington so the telegram had to be transcribed at Salt Lake. The message would then be sent to Chicago and Philadelphia in this way before the final receiver could transcribe and deliver the 175-page document to President Lincoln. The telegram suspended the receipt of war messages in the Office of the U.S. Military Telegraph in the War Department for more than five hours. At the time, the Nevada Constitution was the longest telegraph in history and has only been surpassed by the English Standard Version of the New Testament (118,000 words) in 1881.

Lincoln received the Constitution two days after the first transmission at around 10:45pm. The last sheet of the message indicated the cost of transmission to be $4,303.27. This is equivalent to around $84,363 in 2023. Seward sent the President’s proclamation of Nevada statehood by return telegram on October 30th. Since Nye was away campaigning for Lincoln, the telegram received in Carson City at 9:00pm was forwarded to the Governor at Unionville. Nye then responded at midnight ordering that a proclamation be issued at once so that statehood would be official as of October 31st, 1864.

A facsimile of the original Nevada Consitution can be viewed on the second floor, north end, of the Nevada State Library and Archives building. The original document once on exhibit in the same display case is now safely stored in a special vault in the Nevada State Archives.

Visit the Nevada State Archives throughout the month of October to view records created by the Nevada State Nursing Board. These items are on display in the beautiful Koontz-Cahlan Research Room (photo at left). Also visible in this photo is the original copy of the Archives Month Proclamation issued by Governor Lombardo to commemorate this year’s celebration, which resides in a setup replicating a Nevada state agency office of the mid-20th Century.

Items on display in our exhibit cases include the Nevada State Board of Nursing meeting minutes shown here. The document on the right in this image is also proudly displayed on the year’s Archives Month poster. Visit the State Archives until the end of October 2023 to view the exhibit.

Check out our website to learn more about the Nevada Archives Month:  https://nsla.nv.gov/archives/archives-month.

Here at the Nevada State Archives, we are prepared for almost any media and born-digital content sent our way. From hard drives to floppy disks to emails, staff at the Archives can accession and process almost any record stored on obsolete or previously inaccessible media. This year for Electronic Records Day (October 10th), we take you behind the scenes of our Born-Digital Workstation.

Practically everything in state government is done online nowadays. Very few items are originally created in a physical paper format. This has created an exponential growth in the electronic records created by the state agencies and constitutional officers of Nevada that are sent to the Archives at the end of their retention period. Records that have been natively created in a digital format are called “born-digital records.” These include emails, text-based documents, spreadsheets, images/videos, databases, etc. When these records arrive at the archives, they are typically stored on some sort of physical storage device, or we collaborate with the Enterprise IT Services (EITS) Division to transfer the records from their originating state agency.

Our Born-Digital Workstation is an isolated PC Workstation with a 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 processor and 34 TB of local storage. In addition, records can be stored via several secured servers that were set up via EITS. It is essential that all electronic records in the archive’s custody can be accessioned, processed, and retrieved. As such, we have multiple hardware attachments and software programs that allow staff to access and preserve records while still maintaining their integrity and authenticity.

ACCESS TOOLS:

• DVD Drive - Used to access records on optical discs (CDs or DVDs).
• M.2 SSD Reader - Adapter for reading SSD cards.
• USB 3.2 Tool Type C - Install and remove SSD cards to facilitate steady and efficient data transfer.
• “The Toaster” - Dual Bay External Hard Drive that reads and transfers information on internal hard drives that have been removed from their computer. It was given it’s nickname because it looks similar to a bread toaster.
• 3.5 Floppy Drive - Access legacy records stored on 3.5 inch floppy discs.

ADDITIONAL TOOLS:

• USB Hub - Enables the workstation to connect to multiple external drives simultaneously.
• Write blocker - Safeguards the records by blocking the computer from altering the records as they are ingested and processed.

SOFTWARE:

• Beyond Compare - Allows staff to compare records before and after they are ingested by generating checksums. Checksums are a sequence of numbers generated from the original data that can be used to check for errors when transferring records. This ensures the completeness, authenticity, and integrity of the records.
• Deep Freeze - Isolates the computer in order to protect the network and data from potential threats when ingesting records on external media. This is used to safeguard every record in our custody against viruses and computer crashes.
• Quick View Plus - Renders obsolete file formats into human readable format. This document viewer allows staff to view almost any file type without modifying the content and metadata.
• ePADD - Supports the processing and preservation of emails and allows staff to easily search the email collections of the constitutional officers that have been transferred to the archives.

The Born-Digital Workstation needs to be able to handle both the legacy media backlog and future born-digital records transferred to the archives. Our goal was to create a workstation that could process as many media formats as possible while ensuring that we are maintaining the original record. Physical media becomes obsolete quickly, so there is no such thing as permanent storage when it comes to electronic records. Electronic records are a priority of the Nevada State Archives, and we are dedicated to constantly evolving and maintaining national standards when it comes to the born-digital content in our care. Our Born-Digital Workstation serves as the foundation to identifying, preserving, and providing equitable access to the state government records in the custody of the State Archives.

Learn More About #ERecsDay:

Sponsored by the Council of State Archivists (CoSA), October 10th marks Electronic Records Day and promotes American Archives Month 2023. Electronic records encompass any record that was created or “born” in a digital format. October 10th can be expressed as 1010, which is a nod to binary code. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness on the crucial role electronic records play and provide guidance to state agencies on managing their electronic records.

Archives Month is a time to raise awareness about the importance of preserving history for future generations by highlighting available information about our past. Archival and other historical repositories across the United States celebrate Archives Month in October of each year and Nevada is no exception. Nevada Archives Month 2023 celebrates the centennial of the Nevada State Board of Nursing and the records that document our state’s healthcare workers. In recognition of the occasion, Governor Lombardo issued a proclamation that can be viewed here https://nsla.nv.gov/archives/archives-month. On this page, you can also find Archives Month posters both new and old and learn more about Nevada’s historic records and where they can be found. Join us in celebrating Nevada Archives Month and the Nevada State Board of Nursing!

On Tuesday, August 22, 2023, staff members from the Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau Research Division visited the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records to get a behind-the-scenes look at the programs that make up the agency.

Nevada State Archives Manager Cynthia Laframboise, showed off various historic items stored in the State Archives, including the 36 Star Flag that flew over Fort Ruby when Nevada became a state on October 31, 1864. Other highlighted items included the Nevada State Constitution, a glass plate negative from the Nevada Highway Department (now the Nevada Department of Transportation), as well as records generated by the Nevada State Legislature. The Archives portion of the tour concluded with a visit to the storage area and vault where the historic records are kept. State employees and public researchers can Search the Archives online, where many of the State Archives’ holdings are described.

Paula Doty, Technical Services Program Manager, showed participants the Nevada and government publications library collections and spoke about services offered by the library, such as document delivery and interlibrary loan. Resources available to state employees include Nevada-specific print and ebook collections, government publications in print and electronic formats, and databases including current and historical Nevada newspapers. Tour participants learned how to apply for a library card, find a database, and ask for help from a librarian.

Participants also learned about the books for the visually impaired program offered by the National Library Service, Library of Congress which offers over 100,000 titles in audio and 30,000 titles in braille. Nevada citizens participate in this free program through the Nevada Talking Book Services.

The Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is pleased to announce and invite applications for scholarships that support educational opportunities related to the care, preservation, and access of historical records. This scholarship is funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Scholarships may be used for registration, educational materials, online workshops, or travel to in-person events, trainings, or meetings sponsored by professional organizations.

The purpose of this award is to provide financial support for the education of historical records keepers in Nevada organizations.  Applicants must be an employee or volunteer at a Nevada organization that is responsible for preserving and providing access to historical records. Applicants must have at least one year of demonstrated work experience handling historical records. Details on the application process, eligibility, criteria for selection, and the selection process are available here: 

SHRAB 2023 Scholarship Announcement

Application deadline: October 1, 2023 

First consideration will be given to applications submitted by October 1, 2023. If funding remains after that date, applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

The Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB), which advises the legislature on historical records priorities for the state, was recently awarded an $11,984 State Programming Grant from the National Historical Publications & Records Commission (NHPRC). In addition to contributing to SHRAB’s basic operations, the grant will fund a survey of Nevada’s historical records repositories—museums, archives, tribal knowledge centers, historical societies, and cultural centers of all shapes and sizes—to inform the Board’s strategic planning on how to best meet the needs of Nevada’s repositories. The grant will also support best practices, preservation, and access by funding educational scholarships to custodians of Nevada’s historical records. Stay tuned for more information about scholarship eligibility and applications, which will be available in July.

Learn more about this grant: Nevada SHRAB State Programming Grant Application 2022

For additional information on SHRAB members, meetings, and projects, see https://nsla.nv.gov/state-historical-records-advisory-board

About SHRAB

The State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is the state level partner of the National Historical Publications & Records Commission (NHPRC) for the State of Nevada. State Historical Advisory Boards are authorized under federal regulations (36 CFR Chapter 12). In this capacity, Nevada SHRAB's primary responsibilities are to:

• Develop, revise, and submit to the NHPRC a state plan including priorities for state historical records projects
• Review grant proposals to NHPRC for state and local records projects within the State of Nevada and make recommendations on these proposals to the NHPRC

The Nevada State Historical Records Advisory Board (NVSHRAB) was created by statute in 1989 and was the first such board created by law in the nation. The governor appoints the Board to advise and make recommendations to the legislature. 

Authority: NRS Chapter 378A - State Historical Records Advisory Board