The Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board (USHRAB) is made up of professionals from across the state with experience in the management, care, and preservation of historical records. The Board consists of seven members plus a chair appointed by the governor. Current members hail from Carbon County, Kane County, Cache County, Uintah County, Iron County, and the Wasatch Front and represent local governments, museums, libraries, and academic institutions. Board members serve as a source of regional expertise regarding historical records management.
Board-sponsored programs include annual Archives Month activities each October. Archives Month fosters awareness and appreciation of historical records through exhibits, lectures, and other public outreach initiatives. October 2019’s theme was Education in Utah. The State Archives’ main event was the public unveiling of a time capsule originally buried in the cornerstone of an Ogden school in the 1880s.
The USHRAB also sponsors regional training for staff and volunteers at non-profit institutions and local and state government entities throughout Utah on the care and handling of archival records. Professional archivists and records management specialists familiar with Utah’s cultural sector and local governments have traveled all over the state to offer workshops and consultations and to share their expertise.
The Board also awards grant funding each year to non-profits and non-federal government entities in Utah. These competitive grants are for short-term projects meant to preserve and provide access to the region’s historical records.
The Board’s programs, including its popular grant program, are administered by the Utah Division of Archives and Records Service. Archives staff who advise and work closely with the Board include local government archivist Alan Barnett, local government records management specialist Heidi Steed, and archivist and USHRAB executive secretary Mahala Ruddell.
Board programming is funded in part by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) at the National Archives.
