State Historical Records Advisory Board

The Montana State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is dedicated to the preservation of Montana's records of enduring value, to sustaining records planning, and to promoting cooperative efforts among the state's record keepers.

Who We Are

The Montana SHRAB is one of more than fifty similar boards active in all the states, territories, and the District of Columbia. State historical records boards were established in 1975 by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the grant-awarding arm of the National Archives. The Montana SHRAB was organized in September 1976 with an Executive Order issued by the Governor, who continues to appoint the seven members of the Montana Board to two-year terms. Board members must have experience or interest in the collection, administration, and use of historical records and are dedicated to the preservation and use of Montana's documentary heritage. The State Archivist is a permanent member and serves as the state coordinator for the board.

See a list of current SHRAB members

What We Do

In addition to serving as a central advisory body within Montana for historical records planning and coordination, the Montana SHRAB has engaged in significant activities both on its own and in conjunction with other organizations. These activities include providing workshops, scholarships for professional development and training, and professional archival assistance to local archives and historical organizations. Every summer, the SHRAB sponsors a Traveling Student Archivist internship. For more information on our goals see our Strategic Plan (PDF).

Publications

• Preferred Practices for Historical Repositories
• Montana Posters for Archives Month
• The Montana Archivist A quarterly newsletter about activities in archives around the state and other useful information. The newsletter is free of charge and available online. To be added to our mailing list or to submit an item for the next issue, contact raarstad@mt.gov.

Many other publications of use to archivists and those dealing with historical records are also available.