National Archives Holdings Protection Team Hosts Free Security Training October 1
Press Release · Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Washington, DC

Holdings Protection Training for Regional State Archives and Historical Institutions

The workshop will be held Monday, October 1, from 9 a.m.–4:00 p.m., in the McGowan Theater of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, and is fully accessible. Attendees should use the "Special Events" entrance located on Constitution Avenue at 7th Street NW. An optional tour of the building will be conducted from 4:15 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. This event is open to staff from archives and historical institutions.

Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero will deliver the keynote address. National Archives Holdings Protection Team Leader Eric Peterson will provide opening remarks.

The Archivist is a strong advocate for tight measures to protect archival collections: "We are not alone in facing risks to our collections, the Archivist has said. "Every institution charged with preserving our heritage–museums, libraries, archives, and others—balances access to and protection of its holdings every day."

October 1 Holdings Protection Training Agenda

9 AM      Welcome and Holdings Protection Team overview - Eric Peterson, Team Leader

9:15-10 AM      Theft case studies – National Archives Inspector General Paul Brachfeld and Special Agent Kelly Maltagliati

10 minute break

10:10-11:10 AM      Strategies for preventing internal theft – Members of the Holdings Protection Team

11:10 – noon      Strategies for preventing researcher theft – Members of the Holdings Protection Team

Noon-1 PM      Lunch on your own

1-1:45 PM      Courier Training – Members of the Holdings Protection Team.

1:45 – 2:20 PM      Conservation’s Role in Holdings Protection – Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler, Chief, National Archives Document Conservation Division

10 minute break

2:30-3:15 PM      Holdings Protection: What works, what doesn’t, and why.

3:15-4 PM      Keynote: Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero

15 minute break

4:15-5:00     Tour of the building (optional)

The October 1 training is free, but advance registration is required by September 14. To register, email holdingsprotection@nara.gov, or phone Richard Dine at 301 837-0783. Attendance is limited to the first 200 responses.

About the Holdings Protection Team

The mission of the National Archives is to preserve and make accessible the records of the Federal Government. In 2010, responding to a series of thefts, the National Archives created the Holdings Protection Team to assess, determine, and implement security measures to ensure the public's access to their holdings.

Staffed by a team leader, a trainer, three archivists and three security specialists, the Holdings Protection Team has instituted security studies, risk assessments, and increased security, monitoring, and screening at National Archives facilities nationwide. Close coordination with the National Archives Office of the Inspector General and other archival and historical institutions has led to the prosecution of several people accused of theft including, most recently, the sentencing of Barry Landau.

The Holdings Protection Team provides training to Archives employees, archivists, and research room staff, as well as to staff at other institutions, all aimed at increasing awareness and communication of security issues.

Holdings Protection Team-directed heightened security measures include:

• Increasing security camera monitoring and installing public view camera monitors at Archives I (downtown DC) and Archives II (College Park, MD), and selected National Archives facilities nationwide;
   
• Mandatory exit screening of visitors and employees at Archives I, Archives II, and other National Archives facilities;
   
• Heightened outreach and communication with researchers, archivists, research room staff, the Office of the Inspector General, and other agencies and institutions; and
   
• Instituting mandatory holdings protection training for all National Archives staff, with extensive additional training for research room staff.

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The conference is open to the media. For press information contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at 202 357-5300.

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