Press Release
Press Release · Thursday, January 10, 2002

College Park, MD. . . . The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) announced today the appointment of V. Chapman-Smith as the new Regional Administrator for the Mid-Atlantic Region of the National Archives and Records Administration. She will assume responsibility for the administration and oversight of the Philadelphia archives and records center facilities on January 28, 2002.

The Mid-Atlantic Region operates the regional archives facility in center city Philadelphia and provides Federal agencies with records center and records management services from the Townsend Road facility in Northeast Philadelphia. The regional archives preserves and makes available holdings from Federal agencies and courts in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. It also has a large microfilm collection of census records, ships' passenger lists and other materials important to historians and genealogists. The Archives is open to the public every weekday and two Saturdays each month. In addition to a research room, the Archives has an exhibition area that currently features "Beacons on the Shore: Lighthouses of the Mid-Atlantic Region". Records center holdings include Federal agency documents from Delaware and Pennsylvania and Federal courts in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

In her current position as State Archivist and Executive Director of the Archives Partnership Trust for the State of New York, Ms. Chapman-Smith oversees one of the largest state archival and records management operations in the nation. She was instrumental in drawing attention to New York's vanishing history and raised more than $1.5 million for the Archives endowment and for public outreach programs.

Prior to becoming State Archivist of New York, Ms. Chapman-Smith was the first records management professional appointed as Commissioner of Records for the City of Philadelphia in1992. As Commissioner, she increased productivity and improved services by introducing new technologies and training staff in modern methodologies for records and archival management. She was also instrumental in increasing public access to the city's historical records through creative programming at municipal facility venues.

"I am excited about returning to Philadelphia", said Ms. Chapman-Smith. "Leading the National Archives Mid-Atlantic Region is an opportunity to serve the community by protecting and providing access to Federal records that document the lives of every citizen. I look forward to working with members of Philadelphia's Federal government community as well as the other historical and educational organizations in the City and Region."

Ms. Chapman-Smith earned a bachelors degree in history and German from Lycoming College and undertook Ph.D. graduate studies in History at Temple University.

For additional PRESS information, please contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at (301) 837-1700 or by e-mail. Visit the National Archives Home Page on the World Wide Web at http://www.archives.gov.

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