For the past several years, many historians and archivists have expressed the need for more surveys of historical records. Some see surveys as a means of exerting control over diverse and under-utilized bodies of state and local records. Others perceive surveys as a way of bringing together information on widely scattered collections pertaining to a particular topic. Still others are critical of surveys and call for a reevaluation of this method of records control. The panelists explored all of these perspectives, and the discussion that followed reflected a diversity of opinion.

Archivists, curators, and records administrators generally agree that resources for the preservation and use of historical records are inadequate at all operational levels, in all geographic areas, and in nearly every subject area. There is little agreement, however, on what are the most pressing needs or even on how to go about defining and seeking agreement on ways to meet these needs.

The cumbersome size of twentieth-century manuscript collections is dramatic evidence of the problem of intellectual control of historical records. The problem is compounded by the demands of researchers for better and more sophisticated finding aids. This session focused on a variety of methods of intellectual control, including union catalogs and computer-assisted finding aids. The conference participants debated the components of a good finding aid program.

As a profession, historical records administration has grown significantly in the past two decades. The growing size of the profession has precipitated a demand for better archival education and training programs. The session addressed the recently approved SAA guidelines for archival education programs and the prospects for the certification of archivists, the accreditation of archival programs, and the function of short term archival institutes.

While the physical deterioration of historical records has been a long-time concern of archivists, there have been few programs for the care and repair of documents. Perhaps the major reason for the lack of programs in this area has been the highly technical nature of the problem. This session served a two-fold purpose: to provide information to archivists and curators regarding the latest conservation techniques, and to allow discussion on the viability of regional and national conservation centers and conservation education programs.

State and local records have become increasingly popular as sources of information for scholars as well as for government agencies. Serving this growing constituency can become a burden for the repositories housing these records. This session focused on the value of local records programs, cost effective finding aid programs, and the need for a national historical records program.

In the past few years, archivists have become increasingly concerned with making original records available to a larger body of potential users, a concern that has been manifested in the recent establishment of an ad hoc Society of American Archivists Committee on the Wider Use of Archives. This session discussed exhibit programs, the use of archival materials in the classroom, and the cost effectiveness of archival outreach programs.

Perhaps the most direct attempt to encourage the use of regional and topical archival resources has been the establishment of history research centers. Many of the existing programs are operated as part of state archival agencies, other programs focus on a single historical topic and are sponsored by colleges and universities. This session assessed the impact of existing programs and addressed alternatives to such programs.

Establishing specific priorities for historical records is a difficult and time consuming task. Although the conference explored a wide range of archival issues, a great many others were not discussed. Walter Rundell and Herbert Finch reviewed the conference papers and discussed some of the archival topics not covered within the context of the conference. In order to gain a precise understanding of the views of those in attendance, the conference staff formally surveyed the participants to assess their opinions on general archival projects. The results of the survey conclude this report.