CERP

The Collaborative Electronic Records Project

The Value of Diversity
Representing two different types of archives, these two well-established institutions are both entrusted with the archival and strategic management of a broad range of institutional records from founding documents to almost current files.
 

Rockefeller Archive Center
The Rockefeller Archive Center


 

Smithsonian Archives
The Smithsonian Institution
 

The Rockefeller Archive Center
The RAC is in the unique position of managing the archives of more than twenty depositors, including the Rockefeller University and fifteen active but independent philanthropic and non-proft organizations. The Center’s role has made it a source of archival- and records-related expertise for the philanthropic and non-profit communities. The RAC has found that the collaborative approaches used for over a quarter-century to identify and transfer archival records need to evolve in order to meet the realities of the digital era.

The Smithsonian Institution Archives
A unit within the Institution, SIA has a formal role as the Institution's archivist and record manager. As such it has an explicit domain and strong records management influence with its depositors. With many of the Smithsonian's Secretaries being active scientists, SIA is a valuable scholarly resource, particularly in the history of science. A strong electronic records program has been nurtured and is actively preserving the Institution's websites and other digital records. It is leading an effort to define and implement a trusted digital repository in the Smithsonian's unique, federated organization.

By bringing together their unique characteristics and designated communities, these two organizations seek to develop and implement a system and tools for email preservation that can be adopted by a wide variety of archives.