HURRY UP! The Online Petition about the State Library of Florida closing ends February, 28! Read more about the case here.

The mailing list H-MUSEUM offers a very useful weekly news digest - very interesting not only for museum professionals. From the latest US&UK-issue I give an excerpt concerning archival topics.
-- February, 21
Top historian slams Vatican on archives
Israel-based Holocaust historian Robert Wistrich this week criticised the
Vatican for failing to open all its archives relating to the Second World
War conduct of Pope Pius XII, who has been accused of turning a blind eye to Nazi genocide
(Jewish Chronicle)
http://www.jchron.co.uk/
--
Historian says leaders must avoid sanitising story of communal life
The biographer of the late Sir Sidney Hamburger revealed that the communal leader had once tried to destroy papers showing what he deemed to be the less desirable aspects of Manchester Jewry
(Jewish Chronicle)
http://www.jchron.co.uk/

The CAIN offers a link list of Virtual Exhibits created by archives across Canada.

The German Historical Institute in Washington D.C. has just published its new up to date reference guide 'The GDR in German Archives'. Featuring central, state, church and specialized archives as well as information on major research institutions and libraries, this publication provides a helpful first orientation and overview on sources pertaining to the history of the Soviet Zone of Occupation and the German Democratic Republic. (Download as PDF file)

This reference guide serves as an introduction to the German archival system and is intended as a basic orientation for a complicated field. As a basic reference tool, the guide is divided into seven main parts: state archives; church archives; business and economic archives; media archives; parliamentary, party, and association archives; university archives; and other archives. [...] Each entry contains contact information, including address, phone, fax, e-mail and Web sites where applicable, business hours, names of contacts, and a brief description of holdings and further references. Very helpful for foreign visitors!

WORCESTER -- A Framingham man who worked as an archivist for the Massachusetts National Guard Museum and Archive in Worcester admitted yesterday in court to selling $50,000 worth of historical documents. Read more at the Museum Security Network.

"Archives, Memory and Knowledge" is the theme of the 15th International Congress on Archives that will be held in
Vienna (Austria) in August 2004 (read more here).

Olga Glagoleva offers a helpful Introduction to Russian Archives with a glossary of archival terms (Russian/English).

The Florida State Genealogical Society, an umbrella organization of more than 80 societies in the state, strongly opposes Gov. Jeb Bush?s budget proposal to dismantle the State Library of Florida and the State Archives and move the contents to other state departments. We feel that other departments, such as the Department of Environmental Protection, are not qualified to oversee and preserve the historical and archival materials. Beginning of the statement of the Genealogical Society (visit the website for more actual information). Genealogical researchers in Florida fear that Gov. Bush's proposal would:
1.Dismantle a popular and priceless library collection [...]
2.Breakup our one-stop genealogical research complex that contains the State Library, State Archives, and State Museum, all next to each
other. [...]
7.Threaten the State Archives' Florida Memory Project that makes available online many of the state's historical and genealogical records, including more than 90,000 photographs, pension application files, Spanish land grants, and Call and Brevard Family Papers.
The Society of Florida Archivists is part of a coalition to oppose Governor Bush's proposed budget regarding the dismantling of the Florida State Library and Archives. You can read the news at the Listserv of the Society's mailing list.
Press' Articles from Florida are linked in a Florida Weblog.
Residents outside the U.S. can also sign the Online Petition for saving the State Library.
Please show your solidarity!
NB: An update can be found here.

The Proceedings of the DLM-EXPERTS' MEETING IN TAMPERE, FINLAND, November 11-12, 1999 are online.
PRINCIPLES OF APPRAISAL AND THEIR APPLICATION IN ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENT
- European models and concepts (2000)
Contents:
Hans Hofmann: Presentation of the goals and achievements of the DLM-Forum
Jari Lybeck: a project of the Finnish National Archives and its international context
Raimo Pohjola: Appraisal and disposal of electronic records
Mats Burell: Appraisal and information theory
Eljas Orrman: Structural complexity of electronic records as a factor guiding decisions on permanent retention
Peter Horsman: Appraisal and disposal as a function of records management systems
Theo Thomassen: Teaching the appraisal and disposal of electronic records
Angelika Menne-Haritz:
Appraisal and disposal of electronic records and the principle of provenance: appraisal for access - not for oblivion
Jaana Kilkki: Electronic records management systems of defence administration in Finland
Martti Favorin: Integrated information system in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs