Trent Lott: “In the dozen or so weeks between the end of this congressional session and the start of the next, members might…”

“In the dozen or so weeks between the end of this congressional session and the start of the next, members might profitably encourage their staffs to pursue a matter of great importance to the preservation of the Senate's institutional memory. I refer to the archiving of senators' noncurrent office files and personal papers. I recognize that most of us have enough to engage our attention thinking about the demands of today and tomorrow, without worrying a great deal about the records of yesterday. That's why the intersession recess offers a useful opportunity to address this important housekeeping matter. Our records deserve professional attention--not just in the final days of our Senate careers--but throughout our entire service here. The current proliferation of records in electronic formats makes this updating particularly urgent. Whether on disks, tapes, or paper, these records, if properly managed, will take their place as vital historical resources in the decades ahead. By planning now, senators can minimize preservation costs while maximizing research value at the time these records are opened for research and other educational purposes. Many senators have already made commitments to home-state educational institutions for staged transfer of their non-current records. For those who have not, I urge you to seek the assistance of the Senate Archivist within the Office of the Secretary of the Senate.”