n. (abbr. CoSA)a nonprofit organization comprised of the principal archival agencies of each state, including the District of Columbia and the territories of the United StatesCOSHRC 2005At its July 2005 annual meeting in Richmond, Virginia, the Council of State Historical Records Coordinators voted to change the name of the organization to the Council of State Archivists (CoSA). The new, more descriptive name will help the Council with its increasingly visible work in outreach and advocacy.Walch et al. 2006, 304The Council of State Archivists (CoSA) conducted a comprehensive survey of all state archives and records programs and State Historical Records Advisory Boards (SHRABs) between November 2004 and April 2005. Because the state archives are major repositories in most states, they often provide education and training to other archivists, either through the state archives or through the SHRABs that they administer. The CoSA survey collected data on the state archives and SHRAB organizations, as well as the programs and services that each provides to state and local governments, other archival repositories, users, K-12 educators, and the general public. It also collected data on entry level salaries and qualifications for archivists and records managers and on salaries of managers of state archives and records management programs, thus complementing data gathered via the A*CENSUS.Walch 2011, 24Peter [Gottlieb] was elected chair of the COSHRC Steering Committee in the year 2000, a time that in retrospect was really a tipping point. As the state archivists came together each year, they found many areas of common interest and need beyond their roles in leading the SHRABs. During his year as chair, Peter encouraged discussions of COSHRC’s future, including formalizing its structure and administration. Two years later, the council decided to incorporate as a 501c3 nonprofit, and, in 2005, changed its name to the Council of State Archivists.CoSA 2021aThe Council of State Archivists (CoSA) is a nonprofit membership organization of the state and territorial government archives in the fifty states, five territories, and District of Columbia. Through collaborative research, education, and advocacy, CoSA provides leadership that strengthens and supports state and territorial archives in their work to preserve and provide access to government records. CoSA facilitates networking, information sharing, and project collaboration among its member organizations to help state and territorial government archives with their responsibilities for protecting the rights and historical documents of the American people.
Notes
In October 2005, the name of the organization was changed to Council of State Archivists (CoSA) from the Council of State Historical Records Coordinators (COSHRC).
