Archives Month (2009)

Archives Month

WHEREAS, archives preserve the records of an open democracy and safeguard the rights and freedoms of all citizens; and

WHEREAS, Virginia’s archival treasures, which date from the founding of the colony to the present, record the history and accomplishments of the Commonwealth and its citizens; and

WHEREAS, the archived records of the Commonwealth document all aspects of our lives; and
                                 
WHEREAS, Virginia’s archives allow everyone to celebrate and study the rich and diverse history of the Old Dominion, its communities and people, and to learn from the efforts and actions of our predecessors; and

WHEREAS, archivists and archival institutions are at the forefront of saving the historical record in traditional formats such as paper, maps, photographs, and architectural records as well as contemporary formats such as moving images, sound recordings, and digital records, and they work diligently to preserve and make the Commonwealth’s documented history accessible to future generations of Virginians; and

WHEREAS, I encourage all Virginians to become more familiar with the archival institutions in their communities and throughout our Commonwealth and I applaud the efforts of those who maintain these valuable cultural resources;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Timothy M. Kaine, do hereby recognize October 2009 as ARCHIVES MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.