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Council of State Archivists

The 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.

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State Electronic Records Initiative

CoSA launched the State Electronic Records Initiative (SERI) in 2011 to focus on improving management, preservation, and access to state and territorial government electronic records in all 56 states and territories.  CoSA's SERI Steering Committee manages and oversees the work of the initiative, working with volunteers from state and territorial archives throughout the nation to collectively improve electronic records management and digital preservation for state and territorial governments.

Advocacy for Archives

CoSA advocates for advancing the needs of our members to stakeholders and the public by acting as a clearinghouse for information, participating in policy and funding discussions, developing advocacy and awareness messages, and working in partnership with counterparts in allied organizations. Prominent in this work is the CoSA Advocacy Committee.

Resources & Research

CoSA is seen as the source of reliable information about state archives and government records. CoSA regularly undertakes research on state archives issues ranging from electronic records management and digital preservation needs to advocacy. CoSA continues to expand its research and publication emphasis, and invites corporate sponsors to support report design and dissemination. CoSA uses the strength of collaboration and partnership to leverage resources, share expertise, and to solve problems.

Education & Training

CoSA’s education and training programs respond to member needs and focus on improving state archival programs, no matter their size or level of operation. Noteworthy among them is the flagship State Electronic Records Initiative (SERI). Smaller-scale education and networking occurs in annual meetings, monthly member and SERI webinars, listserv exchanges, the Awards Program, and the monthly newsletter.

Latest Activity

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Latest Activity

Blog Posts

Events/Webinars


  • Insights and Exploration of Metrics for Born Digital Records Processing

    Jul 23, 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM (ET)
    As increasing amounts of archival material are in born digital formats, how does that change our future planning for staffing and other resources? What, if anything, do metrics tell us? The Archives and Special Collections Department of the University of Minnesota Libraries began tracking the time spent to ingest and process born digital archival materials in 2015. Following further refinements to the data collection process in 2020, they were able to accrue over four years worth of data documenting the time required for about a dozen different tasks in the workflow. Cross-referencing this time tracking data with other information about the accessions, such as size at various points in the workflow, has been instructive. This presentation will discuss observations that were (and were not) able to be made based on this data, and the ways they've been able to use it to improve their workflows and acquire additional resources. In addition, the challenges of gathering and analyzing this type of data will be discussed. Come hear about the Insights and exploration of metrics for born digital records processing collected by the University of Minnesota Libraries Archives and Special Collections. There will be time for questions and discussion. #SERIWebinar #CoSAWebinar

  • CoSA-NARA Webinar: Oversight and Assessment/Reporting of Agency Records

    Jul 25, 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (ET)
    More information coming soon! #CoSAWebinar

  • Taking a Byte out of BitCurator

    Aug 13, 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM (ET)
    Have you ever been interested in using BitCurator as a digital preservation tool? Join us on August 13 th at 2 pm ET to hear a panel discussion from state archives colleagues who are currently using BitCurator. Electronic records archivists from Wisconsin, New Jersey, and South Carolina will answer questions about their experiences and recommendations with the system. There will be ample time for discussions with the audience, so bring your questions and insights. #SERIWebinar #CoSAWebinar

  • Chatting with CoSA: Handling vacations and staff shortages

    Aug 14, 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM (ET)
    Who covers for you if you are out for an extended time - such as a vacation or planned medical leave? Who do you cover for, if they are out? This chat will discuss the challenges and different ways to handle the workload when staff members need to be absent for extended periods of time. Is there cross-training in your department? Can you "trade-off" tasks with a co-worker or do you have to have a top-down approach from the state archivist? #CoSAWebinar

  • Shop Talk with APPX: Meeting the Challenges of Processing Emails

    Aug 15, 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (ET)
    Processing of state government emails is a very challenging task for state archives. The volume of emails that must be processed in preparation for open records access or that must be reviewed and classified in preparation for preservation is overwhelming. This presentation will discuss a hybrid approach for processing emails that relies on a blend of computer algorithms and human review of exceptions. #CoSAWebinar

  • First Amendment Auditors

    Aug 22, 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (ET)
    #CoSAWebinar

  • Shop Talk with Conserv: Beyond the Shelf: Active Environmental Monitoring for State Archives

    Sep 10, 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM (ET)
    "Beyond the Shelf: Active Environmental Monitoring for State Archives" introduces Conserv's partnership with CoSA and the AWARE project, aimed at supporting territorial and non-contiguous state archives. This webinar will explore how active environmental monitoring can empower archives to make data-driven decisions for better collection preservation, focusing on crucial factors like temperature, light, and relative humidity. We'll briefly showcase Conserv's comprehensive platform, which combines easy-to-use hardware, intuitive software, and expert support to provide real-time environmental data and alerts. The presentation will show case studies in archives today, offering participants valuable insights into their collections' environmental conditions. We hope to demonstrate how active monitoring can help archives identify priorities, inform collections care, and advocate for improvements, contributing to the broader goals of both the AWARE project and State Archives in general. #CoSAWebinar

  • Shop Talk with Preservica

    Sep 12, 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (ET)
    #CoSAWebinar

  • CoSA Annual Meeting Recap/CoSA Advocacy Efforts

    Sep 26, 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (ET)
    #CoSAWebinar

  • Chatting with CoSA

    Oct 9, 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM (ET)
    #CoSAWebinar

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