Building a Public Archives in Delaware for the Twenty-First Century

The late 1990s is a period of transition for the Delaware Public Archives. Current trends in public administration and government records management, coupled with vestiges of its first ninety years of operations, have coalesced to drive activities today. Four specific circumstances propel these activities: construction of a new Public Archives facility; the impact of information technology on government recordkeeping; enhanced demands for open and accountable government and public access to government information; and rising expectations of government records users. The Delaware Public Archives has found strategic planning to be an essential tool in mapping responses to these challenges.