On Aug. 5, Dr. Lisa Speer, director of the Arkansas State Archives and state historian, was elected to the Council of State Archivists’ (CoSA) Board of Directors, a term lasting three years. She will also serve as co-chair of the Program Committee for the 2017 CoSA-NAGARA Annual Meeting in Boise, Idaho, and is a member of the CoSA Education and Training Committee.
The Council of State Archivists was established as a national non-profit in 2002. It facilitates networking and project collaboration among the 50 state archives, five territorial archives and the District of Columbia archives. The organization is governed by a nine member Board of Directors elected by members. Its mission is “to strengthen state and territorial archives in their work to preserve America’s historical records.”
Patricia Smith Mansfield, director of the Utah State Archives, said about Speer’s election, "With her broad educational background in American history and library and information science, Lisa Speer brings a wealth of experience to the Council of State Archivists. The board is pleased to have her as a new board member and looks forward to her contributing to our success."
“We are so lucky to have Dr. Speer and her talents leading the way here in Arkansas to archive our history and heritage,” said Stacy Hurst, director of the Department of Arkansas Heritage. “It’s a testament to her knowledge and skills that she has been chosen to share her abilities on a national level.”
Dr. Speer holds a BA in history from Ouachita Baptist University, an MA and PhD in American history from the University of Mississippi and a Master of library and information studies from the University of Alabama. She has worked as the interim curator in the collection at the University of Mississippi’s Archives and Special Collections, an archival technician at the University of Alabama’s William Stanley Hoole Library, and, an archival technician at the W.S. Hoole Library and directed the Special Collections and Archives at Southeast Missouri State University for over 12 years. Dr. Speer was hired as director of the Arkansas State Archives in June 2013.
The Arkansas State Archives is an agency under the Department of Arkansas Heritage and is responsible for collecting and maintaining the largest collection of historical materials on Arkansas in the world. The State Archives has two branch locations; the Northeast Arkansas Regional Archives is located in Powhatan and the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives is located in Washington. Other agencies under the Department of Arkansas Heritage include the Arkansas Arts Council, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, the Old State House Museum, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, and the Historic Arkansas Museum.
