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WHEREAS, much of the City of Pittsburgh’s rich and diverse heritage is contained in the documents and records created by and for its people; and
WHERAS the Pittsburgh City Council has recognized the importance of protecting Pittsburgh’s remarkable legacy by the creation of a “Commission on City Archives” to enhance the public trust, as it plays a key role in fostering effective and responsible government through management of the lifecycle of records and through sustained access to historically valuable municipal records, and
WHEREAS, all branches of Pittsburgh’s City government, religious and medical institutions, colleges and universities, libraries, historical societies, museums, businesses, and families throughout all neighborhoods of Pittsburgh have aggregated records as a means of preserving our written history and placing them in archival institutions and libraries; and
WHEREAS, these archives collectively contain over 250 years of unique materials, ranging from hand-written letters and diaries to typewritten manuscripts, photographs, videotapes, and modern electronic data systems; and
WHEREAS, local archivists, librarians and manuscript curators at the Heinz History Center as well as in the Three Rivers Archivists Association, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference and the Society of American Archivists are dedicated to responsibly preserving the historical word, maintaining records in the public trust, and making those records available for study and appreciation whether in a local repository or via the Internet; and
WHERAS Archives Month is observed nationally during the month of October and the work of Western Pennsylvania and State Archives staff offers Pittsburghers the opportunity to enrich their lives by connecting to the stories, traditions, lessons and shared community values; and
WHEREAS through these archives, future generations of Pittsburghers can more accurately study the past, learn from the accomplishments of their predecessors, trace their ancestors, understand their community’s pride of place, confirm property rights, respect Pittsburgh’s diversity and maintain laws, while celebrating the history of our city.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby proclaim October, 2015 as ARCHIVES MONTH throughout the City of Pittsburgh and encourages all citizens to celebrate and explore the vibrancy and dynamics of Pittsburgh’s history.