Reading Response Eight: Better Practices For Presidential Libraries

Former Truman Library Director Larrry J. Hackman argues in favor of new procedures in the administration of presidential libraries in “Toward Better Policies and Practices for Presidential Libraries.”  Hackman finds the overall administration, direction, and policies of today’s presidential libraries to be incomplete and somewhat wrong-headed.  These libraries, which often have museums attached to them, are under the purview of NARA, the National Archives and Records Administration; yet often formulate their own missions, collection policies, and budgetary choices.  Presidential libraries, though centers for American history, are not necessarily fulfilling their obligation as a well-rounded educational enterprise.  Furthermore, Hackman goes on to state that each library can vary widely in their programming, leaving gaps in some areas so to under educate researchers and visitors.  The authors goes on to enumerate a significant list of problems currently associated with the presidential library system, then lists a multitude of solutions aimed at increasing collaboration between the libraries and NARA as a means to improve the collections, policies, and educational capabilities of the libraries and museums.

The article touches on several points that make a reader take notice.  Presidential libraries are ideally suited to become centers for national educational programming, yet Hackman states this is not necessarily the case.  In fact, he claims some libraries exaggerate the roles and accomplishments of their namesakes simply because of a need for publicity and recognition.  This is a breach of ethical protocol in the information profession, where the librarian or archivist, is not meant to bend history to support the fact but instead to present the facts for others to contemplate.  The presidential library and museum system is decentralized with more local governance than national direction; a more equal partnership would go a long way to standardizing historical content and education.  One can only hope that an effort to utilize the best practices of the profession will allow for improving libraries, comprehensive in collections and strong in educational programs for the millions of visitors to them across the country.

Hackman, Larry J. “Toward Better Policies and Practices for Presidential Libraries.” The Public Historian, August 2006, Vol. 28, No. 3: 165–184.