CLIS Home > Faculty > Dr. Frank G. Burke, Professor Emeritus
NHPRC Honors Former Executive
Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 20, 1998
At a special noontime ceremony during the November 17 meeting
of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, Chairman
John W. Carlin presented the Commission's 1998 Distinguished Service
Award to Dr. Frank G. Burke, who served as its executive director from
1975 until 1988.
Dr. Burke's work has had a profound impact on the field of
historical documentary editing and on the preservation and accessibility
of historical records. In 1976, the Commission, under Dr. Burke's
leadership, launched its records program to provide support across the
country for the preservation of and access to documentary materials.
Under his direction, the Commission also launched a series of
conferences at which historical editors discussed the practices and
problems of their work. The exchange of ideas at these conferences led
to the creation of the Association for Documentary Editing (ADE) in
1978.
Dr. Burke joined the staff of the National Archives and Records
Service in 1967 as an information retrieval specialist, after holding
previous positions at the University of Chicago library and the Manuscript
Division of the Library of Congress. He was one of the first National
Archives employees to advocate the development of computer software
for storage of archival information. Dr. Burke served as Acting Archivist
of the United States for the last two-and-a-half years of his career with
the National Archives and Records Administration, after which he
enjoyed a number of years teaching archival administration at the
University of Maryland.
Dr. Burke in the only individual to have served as president of
both ADE and the Society of American Archivists. His demonstrated
commitment to both historical documentary editing and the preservation
of historical records make him a particularly appropriate recipient of the
Commission's Distinguished Service Award.
The NHPRC's Distinguished Service Award honors individuals
whose careers have exemplified extraordinary commitment in
forwarding the mission of the NHPRC and who have made notable
accomplishments in fields touched by the Commission's work. 1998 is the
tenth year in which the award has been presented.
CONTACT:
Ann C. Newhall
National Historical Publications and Records Commission
National Archives and Records Administration
700 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Room 111
Washington, DC 20408-0001
www.archives.gov/nhprc/
published 11/23/98
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