Table of Contents >
   Part B. Community Assessment, Agenda Setting, and Choice ... >
      Chapter 3. Assessing Community Needs and Resources >
         Section 19. Using Public Records and Archival Data >
             Tools & Checklists - A checklist that summarizes the major points contained in the section. >

Using Public Records and Archival Data

  

Tools & Checklists

 Contributed by Phil Rabinowitz Edited by Bill Berkowitz

Checklist

Here you will find a checklist summarizing the important points of the section.


What are public records and archival data?

__ Public records are any records of a public entity (i.e., branch or office of government at any level) that are available to the public by law.

__ An archive is a storehouse - literal and/or electronic - of print and other material that has been kept in order to preserve the history of the body or place they relate to.


Why use public records and archival data?

__ They're relatively easy for most people to gain access to.

__ They can give you information about the history or status of the community that it would be difficult to get elsewhere. 

__ They often make comparisons of your community with others.

__ They help you use your time efficiently.

__ Their information may keep you from making important mistakes.

__ They're part of an information package that, together with the other assessment strategies and tools you use, will give you the most accurate and most nearly complete picture of the aspects of the community - now and in the past - that you're concerned with.


Who should use public records and archival data, and when?

__ Any group or individual when they're involved in community assessment

__ Community activists, when they want to understand their issue better and support their arguments with accurate facts and figures.

__ Community historians, when they need a picture not only of the "objective" history of the community - what groups settled when, what industries have been important, what important historical events took place there - but also of the human history. 

__ Health and human service organizations and institutions, when prevention is the issue, or when there's a crisis or a problem in the community, it's important to have information about the current state of the community, its past history with particular issues, and previous prevention efforts or solutions.

__ Public officials and other policy makers, when engaged in community assessment or in trying to determine what's the best policy on a particular issue.


How do you use public records and archival data?

__ Determine what type of information you need: history, demographic, health-related, economic, housing, land use and development, etc.

__ Determine where to find the information: census data, federal, state, or local records, federal, state, or local archives, or the archives of media, libraries, museums, universities, and other institutions and organizations.

Use the information intelligently:

__ Don't swamp yourself with information.

__ Use community-level indicators to tell you more about the reality of the community's circumstances.

__ Examine the social determinants of issues.

__ Use comparisons with similar communities where you can to understand whether the issues in your community are exceptional.

__ Think about the different ways you can find out what you want to know.