NY Librarian Tapped As Obama Archivist

President Obama's pick to head the National Archives and Records Administration in the increasingly digitized era is David Ferriero, director of the New York Public Libraries -- one of the largest public library systems in the United States and one of the largest research library systems in the world. In his current post, Ferriero is responsible for collection strategy; conservation; digital experience; reference and research services; and education, programming, and exhibitions, according to the White House personnel announcement. The NYPL has 2,600 full-time employees and a budget of $273 million. The National Archives, best known as the keeper of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, recently unveiled a draft update to its strategic plan through 2016 that includes new ideas for electronic records management and language pertaining to the creation of a new National Declassification Center.