About Us
What We Do
The Division of State Libraries, Archives and Museum offers library and information service to state agencies and the Legislature, provides for the orderly management of current state records, preserves non-current public records of permanent value for study and research, and operates the state museums.
How You Can Help
The Division has a number of opportunities for interns, volunteers and other supporters. To inquire, visit one of the pages below or contact the unit head of the LAM unit you are interested in:
Library
The State Library coordinates library services throughout the state and serves as the information resource for the state government and the Legislature. The main library and reference section is located in the Fr. Andrew P. Kashevaroff Building in Juneau. It includes the Historical Section, which collects Alaskana and preserves private papers and materials of historical value to the state. The State Library also collects, catalogs and makes available state agency publications. This is done through the Documents Depository, which distributes the publications to depository libraries throughout the state.
The State Library administers federal and state grants for public library construction and services. It coordinates the Alaska Library Network (ALN), which provides interlibrary loans, cooperative collection development, and resource sharing among libraries. The Governor's Advisory Council on Libraries advises on the federal long-range spending plan.
Other services include the Talking Book Center.
Archives and Records Management
Archives and Records Management provide services to all branches of state government. The Records Management Section establishes records retention schedules, offers off-site storage and retrieval of inactive records, provides training in current files management, and sets statewide standards for the management of public records. The Archives Section identifies, preserves and makes available for research the public records of the state.
The State Historical Records Advisory Board reviews records grant applications to the National Historical Publications and Records Commission and coordinates statewide historical records planning.
Museums
The Alaska State Museum collects, preserves, interprets, and displays the human and natural history of Alaska. This is accomplished through the basic statewide museum services of collections, conservation, visual arts, permanent exhibits, education, and field services. In the statewide network, 75 community museums look to the State Museum for professional leadership and assistance. The Sheldon Jackson Museum in Sitka is a branch of the State Museum.
The Museum Collections Advisory Committee is a citizen's committee established to advise the State Board of Education on museum acquisitions and deaccessions. The Friends of the Alaska State Museum and the Friends of the Sheldon Jackson Museum are nonprofit auxiliary groups formed to assist the museums in their various programs.