ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of steps necessary to safely work with archival resources to ensure that they are available to other researchers for generations to come. Primary sources offer a kind of eyewitness testimony that no other materials can provide. Secondary sources are generally scholarly books and articles. Under the direction of Dr. Michael J. Brna, Cal U received grant funding to participate in the government-sponsored Teaching with Primary Sources Partner Program. American Alliance of Museum’s (AAM) mission is to champion museums and nurture excellence in partnership with their members and allies. In an effort to educate the affiliates, educators share with them, especially those members who are museums, the importance of AAM’s Five Core Documents Initiative, which are fundamental for basic professional museum operations and embody core museum values. The five core documents are: Mission Statement, Institutional Code of Ethics, Strategic Institutional Plan, Disaster Preparedness/Emergency Response Plan, and Collections Management Policy.
