Collections : [New York State Modern Political Archive]

The records of the New York State Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors trace the development of mental healthcare throughout the state from the early 1950s through the beginning of the twenty-first century. Established in the mid-1970s, the Conference's records include correspondence, memos, meeting minutes, reports, and manuals that chronicle the efforts of mental health professionals as they encourage local, county, and state agencies to provide quality, affordable services for persons living with mental illness, chemical dependency, and/or developmental disability.

The Public Employees Federation (PEF) was founded in 1979 to represent members of the Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PS&T) bargaining unit of New York State. PS&T employees had formerly been represented by CSEA, the state's largest public employee union. PEF founders believed that the concerns of the PS&T unit were not adequately represented by CSEA, the majority of whose members were non-professional state employees. PEF's stated mission is to "provide the leadership necessary for PEF members to achieve employment security, higher wages, better working conditions, and improved retirement benefits." Materials in this collection document PEF activities at both the state and division level. There is extensive coverage of executive board activities from 1978 through mid-2000, annual conventions, committee meetings, and contract negotiations. Also included are files for PEF Division 169, PEF's Environmental Conservation Division. These include correspondence, agendas and minutes for labor/management meetings, material on committees, and administrative files. This collection also documents the activities of reform groups and political parties within PEF (most notably, the Statewide Coalition for a Democratic Union) and PEF's relationships with its national affiliates, the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of Teachers. Particularly strong is the collection of bulletin board postings, which includes almost everything posted on Division 169 PEF bulletin boards from 1979 through 2000. There are also official PEF publications, including a near-complete run of PEF's official monthly newsletter to members, The Communicator.

Established in 1968 to assist clinical social workers in performing their duties, the New York State Society for Clinical Social Work (NYSSCSW) offers professional support to its members in the practice of clinical psychotherapy. The collection documents the founding, administration, and activities of the NYSSCSW and its various local chapters.

The New York State Wetlands Forum was begun in 1993 and incorporated in 1994. The Forum organizes an annual conference to bring people interested in wetlands together in a non-confrontational setting. Issues discussed include sustainable development, land use, environmental mediation, and wetland conservation. Records include: correspondence, meeting minutes, meeting topics, mailing lists, and newsletters.

The New York StateWide Senior Action Council records document the issues faced by senior citizens in New York State over the course of almost three decades. The bulk of the records consist of subject files in the areas of health care, Medicare, and social security issues. In addition to topical material, these records document the fundraising activities of the organization and its various sub-groups. Notably included are publications issued by the organization, including the Sentinel newsletter (1992-1996) and the Senior Action newspaper (1977-1991). The bulk of the material, found in the subject files, is useful for documenting issues about which NYSSAC was active. NYSSAC's work with New York state legislators, as well as government and private agencies in advocating for seniors and social justice issues, and their outreach efforts in education and advocacy, are well documented throughout the collection. Records of the activities of Executive Directors Michael Burgess and Bonnie Ray are the most prominent in the collection.

The Norman Studer Papers document his career as both an educator and ardent Catskill folklorist. The collection includes significant material relating to his work as director of the Downtown Community School in New York City and Camp Woodland in the Catskills.

This collection documents the activism of November Belford West and her opposition to the death penalty.

Records of association dedicated to the protection, appreciation, and enhancement of natural resources in and around Otsego County. The group is concerned about numerous issues including the preservation of the Otsego Lake watershed, solid waste management, land-use planning, and water quality.

This collection documents the day-to-day activities of Parks & Trails New York, the leading statewide advocate for parks and trails in New York State.

This collection documents Siena College professor Dr. Patricia Stocking Brown's (1942-2004) research and scholarship in biology as well as her breast cancer advocacy, research, and education work.