Smithsonian Board of Regents, Secretary, Provost, Under 

 Secretary, and other managers on the administration of the In- 

 stitution; represents the Smithsonian in litigation and other 

 adversarial proceedings to which the Institution is a party and 

 befote federal, state, and local government entities on ad- 

 ministrative matters; issues final dererminations on ad- 

 ministrarive tort and personal property claims against the 

 Smithsonian; and generally monitors developments in the law 

 for application to the Smithsonian ptograms. 



Office of Communications 



David J. Umansky, Director 



The Office of Communications is responsible for the public 

 face of the Institution. Its Office of Public Affairs (OPA) is 

 dedicated to media relations, publications, and public rela- 

 tions. The Visitor Information and Associates' Reception Cen- 

 ter (VIARC) serves the 18 million people who visit the 

 Smithsonian each year. 



Save America's Treasures iniriative, launched at the National 

 Museum of American History on July 13 by President Bill 

 Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. OPA hand- 

 led all media for the event and videotaped the ceremony. 



OPA produced a 16-minute video for television news 

 producers with exterior views of the museums and the National 

 Mall, as well as shots of famous artifacts, including the Star- 

 Spangled Banner. The staff also developed and produced a 

 seven-minute film about education at the Smithsonian to be 

 used by the Office of Membership and Development and 

 other offices. 



Two brochures in OPA's Resources series were updated this 

 year; Native American Resources at the Smithsonian and African 

 and African American Resources at the Smithsonian. The 

 brochures are intended for teachers, students, and researchers 

 interested in exploring Smithsonian collections, databases, 

 publications, and other resources. 



OPA also reestablished a full-time staff position this year to 

 publicize and promote research at the Institution. 



Visitor Information and Associates' 

 Reception Center 



Office of Public Affairs 



Linda St. Thomas. Associate Director, Media Relations 

 Kathryn Lindeman, Associate Director, Publications 



This year, Director of Communications David J. Umansky 

 and staff in the Office of Public Affairs began implementing 

 the Secretary's new visual identity program, designed by Ivan 

 Chermayeff of Chermayeff & Geismar in New York Ciry. The 

 foundation of the program is a new logo, used with a sunburst 

 symbol, that links the Smithsonian name with each museum, 

 research institute, and office. 



A major effort in implementing the visual identity was the 

 preparation, printing, and distribution of the Smithsonian 

 Design Guidelines, which governs use of the logo by staff and 

 outside designers and printers. By the end of the fiscal year, 

 the new identity was in place on many Smithsonian products, 

 including stationery, Web sites, brochures, and reports. 



A public service ad campaign put the Smithsonian in the 

 public eye this year. The ad featured Larry Fuenre's colorful Game 

 Fish, from the Renwick Galiery's collection, with the line "Ever 

 wonder who decides what the Smithsonian keeps?" It ran in TV 

 Guide, Lattna. the New Yorker, Elk Decor, and other magazines in 

 free space provided to nonprofit organizations such as the 

 Smithsonian. The ad received the Addy 98 Gtation of Excellence 

 from the Advertising Club of Washington, D.C 



Extensive media coverage followed the announcement of a 

 three-year conservation project for the Star-Spangled Banner. 

 The project is part of the White House Millennium Council's 



Mary Grace Potter, Director 



During fiscal year 1998, the Visitor Information and Associates' 

 Reception Center (VIARC) continued to pursue its mission to 

 broaden the public's knowledge, appreciation, and enjoyment 

 of the Institution and to facilitate and promote participation 

 in its programs and activities. 



As a central support organization and the principal contact 

 point for information about the Smithsonian, VIARCs work 

 was carried out through the Smithsonian Information Center 

 (SIC); 18 museum information/member reception desks; 

 response services for public and member mail, telephone and 

 electronic inquiries; outreach to the tourism industry; outdoor 

 wayfinding stations; two large volunteer programs thar 

 provided primary support for the Institution's public informa- 

 tion activities and for staff project assistance behind the 

 scenes; and a docent program for the Castle. 



Operating from 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily, the Smithsonian 

 Information Center attracted 1,890,838 visitors. Reception ser- 

 vices were provided to 26,570 Associate members and their 

 families; 3,735 memberships were sold representing $131,841 in 

 revenue. Docents led 300 tours of the Castle, which engaged 

 3,366 public and Associate participants. 



Information desk services were provided daily in 13 

 museums by a corps of 676 Volunteer Information Specialists. 

 During the year 1996 new volunteers were recruited, trained, 

 and placed in desk assignments across the Institution; the Info- 

 Special newsletter was produced and distributed quarterly; and 

 83 in-service enrichment opportunities were offered to volun- 



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