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National Archives Will Host Virtual Tribal Consultations

The agency scheduled two virtual meetings in October to discuss the closures of several archival facilities.

Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Native American

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The National Archives has scheduled virtual consultations with tribal leaders for mid-October to address the planned closure of several archival facilities. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should the federal government prioritize electronic recordkeeping over maintaining local access to historical archives?

The National Archives will hold two virtual tribal consultation meetings on October 13 and October 15, 2026. The sessions address the planned closures of facilities in Chicago and San Francisco and the relocation of records from Seattle.

Why it matters

Tribal leaders previously objected to the agency moving forward with facility closures and record transfers without meaningful consultation. The meetings aim to address these concerns amid the transition to electronic recordkeeping.

The National Archives is closing facilities in Chicago and San Francisco to address underutilized space. The agency is also planning the relocation of temporary records from its Seattle location.

The players

National Archives

This is the independent federal agency responsible for preserving and documenting government and historical records.

Heather Hostler

She serves as a tribal advocate who formally criticized the agency for failing to conduct proper outreach regarding facility changes.

The details

The agency stated the closures are primarily driven by a growing volume of underutilized space resulting from a transition to electronic records. Tribal leaders can register for the upcoming sessions by emailing tribalconsultation@nara.gov with their representative details.

Timeline

  1. August 2026: Tribal leaders criticized the initial lack of consultation.

  2. September 2026: Notice was provided regarding upcoming virtual meetings.

  3. October 13, 2026: The first consultation meeting will take place at 2 p.m. ET.

  4. October 15, 2026: The second consultation meeting will occur at 3 p.m. ET.

Roadmap

The transition to electronic records is fundamentally reshaping the physical footprint of the National Archives. As the agency prioritizes digital storage, it is systematically reducing its reliance on regional brick-and-mortar archives.

Tribal leaders and researchers in Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle may see shifts in how they access historical documents. Interested representatives should finalize their meeting registration via email to ensure their specific concerns are documented by the agency.

The takeaway

Engagement with federal agencies often requires proactive registration for specific consultation windows. Tribal representatives should monitor federal communication channels to ensure they maintain input on the relocation of localized historical assets.

Further reading

For broader context on federal-tribal policy, explore the latest updates in our Native American section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by ICT.

Live Poll

Should the federal government prioritize electronic recordkeeping over maintaining local access to historical archives?