Those who collect and preserve the historical archives of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are looking to the future.

The Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS) is responding to several impending staff retirements and other current vacancies by restructuring its staffing rationale.

“The changes we are making are designed to increase efficiency,” says Fred Heuser, executive director of PHS, “but more importantly, they will help PHS respond more effectively to the changing information needs of the PC(USA), consistent with the resources available.”

The changes, reviewed by the PHS board of directors in August and approved by the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly in October, are being made in both administrative and program staff. Three new positions are being created — director for administrative services, reference archivist/librarian, and catalog librarian.

The new positions will be filled in 2011 and will not alter the approved PHS budgets for 2011 and 2012.

One vacant position — manager of public services — will not be filled. Instead, those responsibilities will be incorporated into a revised deputy executive director’s position.

“We are working to make PHS more visible in the PC(USA),” said Heuser. “We think this restructure will help position us to do just that.”

The Presbyterian Historical Society is the national archives of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and a leading research institution on American Presbyterianism. Founded in 1852, the mission of PHS is to collect, preserve, and share the story of the American Presbyterian experience.