IMF Archives: Finding Aids

External Relations Department Records

External Relations Department Information Division Records

Context

Name of Creator: External Relations Department Information Division

Administrative/Biographical history: The Information Division (EXRID) was one of the original divisions at the creation of the External Relations Department (EXR) in 1981. Prior to EXR's creation, the Division's activities were carried out within the Office of the Managing Director (OMD), first by an Assistant for Public Relations (1949-1950), then subsequently by the short-lived Office of Public Relations (1950-1952), the Information Officer (1952-1980), and finally by the Information Office (1980-1981) in the newly created Office of External Relations (OER). OER was EXR's direct predecessor before the Department was created in 1981. Prior to its incorporation into EXR, the Information Office was responsible for making public authorized information regarding the IMF's purposes and activities; assisting management in its press and other public contacts; and keeping management, Executive Directors and staff informed of news developments and currents of opinion in the IMF's field of interest. This included: responding to outside inquiries from non-official visitors; managing and arranging staff speaking engagements and contacts with the press; preparing explanatory written material, including press releases; organizing seminars for special groups; and, preparing the IMF Survey, Morning Press, and Staff News. Upon the creation of EXR's Information Division, responsibility for the publications was transferred to the Current Publications Division and responsibility for creating written explanatory material was moved to the Editorial Division. In other words, the Information Division retained responsibility for: relations with the press, such as drafting and publishing press releases and press arrangements at Spring, Annual, and Interim Committee Meetings; organizing speaking arrangements for staff; and organizing discussions, seminars and briefings for non-official groups. Press arrangements might require Division staff to travel in advance of the Managing Director to arrange for media coverage of overseas visits. In 1984, the Division was also made responsible for the development of audio-visual material and it was assigned responsibility for planning and managing the IMF Visitor's Center. Responsibility for the IMF Visitor's Center, now the IMF Center, and organizing speaking arrangements for staff was transferred from the Division to the newly created Public Affairs Division (EXRPU) in 1989. From 1993 onwards, the Division again became responsible for providing news for staff, Executive Directors and management, and the preparation of Morning Press and Trends and Comments. Responsibility for the seminar program for non-officials was transferred to EXRPU later in 1996. EXRID's work then focused on coordination of management and IMF relations with the press, which, for example, included such new activities as managing a media training program for staff. The Division was restructured in 1998 as part of a larger reorganization of the Department and, given its press relations responsibilities, it was renamed the Media Relations Division. The Division Chiefs of EXRID, called Chief Information Officers until 1997, were: Hellmut O. Hartmannn, 1980-1989; Hernan P. Puentes, 1989-1997; and, (Deputy Division Chief) Graham P. Newman, 1998.

Archival history: Two files on the IMF Visitors' Center were sent to the Archives in an envelope with no further information. Based on their content, they were presumably created by Assistant Division Chief Graham Newman, and were therefore incorporated into the series by the archivist. The files contain correspondence, memoranda and drafts concerning the exhibits for the Visitors' Center and the opening reception.

Content and structure

Scope and content: Sous-fonds consists of a series of subject files created by the Information Division as it managed relations between the IMF, management and the press.

Conditions of Access and Use

Language/script of material: English, French, Spanish, German

Associated Materials

Related units of description: Consult Central Files Collection P 370 for complementary textual records of IMF Survey. See TGSIMIG IMF Survey Photographs and TGSIMIG Staff News Photographs series for photographs produced for IMF Survey and Staff News. Consult Central Files Collection A 819 for complementary textual records on the IMF Visitor's Center and TGSIMIG IMF Visitor's Center Photographs series for complementary photographic records.

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