The department of archives and history shall be under the immediate management and control of a director, to be elected by the board of trustees, whose term of office shall be six years, and until his successor is elected and qualified. He shall take an oath of office as do other state officials, and shall be commissioned in like manner. He shall have authority to adopt a seal for use in official business. He shall devote his time to the work of the department, using his best endeavor to develop and build it up, so as to carry out the design of its creation. He shall have the control and direction of the work and operations of the department, and shall preserve its collection, care for the official archives that may come into his custody, collect, as far as possible, all materials bearing upon the history of the state and the territory included therein from the earliest times, prepare the official registers hereinafter provided, and diffuse knowledge in reference to the history and resources of the state. The director of the department shall make a report of the expenses of the department to the legislature of the state as state officers.