What Are Records?

The Archives and Records

About Records Management

Series Filing System

Filing Tips for the Series System

Disposing of Inactive Records

General Filing Tips

Records Transfer Form

About Records Management

Records management is based on the concept that records are generally maintained in a records series and that the documents within the series have a life cycle and that records series need to be appraised to determine their continuing value and final disposition.

Records Series: Records series are file units or documents maintained as a unit because they relate to a particular subject or function, result from the same activity, have a particular form, or because of some other relationship arising out of their creation, receipt, or use. Some common examples include correspondence, annual reports, committee records and course records.

Records Life Cycle: The life cycle concept maintains that records are created, distributed, referred to, filed, re-used, and re-filed until they become non-current. When records become non-current they become less relevant to the daily operations of the office that created them. At the end of a records series' active life, it should be disposed of in some manner, either through destruction or transfer to the Archives.

Records Appraisal
Appraisal is the process of determining the value and ultimate disposition of a records series. Decisions about the disposition of a records series is based on its historical, legal, administrative, and financial value. Appraisal is carried out by an archivist in consultation with the creator of the records series or the administrative head of the office or department charged with the oversight of the records. The majority of records created do not have permanent value and most record series types can be covered by a general retention and disposition schedule.