RECORDS SURVEY & SCHEDULE OF OPS ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

Presented byMitch Toda and Shawn JohnstoneArchives and Information Management Team, Smithsonian Institution ArchivesAugust 6, 2009

MISSION

The Smithsonian Institution Archives serves as the institutional memory of a unique American cultural resource. In order to ensure institutional accountability and enhance public appreciation of a great national treasure, we are committed to serving the Smithsonian community, scholars, and the general public by:

appraising, acquiring, and preserving the records of the institution and related documentary materials;

offering a range of reference, research, and records services;

and creating products and services which promote understanding of the Smithsonian and its history.

SI ARCHIVES – READING ROOM

HISTORY

Our origins go back to 1891, when William Jones Rhees, who had been Chief Clerk since 1852, was given the title Keeper of the Archives

Most recently Smithsonian Photographic Services and Smithsonian Photographic Initiative became a part of SIA and currently have a staff of 23

33,900 cubic feet of permanent records 3100 cubic feet of temporary records 95% of our collections on SIRIS 68% of our collections (2837) have online finding

aids

COLLECTIONS STORAGE – CAP GALLERY

SIA WEBSITE

ONLINE FINDING AID TO RECORDS

SMITHSONIAN DIRECTIVE 501

“All documents created or received by employees of SI in the course of official business are records of the Institution, and none may be disposed of except in accord [with guidelines] established by the Smithsonian Archives.”

SI ARCHIVES SERVICES

Provide assistance in identifying records to retain and records to discard

Create records disposition schedules Supply boxes and physically transfer

records Maintain, preserve, and provide access

to records Destroy records according to established

schedules

RECORDS DISPOSITION SCHEDULE

PURPOSE & BENEFITS

More effective management of records Reduced/eliminated level of record-

keeping redundancies Reduced costs of storage equipment

and supplies Elimination of unnecessary file storage Increased usable space

SURVEY PROCESS

Will have scheduled time slots for staff to sign up for

Meetings will involve discussions with staff about their work responsibilities and what records they create

Meetings should only take 15-20 minutes Follow up with individuals as needed Draft survey submitted to OPS for review

RECORDSAny official recorded information, regardless of medium or characteristics, created, received, and maintained by OPS. Records come in a variety of formats, including paper, electronic, photographic, or audiovisual formats.

APPRAISAL

Permanent Historical, enduring value Best documents your office’s activities

Temporary Records of short-term value Records for which you are not the Office of

Record Administrative, routine, housekeeping

functions

OPS UNITS RECORDS DISPOSITION SCHEDULE

COMING UP

Individual meetings to survey records will begin in September

Draft of Records Disposition Schedule submitted to OPS by the end of October

Changes/Corrections made to Schedule as needed

Schedule submitted to J. J. McLaughlin for signature and approval

Schedule posted online by beginning of December

QUESTIONS ?

CONTACT INFORMATION

Mitch Toda, Project Coordinator 202.633.5923; todam@si.edu

Shawn Johnstone 202.633.5912; johnstoner@si.edu

SI Archives: www.siarchives.si.edu