Record means document, book, paper, photograph, sound recording or other material,
regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received pursuant
to law or in connection with the transaction of official business. [NDCC 54-46-02]
What is appraisal of records?
Appraisal is the process of evaluating records to determine their value and
ultimate disposition based upon their current use. Over time they provide
to the researcher information that documents the function and activity of
an office. Additionally, questions on arrangement, dates span, volume, physical
condition, and relationship to other records are reviewed. Finally, they may
have intrinsic (exhibit) value that will be of interest.
What is meant by value?
Historically, records (not including electronic records) have been assigned
a value during the appraisal process. Value may relate to the original purpose
for which the record was created, or may result from the information or evidence
provided by the record. Record values must be identified to determine the
final and ultimate disposition of a record or if the record should be retained
for a longer time period. In the life cycle of a record there are three primary
areas to evaluate for value and they include administrate, fiscal value, and
legal value. At the point of disposition, records are also assigned a secondary
(historical/archival) value. Archival value means that the
record is permanent or retains its value to citizens or the government because
it contains evidence or information which protects some right or claim, documents
significant events or functions, or contains sufficient information about
people, places, or events to warrant retention for historical research. Eventually
the value of a permanent record may have little administrative value to the
office of origin and is referred to less frequently over time. Officials may
wish to transfer from the office of origin to the State Archives older records
that gradually lose most of administrative value but have sufficient information
to retain as archival resources.[NDCC 54-46-08.1]
Records with administrative value include:
Agency histories, annual and biennial reports, budgets and planning records,
circulars, correspondence of high-level officials, directives, executive orders,
hearing transcripts, interpretations, opinions or memoranda of law mandates,
minutes and agendas of meetings and conferences, organizational and functional
charts, policy and procedural manuals, political and public relations materials,
regulations, special reports, staff studies, statutes, and strategic planning
documents.
Definition and examples of evidential
value:
Records of evidential value provide documentation of the existence and functioning
of an organization. These records document the position of each office, the
function of each office, and the operations, procedures, decisions, policies,
and activities carried out to perform these functions. Some examples of records
with evidential value include annual reports, case files, minutes, news releases,
organizational charts, policy and program documentation, including special
projects, and statistical data that may provide important information on individuals,
corporate bodies including their problems and conditions, major changes that
impact society, and significant historical events.
What procedures are necessary to transfer the
records to the State Archives?
Separate from records to be disposed by shredding or landfill.
Use containers that are in good condition and uniform in size (such as bankers
boxes). Please do not use larger than 1 foot or a photocopy paper box.
When packing keep the existing arrangement and the files should not be removed
from the folders.
Do not mix record series unless the series are clearly marked and wrapped.
Send along file inventories, indexes, keys or other ways to find the information,
this will ease the time spent by the reference staff in searching for the
information.
Label the boxes with correct information before the transfer takes place.
Contact the State Archives when ready to transfer the records. You may call,
328-3570 or 328-2668.
At the time of transfer include the certificate of Records Disposal with your
records so it may be signed and returned by us to the staff of Records Management.
What are the procedures for retrieving a
record?
Inquiries should be directed to the reference staff by calling at (701) 328-2091
and providing them information about what record to retrieve and when you
will be coming to the Heritage Center to look at the record. Contact the State
Archives weekdays Monday through Friday (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) in the North
Dakota Heritage Center reading room in Bismarck. The North Dakota Heritage
Center is the headquarters of the State Historical Society of North Dakota
and is located on the State Capitol Grounds at 612 East Boulevard Avenue Bismarck
ND 58505
