Archival Appraisal & Acquisition

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Archival Value of State Government Records

Though government officials create and maintain records in order to transact official agency business, some of these records have evidential and informational value which extends beyond the original business purposes for which they were initially used:

Evidential value - refers to the significance of the information a record provides about a govern- ment office and the function that produced it. It is the evidence of an agency's existence and achievements. Records that document significant government functions, policies, and decisions have evidential value.

Informational value - refers to the value records derive from the information they contain on persons, places, and historical events.

The Archives of Pennsylvania State Government are maintained to:

establish and protect the legal, financial , and other rights of the government
protect the rights and interests of persons directly affected by an agency's activities
permit policy and administrative continuity and consistency by providing perspective on which to base planning
document organization, functions, programs, activities, policies, decisions, procedures, and essential transactions for practical and cultural purposes

The following records are normally appraised by the State Archives for permanent retention:

Records on Organization and Functions (organizational charts and studies)
Formal Minutes of Boards and Commissions (including agenda packets)
Records of Internal Agency and Interagency Councils, Committees, Task Forces, and
Study Groups
Legal Opinions and Comments on Legislation
Formal Directives, Procedural Issuances, and Operating Manuals
Evaluations of Internal Operations
Analytical Research Studies and Reports
Agency Histories and Selected Background Materials
Briefing Materials
Public Relations Records (speeches, addresses, comments and releases)
Audio, Visual, and Graphic Records
General Subject Files Documenting Substantive Agency Programs
Selected Case Files
Scientific and Technical Data
Socioeconomic Micro-Level Data

If you need further assistance, please contact us at Ra-staterecordsmgmt@pa.gov.

Forms and Directives

	Name
	Authorized Personnel Form
Document Title:	Authorized Personnel Form
	Authorized Personnel Form Instructions
Document Title:
	File Plan Template
Document Title:
	M210.1
Document Title:	Commonwealth of PA Employee Records Management Manual
	M210.7
Document Title:	Manual on the Commonwealth Records Management program
	MD210.5
Document Title:	Commonwealth of PA State Records Management Program
	STD-56
Document Title:	Records Action Requests Summary and Deletion
	STD-59
Document Title:	Records Transfer List
	STD-59-GS
Document Title:
	STD-59-P79
Document Title:	Personnel Records Transfer Lists
	STD-61
Document Title:	Reference Request
	STD-62
Document Title:	Records Disposal Report
	STD-64
Document Title:	Records Action Request:Addition or Amendment to Records Retention and Disposition Schedules
	STD-64 Instructions
Document Title:	Records Action Request: Addition or Amendment to Records Instructions
	STD-65
Document Title:	Microfilm Requirement Analysis
	STD-66
Document Title:	Request to Acquire Microfilm Equipment