Presented by Mitch Toda and Shawn Johnstone Archives

Presented by Mitch Toda and Shawn Johnstone Archives and Information Management Team, Smithsonian Institution Archives August 6, 2009 RECORDS SURVEY & SCHEDULE OF OPS ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

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

RECORDS Any 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. Mc. Laughlin for signature and approval � Schedule posted online by beginning of December

QUESTIONS ?

CONTACT INFORMATION � Mitch Toda, Project Coordinator � 202. 633. 5923; � Shawn Johnstone � 202. 633. 5912; � SI todam@si. edu johnstoner@si. edu Archives: www. siarchives. si. edu