Records Management

While the City Archives cares for the city’s permanent records of historic value, a Records Management Program provides instruction regarding all of an organization’s records, including those of temporary value that will eventually be destroyed. Records Management is a specialized discipline that oversees the treatment of records created, received, stored, and used by an organization. It gives agencies control over their own records by identifying what records need to be kept (and for how long), what records should be retained permanently, and what records can be disposed of in compliance with federal and state regulations.

Records Management provides the foundation for a successful archives by promoting the seamless transfer of records from originating agency to the archives, ensuring that valuable materials are not lost or discarded. Because the City of New Orleans does not have a Records Management Program at this time, it falls to the individual agency to work with both the City Archives and State Archives regarding the management and disposal of their own records. The City Archives can provide support to city agencies in developing policies that promote responsible retention, preservation, and destruction of city records. City Agencies must obtain approval from both the City Archives and the State Archives prior to disposing of any records, as outlined in R.S.44:411.