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Records Management Publications
These publications and topical guides provide in-depth material on various records management topics. You can browse the full list or filter by a specific topic. If you don't see what you are looking for, email us at RECMGMT@nysed.gov
Click on the arrow next to each title for a full description and link to the related PDF or web page.
| Title | Description | File or Web Page | Records Management Topic | Revised | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Guide to Documenting Environmental Affairs in New York State |
Explains how to document environmental affairs. Suggests documentation priorities and provides examples of projects. |
Historical Records | 2001 | ||
| A Manual for Documentation Planning in New York State |
Presents a method for planning the documentation of important topics in New York history on a statewide or regional basis. |
Historical Records | 2010 | 2002 | |
| Acetate Microfilm |
Provides a concise fact sheet regarding acetate-based film. |
Imaging and Microfilming, Microfilming | 2003 | ||
| Administration of Inactive Records |
Outlines and describes the steps necessary to ensure efficient and effective operation of inactive records storage. 23 pages |
Inactive Records | 1996 | ||
| Appraisal of Local Government Records for Historical Value |
Gives local officials a general understanding of how to identify, evaluate, and select records that have ongoing historical value. |
Historical Records, Appraisal, Retention and Disposition | 1996 | ||
| Archival Needs Assessment Guidelines and Template |
Provides a framework for the assessment of and planning for an archival program. |
Historical Records, Program Administration | 2001 | ||
| Archives Month Action Guide |
Suggests ideas for Archives Month activities and provides helpful guidance about how to increase media coverage of Archives Month events. |
Outreach | 2011 | 2000 | |
| Conducting Needs Assessments for New Recordkeeping Systems |
Provides general advice on when and how to conduct a needs assessment for implementing a new recordkeeping system. A recordkeeping system can be any paper, electronic, micrographic, or hybrid system designed to create, store, and manage records. |
Questions for IT, Active Records, Inventory, Policies and Procedures | 2003 | ||
| Criteria for Selecting Records for Conservation Treatment |
Outlines a series of questions to ask to determine whether or not conservation is an appropriate preservation option. |
Collections Management, Historical Records, Program Administration | 2001 | ||
| Developing a Policy for Managing Email |
These guidelines are intended as a starting point for state agencies and local governments to use for writing policies and procedures that will guide a program for managing email. Agencies and governments should adapt the guidelines to meet their own needs and capabilities, and continue to update their policies on an as-needed basis. |
Electronic Records, Email, Policies and Procedures | 2023 | ||
| Digital Imaging Guidelines |
These guidelines list the minimal standards for producing and inspecting digital images of records. |
Indexing, Imaging and Microfilming | 2022 | 2022 | |
| Disaster Recovery Project Application Guidelines | Disaster Management, Disaster Planning, Disaster Recovery | 2022 | |||
| Documentary Heritage Program Grant Guidelines |
Provides instruction to not-for-profits on how to apply for a Documentary Heritage Program (DHP) grant. |
Historical Records | 2024 | ||
| Documentation Basics: A Guide to Planning and Managing Documentation Projects |
Documentation is the process of locating, identifying, and acquiring unique, historical records that are not yet in a historical records repository. |
Historical Records | 2003 | ||
| Electronic Records Disaster Preparedness and Recovery |
Information on disaster preparedness and recovery for government electronic records. |
Electronic Records Disaster Preparedness and Recovery | Disaster Management, Disaster Planning, Disaster Recovery, Questions for IT | 2012 | |
| Fire Suppression for Records and Archives |
Learn about fire suppression tools and techniques. |
Fire Suppression for Records and Archives | Disaster Management, Disaster Planning, Inactive Records | 2013 | |
| Fundamentals of Managing Local Government Archival Records |
Provides an overview of archival principles and suggests core archival activities that local governments may undertake. |
Collections Management, Historical Records, Program Administration | 1995 | ||
| Funding for Non-Profit / Non-Government Organizations with Damaged Collections | Funding for Non-Profit / Non-Government Organizations with Damaged Collections | Disaster Recovery | 2012 | ||
| General Retention and Disposition Schedule for New York State Government Records, Effective September 2016 |
This publication provides authorizations for state agencies to dispose of common administrative records following a minimum retention period. |
Retention and Disposition | 2016 | ||
| Guidelines for Choosing Records Management Software |
Explains how different software products can help manage records more effectively, including software that maintains records inventories, tracks inactive records, and improves access to active records. |
Inactive Records, Inventory | 2002 | ||
| Guidelines for Storage of Inactive Government Records |
This publication focuses on the administration and storage of inactive records in an inactive storage area or facility, outside of active office space. |
Inactive Records | 2021 | ||
| Guidelines for the Management of State Agency Executive Office Records |
Outlines the responsibilities that state agencies have for managing their most important administrative records and indicates who state agency staff should call for records management advice and services. |
Active Records, Retention and Disposition | 2010 | ||
| Historical Records and the Local Government Historian |
Suggests ways that local government historians can use their specialized knowledge and interests to encourage and support records management and historical records programs that are adequate to the needs of local governments and their constituents. |
Historical Records | 2004 | ||
| Insurance Coverage for Records and Data |
Learn about insurance coverage for records and data. |
Insurance Coverage for Records and Data | Disaster Management, Disaster Planning, Inventory | 2016 | |
| Intrinsic Value of Local Government Archival Records |
Explains the characteristics that give records intrinsic value. |
Historical Records, Program Administration | 2002 | ||
| Inventory and Planning: The First Steps in Records Management |
Explains the value and uses of a records inventory, provides a step-by-step explanation of how to conduct an inventory, and shows how to develop a simple plan to guide the development of a records management program. |
Inventory | 2003 | ||
| Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund Disaster Recovery Guidelines |
Contact your Records Advisory Officer to obtain information on how to apply for a Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) Disaster Recovery Grant. |
Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund Disaster Recovery Guidelines | Disaster Management, Disaster Recovery, LGRMIF Grant Program | ||
| Local Government Records Useful in Family History Research |
Describes local government record series that are valuable for genealogical research. |
Historical Records, Program Administration | 2024 | ||
| Managing Imaging Projects |
Details the steps to follow to ensure a successful imaging project. Includes an imaging form to collect project data and samples to develop technical specifications and a contract. 50 pages
|
Imaging, Microfilming | 2022 | ||
| New York Documentation Topics Framework |
A comprehensive and suggestive list for organizing the range of possible topics to document in New York history and culture. The subtopics and examples suggest the scope of the topics but are not meant to be exhaustive. |
Historical Records | 2013 | ||
| Preparing for the Worst: Managing Records Disasters |
Describes the steps necessary to anticipate, prevent, plan for, and recover from a disaster affecting records in any format. It includes a sample disaster management plan, data collection forms, and specific steps for responding to a disaster. |
Disaster Management, Disaster Recovery | 2004 | ||
| Quality Control and Content Verification of Digital Images |
This Advisory must be used in conjunction with the New York State Archives Digital Imaging Guidelines |
Indexing, Imaging and Microfilming | 2020 | 2014 | |
| Reclaiming Alienated Records |
Defines alienated records and lists steps to take when you discover that the records of your local government or state agency may be in the custody of another person or organization. |
Reclaiming Alienated Records | Historical Records, Program Administration | 2011 | |
| Records Advisory Boards |
Information about how these boards can guide the records management program. |
Records Advisory Boards | Outreach, Program Administration | 2012 | |
| Records Management Consultants for Local Governments |
Provides advice and guidance to state agencies, local governments, and historical societies that are considering the employment of consultants. |
Program Administration | 2000 | ||
| Records Retention and Disposition Schedule - Election Records |
Government Records Management Information Series. Records Retention and Disposition Schedule for use by New York County Boards of Elections |
Retention and Disposition | 1996 | ||
| Retention and Disposition of Library and Library System Records |
Provides basic information on the retention and disposition of library records. |
Retention and Disposition | 2007 | ||
| Retention and Disposition of Records: How Long to Keep Records and How to Destroy Them |
Explains how to use State Archives retention schedules, develop specialized office retention schedules, and destroy obsolete records. |
Retention and Disposition | 2021 | ||
| Retention and Disposition Schedule for New York Local Government Records |
The Retention and Disposition Schedule for New York Local Government Records (LGS-1) supersedes and replaces the existing schedules
Pages 411 |
Retention and Disposition | 2020 | ||
| Salvaging Moldy and Contaminated Records |
Information on mold and paper records. |
Salvaging Moldy and Contaminated Records | Disaster Management, Disaster Planning, Disaster Recovery | 2012 | |
| The Records Lifecycle |
All records have a life span. Understanding and applying the records lifecycle concept will help you efficiently and cost effectively manage your records. |
Program Administration | 2021 | ||
| Understanding the Importance of Managing Social Media Records |
This publication can help you to verify that using social media sites will meet your business needs, and familiarize your organization with the risks associated with the use of these tools. |
Electronic Records, Active Records | 2021 | ||
| Using a Data Storage Vendor |
Provides information to local governments and state agencies about the issues involved in handing over custody and control of data to a vendor or to another government or agency. |
Using a Data Storage Vendor | Inactive Records | 2009 | |
| Using PDF/A as a Preservation Format | Using PDF/A as a Preservation Format | Electronic Records, Imaging and Microfilming | 2013 | ||
| Working with Disaster Recovery Vendors |
Advice on how to work with Disaster Recovery Vendors. |
Working with Disaster Recovery Vendors | Disaster Management, Disaster Planning, Disaster Recovery | 2012 |
