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SERVICES FOR THE NATIONAL OFFICES Access Policies Transfer Procedures: Temporary Records Transfer Procedures: Permanent Records   SITEMAP

Services for the National Offices Records Management | Record Centers | Archival Services | Research Services | Preservation and Disaster Preparedness | Microfilming | Acid-Free Paper Mission The Presbyterian Historical Society exists to serve the record-keeping needs of the denomination by providing providing a records management program and housing and servicing the permanently valuable records of the denomination. It is the department of the Office of the General Assembly charged by the Stated Clerk to fulfill his recordkeeping responsibilities for all General Assembly entities. Services To fulfill this mission to national agencies, the Presbyterian Historical Society employs a records manager based in Louisville, maintains a records center for the storage of non-permanent records in Philadelphia, and provides archival staff and services in Philadelphia for records with permanent value. Our services to all the offices in the Presbyterian Center, the PC(USA) Foundation, the Presbyterian Investment Loan Program, the Board of Pensions, and the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation include: Records Management | Record Centers | Archival Services | Research Services | Preservation and Disaster Preparedness | Microfilming | Acid-Free Paper RECORDS MANAGEMENT SERVICES Consult the records manager in the Center, who can provide: Advice to improve your filing systems and procedures and how to protect your vital records from disaster Retention schedules that list your file titles, recommend how long you should maintain the files in your office, when you should send the to the records center or archives, or when you should destroy them Research about the federal and state statutes and church policies that affect the creation, maintenance, and destruction of your records Information about sources for filing equipment, data conversion, and archival supplies such as boxes and acid-free paper. Value of records management 1. Help control the amount of storage and length of time records are kept 2. Provide orderly and systematic destruction of records consistent with administrative, legal, fiscal, and historical requirements. 3. Reduce costs associated with the storage of active and inactive records 4. Improve efficiency of retrieval 5. Identify and preserve records with permanent value 6. Ensure protection of valuable records against deterioration or destruction Steps in a records management program Records Inventory: what type of records do you create and maintain? Records Retention: how long should you keep them? Records Storage: where do you keep them? Preserving Vital Records: how do you ensure continued operation after a disaster? Storing Records in the Archives: how to send and retrieve files? RECORDS CENTERS Storage and retrieval of your temporary records: rent-free records centers, serviced by trained PC(USA) staff. Please consult the records manager or records center staff in Philadelphia and use the transfer procedure, transmittal forms, and labels. ARCHIVAL SERVICES Archival storage for your permanent records in temperature and humidity-controlled, secure vaults serviced by trained PC(USA) staff. Please consult the the records manager or records center staff in Philadelphia and use the transfer procedure, transmittal forms, and labels. We apply access policies to control the use of your recent or confidential records. RESEARCH SERVICES Our reference and research services answer your and your clients‚ questions using your files and our other extensive holdings housed in the records centers and archives. We will also copy or return your files and supply audiovisual reproduction services. Please consult the staff in Philadelphia. PRESERVATION AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS We will advise you on preservation issues such as the use of acid-free paper, and storage and environmental concerns. Contact the records manager. MICROFILMING Archival quality microfilming of records with permanent value. Contact PHS staff to request copies of our microfilming brochures.

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