Records Management Services | Records Center | Archival Services
Research Services | Preservation and Disaster Preparedness

The Presbyterian Historical Society provides a records management program for Presbyterian Church (U. S. A.) national offices and houses and services the permanently valuable records of the denomination. The Society, a department of the Office of the General Assembly, assists the Stated Clerk in fulfilling his or her recordkeeping responsibilities for all General Assembly entities.

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 of permanent value.

Why Records Management

Records Management Services

Consult the records manager in the Center, who can provide:

• Advice to improve your filing systems and information on 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 them to the records center or archives, or when you should destroy them
• Advice on managing and preserving electronic records
• Research about the federal and state statutes and church policies that affect the creation, maintenance, and destruction of your records
• Records management training for office staff

For storage and retrieval of your temporary records: a rent-free records center, serviced by trained PC(USA) staff. Please consult the records manager in Louisville or records center staff in Philadelphia and use the transfer procedure, transfer forms, and labels.

Archival Services

For archival storage of your permanent records: temperature and humidity-controlled, secure stack areas serviced by trained PC(USA) staff. Please consult the records manager in Louisville or archives staff in Philadelphia and use the transfer procedure, transfer forms, and labels.

We apply access policies to control the use of your recent or confidential records.

Research Services

Society staff will answer questions from national offices using your files and our other extensive holdings. We can also copy or return your files and supply microfilming and audiovisual reproduction services. Please consult the staff in Philadelphia.

Preservation and Disaster Preparedness

We will advise you on preservation issues such as microfilming, the use of acid-free paper, and storage and environmental concerns. Contact the records manager.