Records of National Agencies
The Presbyterian Historical Society is the archives and records manager for national agencies of the PC(USA). Materials of enduring value created by national agencies should be sent to the archives for permanent safekeeping. Records of temporary value which are no longer frequently consulted may also be deposited with the society.
When you start gathering records for transfer, refer to the General Records Retention Schedule below, or available from Centernet, to determine which records have permanent value. Use the retention schedule to dispose of records that have temporary value and are past their retention periods.
If available, use your office’s unique records retention schedule to identify and sort records which have a common destruction date. Or, use the General Retention Schedule below for national agency records.
The society accepts original records of permanent value and temporary records which are no longer frequently consulted on deposit. Records are stored in our secure, climate-controlled archives.
PC(USA) Records Manager Kyna Herzinger is the point of contact for national agency staff preparing records for shipment.
If you believe you have records that should be transfered to PHS, contact Kyna Herzinger or complete this form. You will receive an automatic confirmation and a follow-up that includes a records transfer number. Kyna will be available to assess the records and assist throughout the process. Once records are ready, mailing lables will be provided and Mailroom staff may be contacted to pick up and ship the boxes. Note that any addition description or inventory that is not captured on the form may be sent to Kyna or David Staniunas via email.
Records Title and Description | Retention | Disposition Instructions |
|---|---|---|
Account Request Forms | Active + 3 years | Destroy |
Accounts Payable | 3 years | Destroy |
Accounts Receivable | 3 years | Destroy |
Annual Fiscal Reports | Permanent | Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia |
Annual Reports | Permanent | Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia |
Budget and Expense Reports | 3 years | Destroy |
Budget Code List | 3 years | Destroy |
Contracts: Repairs, Leases | Expiration + 6 years | Destroy |
Contracts: Personal Service | Expiration + 6 years | Destroy |
Correspondence - General: requests for information or publications, payments, receipts, routine courtesies (includes e-mail). Does not include non-business related messages, junk mail, and duplicate copies of general announcements. Delete these when no longer useful. | 3 years | Destroy |
Correspondence- Official: documents an office's administrative structure, procedures, and policies; is incoming and outgoing and may consist of letters, e-mail, notes, memoranda, directives, policy statements, and other information.
| Permanent | Transfer to Archives in Philadelphia |
Deduction Authorization Records | Active + 4 years | Destroy |
General Ledger Reports-Budget Control | 3 years | Destroy |
Grants - Funded | Permanent | Transfer grant files to the Archives in Philadelphia (keep applications, proposals, final report, and official correspondence) |
Grants - Not Funded | 2 years | Destroy |
Grievance Case Files (unit copy, may be in Human Resources only) | Settlement + 3 years | Destroy |
Inventories of Property and Equipment (office copy) | Active | Destroy when superseded |
Invoices | 2 years | Destroy |
Journal Vouchers | 3 years | Destroy |
Mail Logs (Mailing Lists) | Active | Destroy when no longer useful or superseded |
Manuals/Handbooks (produced by the office) | Permanent | Transfer one copy of each to the Archives in Philadelphia |
Meeting Arrangement Files (may include hotel folios, catering materials, conference room information, registrations) | 3 years | Destroy |
Meeting Folders (materials with general information from conferences or meetings attended by staff) | Active | Discard when no longer needed |
Minutes of Governing Boards/Advisory Committees (of the Department) | Permanent | Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia |
Minutes of Staff Meetings | Permanent | Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia |
Pay Authorization Records | 5 years | Destroy |
Per Capita Financial Reports (annual) | Permanent | Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia |
Per Capita Financial Reports (monthly) | 3 years | Destroy |
Personnel Records (departmental copy) | Employment + 7 years | Destroy 7 years after termination of employment |
Photographs | Permanent | Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia |
Policies and Procedures Manuals/Statements (produced by the department) | Permanent | Transfer one copy of each to the Archives in Philadelphia |
Publications (issued by the Department and may include newsletters, brochures, promotional materials, and published reports) | Permanent | Transfer one copy of each to the Archives in Philadelphia |
Purchase Orders | 3 years | Destroy |
Purchase Orders for items with a warranty | Length of warranty | Destroy |
Records Transfer Lists (documents the records from the office sent to the Archives or Records Center) | Permanent | Retain in Office |
Reference Materials (external publications used for information purposes) | Active | Destroy or discard when no longer useful |
Requisitions | Current + 2 years | Destroy |
Requisitions for items under warranty | Length of warranty | Destroy |
Shipping and Freight Records Files | Current + 1 year | Destroy |
Telecommunications Reports (Telephone Charge Records) | 3 years | Destroy |
Videos (produced by the Office) | Active | Transfer one copy of each to the Archives in Philadelphia |
Vouchers (includes travel, hotel, food, mileage, etc.) | 3 years | Destroy |
Working Group Files (may include minutes, reports, budgets, and correspondence) | Permanent | Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia |
