What does records retention scheduling mean and why do it?

Your agency needs to know how long to keep its records, and what to do with them afterward. Should they be destroyed or be preserved permanently? Records retention scheduling organizes your agency’s records into series and sets a retention period for each series. It also establishes the correct disposition — destroy or Archival (permanent) — for each series.

Managing Your Local Government Records (PDF, 867KB)

Public Officials and Public Records (PowerPoint, 274KB) (pdf version, 254KB)

• Bar Harbor Historical Society
  C/O Jesup Memorial Library
  34 Mount Desert St.
  Bar Harbor, ME 04609

• Biddeford Historical Society
  P.O. Box 200
  Biddeford, ME 04005

• Blue Hill Historical Society
  P.O. Box 710
  Blue Hill, ME 04614

Vault Storage for Permanent Records

Maine State Statute 5 M.R.S.A. § 95-B requires each local government to have a fireproof safe or vault to protect permanently valuable records.

The following provisions apply to local government records.

The Maine State Archives in conjunction with the Archives Advisory Board, establishes local government record retention schedules. These schedules are adopted pursuant to Maine Title 5, Chapter 6, §95-B. Comments and suggestions for changes or additions may be emailed to Records Management.

Records Management for Local Government

Education and Training

Guides, information and online training for Public Officials on the management and retention of Local government records.

Both the Records Center and State Archives serve the roles of storing records and providing reference services, but there are several fundamental differences, outlined below:

State Records Center:

Records Management Forms Policy

This policy provides the procedures for submitting Records Management forms and identifies who has the authority to approve/sign for the following actions. Every agency must have an appointed Records Officer (RO) who will follow the Records Management forms policy.