Government Records Preservation

Government Records and The Arkansas State Archives

The Arkansas State Archives was renamed from the Arkansas History Commission by Act 3 of the Third Extraordinary Session of the 90th General Assembly on July 1, 2016. Arkansas Code, Title 13, Chapter 3, outlines the power and duties of the Arkansas History Commission, now the Arkansas State Archives, and The Black History Commission of Arkansas, an advisory board to the state archives. Arkansas Code, Title 13, Chapter 4, concerns Public Records Management and Archives. State, county and municipal public officials are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the records retention and preservation requirements outlined therein.

In summary, public record requirements as they pertain to historical records and the Arkansas State Archives are:

All records, papers, archives and historical materials permanently held by the State Archives shall remain the property of the State of Arkansas
The archives is responsible for receiving, cataloging and preserving “all official archives of Arkansas,” including state, county and municipal records, which come into its custody
Public officials are authorized and empowered to turn over records not in use in their offices to the State Archives for permanent preservation
Public officials will make available for copying records from their offices upon the request of the State Archives
Public officials must notify the State Archives in writing before destroying or discarding outdated records; records deemed to have historical value shall be given to the State Archives
Two (2) copies of every publication of the State of Arkansas must be deposited at the State Archives
Court records over fifty (50) years old and handwritten, or those records determined by the State Archives to have historical value may not be destroyed
County records over fifty (50) years old may not be destroyed before furnishing prior written notice to the State Archives, describing the extent and nature of the records, at least sixty (60) days prior to destruction. No handwritten county record over fifty (50) years old may be destroyed.
Sheriff’s offices may not destroy records over fifty (50) years old before furnishing prior written notice to the State Archives, describing the extent and nature of the records, at least sixty (60) days prior to destruction. No handwritten sheriff’s record over fifty (50) years old may be destroyed.

Resources for State, County and City Officials

The records retention schedules below pertain to the most common types of records created among state agencies and make no provisions for the disposition of records having permanent value in the Arkansas State Archives.

The electric records guidelines below were developed by the Arkansas Records Retention Workshop in 2005. They provide a very general suggestions for managing electronic records. The Arkansas State Archives is in the process of creating a trusted digital repository for the preservation of state electronic records that have permanent value.

For additional information on records having historic or permanent value and/or preserving your agency’s electronic records through the State Archives, please contact us at [email protected].

Access Arkansas Code Online