When you’ve been going through your paper mountains, have you come across any records that date from pre-1950? Did you know that these records can be as scarce as hen’s teeth, and that’s why we ask agencies to let us know when you find them.
Some of the reasons why we look at pre-1950 records a bit differently are:
- these might be the only public records that exist for a particular geographic area or activity
- they document functions and activities that are different from what the agency is currently responsible for
- they provide a unique record of a different time and place which are valuable to researchers
- they have been created by an agency that no longer exists and provide the only evidence of their existence.
But what about a series of records that continue past 1950?
For example, we were recently contacted by the Department of Housing & Public Works about some accommodation files they had that were dated pre-1950 but the activity continues to this day. With these types of records, we would look at the series as a whole and provide guidance on what to look for when appraising the post-1950 records.
But what if our agency has a current retention & disposal schedule that I can use to sentence the records?
You can sentence the pre-1950 records but we recommend that you contact QSA just to double check that you should dispose of them. You never know what gems might be found in the records!
Our agency doesn’t have a current retention & disposal schedule, what do I do?
If your agency is using the GRDS this will be your current schedule, but still contact us if have some pre-1950 records. If your agency doesn’t have a core business schedule, you will definitely need to contact QSA. Plus, it might be an idea to think about whether your agency needs a core business schedule.
We have records that belong to another agency
Do you know who created the records? Do you know why your agency has these records?
I’m ready to contact QSA, what information do you need?
When you are ready to contact QSA, we want you to provide as much information as possible about the records. To help an archivist appraise the records, tell us:
- who created the records
- a description of the records
- the date range
- how many you have
- what sort of condition the records are in
- any other information that might be relevant, e.g. why the records were created.
We have created a new form to help you – Appraisal request for pre-1950 records. Just send the completed form to rkqueries@archives.qld.gov.au.
What happens at QSA?
Once we receive your request, one of our appraisal archivists will be assigned to appraise your request. They will have a look at the information you have provided and may ask you for more information or suggest a site visit. We will also consult with our Archival Collections team for their input into the appraisal decision. The appraisal decision will be signed off by the Manager Agency Services and the appraisal archivist will contact you with the final decision.
I have my appraisal decision, what do I do next?
If we have advised you that the records are of temporary value, you can dispose of them following your usual agency disposal processes. If the records are of permanent value, these can be transferred to QSA. For information about transferring records to QSA, please contact the Transfers Officer on (07) 3037 6641.
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