Contact Special Collections and University Archives with questions about records management, electronic records, web archiving, digital preservation, and searching and using archival records.
Any documentation that an organization creates or receives in the course of its operations. Records include documentary material in every form except: physical artifacts, transitory material (such as informal notes, extra copies, drafts, reference material), and non-business communication.
Records created or received by employees of the University of Maryland in connection with the transaction of its business.
The Annotated Code of Maryland, General Provisions Article, §4–101, defines a public record as “the original or any copy of any documentary material that (i) is made by a unit or an instrumentality of the State or of a political subdivision or received by the unit or instrumentality in connection with the transaction of public business; and (ii) is in any form.” The University of Maryland is a public institution, so university records are public records.
Records in current use for an organization to perform its ongoing, day-to-day operations.
Records that are no longer in current use.
Records that, in the event of disaster:
In the event of extensive disaster or disruption of services, records that document the history of communities and families may also be essential for recovery. (Source: Intergovernmental Preparedness for Essential Records (IPER) Project)
Records that a repository (such as a library or archives) preserves because an archivist, records manager, or other custodian determines that they have enduring value or offer “evidence of the functions and responsibilities of their creator.” (Source: Society of American Archivists, Dictionary of Archives Terminology) Examples in a university context include continuing value to the creating organization, and value for teaching and learning.<
