Executive Records Checklist

State agencies may not destroy or otherwise dispose of any records unless authorized by the State Archives through records retention and disposition schedules. If you are unsure if your records are covered by a current retention schedule, contact your agency records management officer or the State Archives’ Scheduling and Records Services unit. Any non-records can be destroyed when no longer needed.

Often retention schedules apply to records regardless of the format or media in which they exist – whether it be paper, microfilm, electronic records, or audio or video recordings. For example, meeting files may exist in any of these formats. Email messages and attachments that are records should be disposed based on their content and appropriate schedule item.

Due to their relative scarcity, records created before 1950 may be archival.

Records that are generally archival

• Policies, procedures, plans, and studies
• Minutes, agendas, meeting files of governing and advisory bodies
• Transcripts of hearings
• Subject and correspondence files
• News releases
• Speech files
• Photographs of agency-related subjects and events
• Records of agency-proposed legislation
• Files of agency-sponsored or agency policy-shaping conferences
• Calendars, phone logs, daybooks
• Emails and attachments

Records that are generally not archival

• General administrative records – routine reports, phone bills, personnel records, travel vouchers, and time sheets
• Recordings of meetings or hearings if transcript, minutes, or summary exists
• Budget preparation files
• Files of conferences not sponsored by the agency
• Meeting files for boards/committees external to agency

Not records

• Multiple copies created solely for convenience of use
• Stocks of publications, or blank forms
• Personal materials - family photos, birthday cards, invitations
• Published reference books [contact the New York State Library prior to disposal]
• Museum artifacts