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State and Local Government Records Management: A Partnership

The proper management of South Carolina’s public records is accomplished through a partnership between state agencies, local governments, or other publicly-funded bodies and the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. The following briefly describes the responsibilities of each and is followed by a description of the records management activities, information resources, and services of the Department.

Responsibilities:

of South Carolina State Agencies and Local Governments
It is the responsibility of every state agency and local government in South Carolina to

"…maintain an active, continuing program for the economical and efficient management of the records of the agency or subdivision."

This is the language contained in the state’s Public Records Act (Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976 as amended, Section 30-1-80). Furthermore, the legal custodian of the records of an agency or subdivision or any public body is the chief administrative officer. That individual may appoint a records officer to act in his behalf (Section 30-1-20). The Public Records Act also specifies the records scheduling procedures established by the Archives as the legal route for records destruction by state agencies and local governments (Sections 30-1-90 and 30-1-100).

of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History
The South Carolina Department of Archives and History is directed by the Public Records Act (Section 30-1-20) to establish and administer a program for 

"… the application of efficient and economical management methods…relating to the creation, utilization, maintenance, retention, preservation and disposal of public records." 

The duties of the Archives are spelled out quite specifically: 

  • to develop standards, procedures, techniques, and schedules for public records; 
  • to conduct surveys of recordmaking and recordkeeping; 
  • to recommend improvements in current practices; and
  • to institute and maintain a training and information program in all aspects of records and information management.