Why Do You Appraise Government Records Are Important?

HOW DO YOU APPRAISE GOVERNMENT RECORDS?
Appraising government records and artifacts are one of the most difficult work in historic preservation, because probably only 3-5% of all government records of historical value. It is to preserve records of historical value that remains, to do that you will need tools that can help you separate the records of which may have permanent value or not.
WHAT DOES APPRAISAL MEAN?
The records should be determining their value by staff of the archives and eventual disposition when appraising government records. It is to ensure that the value of records still the same. It is to ensure that the value of records become less accessible, and less valuable. Records also are not only important for their administrative, fiscal,
legal, and historical value but also important for intrinsic value.
WHY ARE RECORDS ARE VALUABLE?
Records have several primary values such as administrative, fiscal, legal, and historical and intrinsic value.
1) Administrative Value
Records which have administrative value and pertain to the origin, development, activities, accomplishment, and functions of an agency. These are include: o Annual reports (country highway department) o Correspondence (city clerk) o Minutes (town board meeting) o Policy and procedures manuals (school district)

2) Fiscal Value
Record which have fiscal value usually need for audit purpose and it necessary to consider federal and state requirement. The records with fiscal records include: o Accounting reports o Audit reports o Budgets o Ledgers

3) Legal Value legal value can be referred to the “usefulness of significance of records to documents and protect the rights and interest of an individual or organization, to provide for defense in litigation, to demonstrate compliance with laws and regulations, or to meet other legal needs”.
Records which have legal values are: o Agreements o Civil and Criminal case file (district courts) o Contracts o Personnel records

4) Historical Value
Records which have historical value provide information of provide unique evidence of lives and activities of people, social, economic conditions and community of business about past and help to guide people. Records that have historical value are: o Annual reports o Birth and death records o Meeting minutes o Photographs o 5) Intrinsic Value
Record with intrinsic value usually has unique characteristic which make them interesting and worthy of retention.
Record with intrinsic value may have: o Controversial issues o Coverage of historical events o Exhibit potential o Unique content
WHAT IS RECOMMENDED APPRAISAL PROCESS?
1. Separate records with non-records and should keep track of records series, collect key record information and weed out obvious duplicates. When separating the records with non-records, you must collect the key information o Physical condition of records o Media of records (microfilm, microfiche, paper, electronic) o Uniqueness of records
2.
Group similar records together
3. Create the record retention schedules based on the value of records
4. Re-house the records and use the boxes and folder if necessary.
5. Compiled a detailed inventory of the records.
WHAT OTHER APPRAISAL CONSIDERATIONS ARE IMPORTANT?
When appraising the records, asking the questions such as these:
 Do you have a collection policy that provides guidance for appraising records?
 Do the record fit into your collection scope
 How much will it cost to process and preserve the records?
 Are the records in a physical condition that allows them to be used?
After dealing it, spend time on more specific issues by asking question:
 Does an appropriate records retention schedule for the records exist?
 Is the information in the records available at another location or format?
 Are you compliance with the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act?
 How may researcher use the records?
HOW DO YOU APPRAISE NON-PAPER RECORDS?
There are two important steps in appraising non-paper records are:
1) Appraise the informational value of the records and should be based on records content, regardless of the
media.
2) Analyze technical nature of the records. Know if the records are dependent on particular technology, and determine if the records are best stored on their current media.
WHAT FACTORS SHOULD YOU CONSIDER WHE APPRAISING CERTAIN TYPES OF NON-PAPER RECORDS?
Audio Tapes
Audio tapes have unique value because of the informational, artistic, and cultural nature of their content. It is difficult to retain the selecting tapes and also time-consuming task.
Video Tapes
Video tapes also have informational, artistic, and cultural nature of their content. It is difficult to retain the selecting tapes and also time-consuming task.
Electronic Records
In electronic records, you need to consider the information system that created, stores, displays, and processes the records. Be aware the cost of preserving electronic records can be high because it is need to migrate data and periodically upgrade hardware and software and need to decide who will manage records and who will store the official copies. Documentation must be kept to assist in reading, using the electronic records and need to determine the format of the official record copy.