Storage & Transfer

General Principles

  • The format of a record does not affect its appraisal and retention
  • Electronic / digital records created at SLAC must be scheduled and retained appropriately
  • NOTE: Temporary records retirements to the Federal Records Center (FRC) are no longer allowed

Managing and Storing Inactive Hard-Copy Records 

  1. Before weeding your files of paper/hard-copy documents or discarding any documents:
    • If you do not yet have a records schedule for your office's technical or scientific records, contact the Records Manager (RM)
    • If you want to store administrative (business, non-technical) records in accordance with an established records schedule, contact the lab's Records Manager (RM) for advice on acceptable storage options. Any and all records in storage must be retrievable by your office for the duration of the records' retention period, and identified with the following information:
      • contact name and transferring office
      • total number of boxes
      • inclusive date range (start and end years)
      • description (with sufficient detail to verify compliance with records schedule)
      • file/folder list
      • format type (for non-paper-based or special format records, e.g., microfilm, engineering drawings, media)
  2. When transferring files from drawer to box, be careful to retain the original file order.
    • The larger, two cubic foot bank "transfiles" are not accepted for storage. They are difficult to carry, do not stack well, and do not fit on standard storage shelves.
    • Files should be removed from hanging folders and identifying information from the hanging folder tabs transferred to upturned sheets of bond paper. Do not send hanging files to storage, as they almost double the space used by the files.
    • Also: remove any files/documents stored in three-ring binders, and place the documents in file folders. (Three-ring binders do not fit into standard records storage cartons, AND they unnecessarily increase the volume of the records by at least one-third.)
      • Boxes should be labeled IN PENCIL on the fronts, giving the office of origin, the record series, and inclusive dates. (e.g. Associate Director, Research Division : Subject files, 1965-1975.)
      • If more than one box is transferred, the boxes should be numbered consecutively reflecting the file's original alphabetical or numerical order.
      • A folder listing of the contents of each box should be made before transfer. An electronic template for folder listings can be obtained from the AHRO. Place a copy of each box's listing in the top of the corresponding box, and retain one copy of the list for your future reference.
  3. Temporary Relocation of Current Files
  • With space at a premium at SLAC, many offices are forced to use storage areas to house current records that can no longer be confined to file cabinets. These files may end up in anything from a hallway closet to a storage room in a basement to the warehouse. Whatever the situation, office managers must assure that the records
    • are housed for the required period,
    • that they are accessible and manageable according to SLAC and DOE records management procedures, and
    • that records of permanent value will not be lost.
  • Too often, records are merely dumped in a convenient area until the area becomes inundated with other boxes or slowly collapsing transfer files, and needed records are buried under a mass of obsolete material. To prevent this from happening, the following guidelines should be followed when records are transferred to a temporary location not in the office of origin. 
    • Inform the Archivist of the action to be taken, including the specific location.
    • The temporary site should be secure, clean and dry, not subject to high temperature or excessive fluctuation of temperature.
    • Be sure that boxes are clearly labeled, and that boxes are stored with labels showing.
    • DO NOT store boxes on the floor. They must be on a pallet or platform at least 3 inches high, so that they will not be subject to damage from pooling water.
    • The office of origin must create a contents list of the records.
    • The office of origin shall have full responsibility for maintaining the records and providing access to the records until either a final transfer to the AHRO or their scheduled and approved disposal is made.

Transferring Permanent-retention Hard-Copy Records to SLAC AHRO

  • Archival (permanent retention science or engineering or high-level administrators) records must be stored in standard acid-free, lignin buffered records storage cartons (1 cubic foot). These will be provided by the AHRO at no charge.
  • When the boxes are ready, e-mail a copy of the completed listing to the AHRO, and let us know the current location of the boxes. We will make arrangements with Labor Pool for pickup from your location and delivery to the AHRO Storage Area.
  • On receiving the records, the Archivist will enter a record into the Archival Collections Index (a standardized database) when assigning it a unique accession number. The file is easily searchable by group, names, and other index terms. If you need information or assistance in using the database, or finding a non-public database record, please contact the Archivist.
  • Records will be stored in the SLAC archival storage facility or with the AHRO off-site storage contractor (if they are of continued use for laboratory or scholarly purposes) or temporarily housed in the Federal Records Center, San Bruno if so required by DOE records schedules.

Transferring Electronic/Digital Records to SLAC AHRO 

  • Offices at the laboratory that create electronic/digital records that require permanent retention need to coordinate the transfer of those records to the SLAC AHRO on a regular basis.  Consult the relevant records schedule and the SLAC Archivist/Records Manager
  • Some of SLAC's permanent-retention electronic/digital records may be appropriate for transfer to the FRC. If/when that is the case, the SLAC Archivist/Records Manager will complete the necessary arrangements and handle the transfer.

Digitization of Paper/Print Records

Staff who undertake digitization of paper or print records need to be aware that their project(s) must meet U.S. federal government digitization requirements as specified in 36 CFR Chapter XII, Subchapter B, Part 1236, Subpart D.

SLAC Records Management and Archival services are provided to the lab community in accordance with the Archives and the Records Management SLA service level agreements.