ARCHIVES, HISTORY, AND RECORDS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-00433A000100010010-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 19, 2002
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: March 31, 1972
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Re!eau 2002/0510,ARKMOilpf33A0001,0001001
WC. fru
AL4ANWPI FOR xcutiv Director-Comiitrollor
SUBJECT
Archives, !iistory, and Records
81 MAk
144.J'ERENCE Memorandum dte 6 Aaron 1972 to 001,
ODSFIT, DDS from Executive Director-
Coatp-trellar, Same Subject
I. As you requested at tne 3 ;--iarch Deputies mootihz, I am
conting on the referent memorandum. I have read 1 25X1A
memorandum to you and ih general Iagreo with is observations. I
eat adding my touts on some specifics.
2. The lotorrelationsh*s between the three subjects are
fairly evident and 1 agree that the purpose of history, archives,
id records is to "record our experionco to -make it available for
future use as requirod'. I think that it 15 W011 to bear in mind
also the basic differences as we are dealing with this uatter, ark
that the documents encoivassed take- on Uifferent meanings as they
are employed for the differ0nt U303. As I sea it, records are the
materials -- la our offices and at the kecords Center -- which we
use in cadductihi our daily business. Archives are those it0Ms
with eilduring or peraneht logdi or historical value which are
screened fro 41 rek:ords and .-,reservcd. The histories ate written
using- both records_ and archives as source material, with primary-
emphasis in pieced upoa searching are
Cartairily if the kccorus .4anagaLtent tioar d is gohlt; to
function with aa aiyreciablo de4rao of effectiveness, itsme.lapersh
should '..te upgraded.. If :,erson suc;4 as
1 1are a.2-poihtej, to the Board, not
only will imAemehtatioa of the records Irogran ho 4ti.itulate,1 &wt.
aw .:re t.tat Ln ioard's rort to you will ta;.e on a caractcr
wuic tiv$ pr6sent kzardi unal;le to ?;encrat.... I -;?..adorse tie addi-
tion to the .)oar d or tate CIA ATCAiViSt and tac.! CIA fiistorian.
4. Taerc is co ierable rit to t t:louz'It of including
a menbor of the ecords 'Lana.;eaat 13oard as a non-votla.t wv.Lwr of
tna iuformintioa Procssink,"Joarc.; wita functions as you nave decried.
alninatic
add
Approved For Release 2002/05/06 : CIA-RDP78-00433A000100010010-0
25X1A
Approved For Release 2002/05/06 : CIA-ElDp 4:04I1400(490010010-0
cONRDEN.
S. I also agree that tae reconstituted Board should take
another bard look at that record, we are sending to the Records Center
for storage, and try to identify categories- which can be- sent to a
GSA/National Archives records coater. As you know, we had no success_
in prior years in identifying categories which might be transferred to
a GSA repository. The major proeiem was that none of tae components
responsible for the records could agree to their records both a hold in
another aaeocy's- custody, subject to that agency's servicing and
security.
6. Tee annual reports idea has proaise; chronicles such ao
these, if prepared properly, will provide historians with invaluable
keys to other documents containing greater details regarding Agency
activities and everts. Nonetheless, I macula not think that the
annual reports could be viewed as substitutes for histories, nor that
the annual reports could obviate the need for aistorical research in
depth, research extenolno well ayond tae annual coverage. If we were
to join these annual reports to the program call cycle, we will have
to make sure that they are not oriented to the defense of programs
being proposed, rather than proviaiag broader, more objective, views
of the components significant events and accomalisaments during the
past year. Assuming we achieve that objective, as you ooint out the
annual reports can indeed facilitate the: preparation of future
histories widen are activity-related on an Agency-wide 'oasis, rattier
than eaploying the traditional 'office istory" approaco.
7. I have given the arcaives function considerable thought
and as I indicated to you earlier I feel the job of leading the CIA
archives prograa soould rest on the shoulders of a rather senior
man -- and that no should be a professional archivist. Toe obvious
source to woom we should tura for a well-qualified arcaivist is
Dr. Rhoads, the Arcaivist of the United States. in the past,
Raoads has shown a distinct interest in nominating a senior
archivist to CIA to help us formalize an Agency archives program.
Tae cieputy archivist snould ao appointed from present CIA staff and
be 4ualified to provide organizational knowledae which will cooplemeat
tae senior archiviat's specialized grasp of archival t4eory, practice,
and procedures.
4w 14 tais regard, I confess that the concept of aaving. the
directorate records officers function as directorate arcaivists does
not attract Lae. Aside: fro watering down the effectiveness of their
respective functions, I fool that there is too much spread between
I ,litmO14-4'
ooa ?
OUPTIFti
Approved For Releas-e-2002M5/0'6! -RDP?78.:0041A01112100010010-0
Approved For Release 2002/05/06 : CIA-RDP78-00433A000100010010-0
COI\IFIDDITIAV
-4--
the nature of the two activitivs, the records function noimg more
techaical in nature. In 2y opiniou the directorate archivists
should be full-time arcnivists, appointed by the deputy Directors,
with the concurrence of the CIA Archivist and directly rosponsible
to him, if we to expect any real activity frorf. them. In sum,
aad regardless of the skill and uodication of the people who fill
the archivist positions, the effectiveness of the archives prograr,
(as well as the records and history programs) in CIA will Le COPAWA-
surate wita the attehtion devoted to it by the command line.
I. In. ,toncia$loa, impleuientation of tne following. suggestions
should contribute to an effective archives program:
a. Upgrade the moluarship of the Records Aanage-
meat hoard and nave it report to to Lxecutiva Director-
Comptroller.
e. Recruit a well-qualified sonior areal
initiate a foraal agency archives program.
c. Appoint a full-time Directorate a
each Directorate.
4. Include too Agehey archivist and historian as
memloors of the Records 1.1tha4emeilt aoard.
/. 48ve a mumiler of tne 'ioard attend inforaation
Processing iioard meetings as a non-voting member.
(sicned) John W. CofZeY
John W. Coffey
Deputy Director
for Support
DDS/SSS/LUF:rf (3) Aar 72)
Distribution;
Orig. - Addressee
1-ER
2-DD/S
I-uD/S/SSS Suoject
1-DD/S/SSS Chrono
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InoatC
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Approved For Release 2002/05/06 : CIA-RDP78-00433A000100010010-0