GUIDANCE ON HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS, LEGAL RECORDS, AND THE RECORDS PURGE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86-00895R000100080008-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 15, 2002
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: December 20, 1968
• Content Type: REQ

Approved Release 2002/D5/17 : CIA-RDP86-0*R000100080008-8
CIA RECORDS MANAGEMENT BOARD
20 December 1968
GUIDANCE ON HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS, LEGAL RECORDS,
AND THE RECORDS PURGE
BACKGROUND
All components of the Agency have been directed to review and reduce
the volume of records they now have in the Agency Records Center. Although
responsible officers are urged to dispose of the useless, obsolete, and
duplicate papers, they are cautioned to retain the records required by law
to document the Agency's activities and essential to the preparation of
histories.
GUIDELINES
The attached Checklist prepared by the Historical Staff is distributed
to help identify various types of documents needed in the preparation of
histories. To clarify the procedures for history writers, the Historical
Staff in January 1967 issued some guidance in a "Handbook for the Writing
of Histories." A year earlier other history guidance was issued in
25X1A Recently the Historical Program was described in an article in
the Support Bulletin (Sept. 68, P.17). The explanation in the lead para-
graph should give additional meaning to the attached Checklist. The
article stated:
..it was decided that all major components should have their
own historical programs...to place in true perspective the records
of the component's operations, activities, procedures, successes
and failures; plus the concepts leading to the formation of its
various elements, policy decisions laid down for their guidance,
and the authorities and agreements under which they have conducted
their activities.
H I S TOR I CAL DOCUMENTS
Some Offices have established working files of papers needed in the
writing of histories. These may be temporary files to be kept only until
the writing project is completed, after which records are returned to the
official files from which they are borrowed and non-record material de-
stroyed. But, primary source material, certain other significant documents
referenced in the histories, or those which substantiate portions of the
written histories--wherever filed--should be carefully identified and pre-
served. Such important documents should be specifically referenced and
retained with the Agency's permanent records. Whenever possible, original
primary source documents, rather than copies, should be so preserved.
Care must be exercised that such documents are not left in temporary Office
files that are scheduled to be kept a limited time and then destroyed.
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LEGAL RECORDS
Finally, there are records (many of which are historical) that must
be retained permanently pursuant to Public Law 81-754 which states, in
part :
Section 506: The head of each Federal agency shall cause to be
made and preserved records containing adequate and proper docu-
mentation of the organization, functions, policies, decisions,
procedures, and essential transactions of the agency and designed
to furnish the information necessary to protect the legal and
financial rights of the Government and of persons directly
affected by the agency's activities.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF COMPONENTS
The above requirement has been delegated to each Directorate in
Records Management is a command responsibility. Plans for
the retention of historical documents and records required by law
should be included in the Office "Records Control Schedule." Most
Agency components already have approved Records Schedules in which
the Office head has specified the files to be retained and destroyed,
in accordance with the Government's General Schedule and disposal
authority. The current Records Purge is being conducted in accordance
with existing or amended Schedules. (At present National Archives
estimates that, government-wide, 15% or less of the records in storage
should be in the permanent category; all the rest are temporary and
have limited retention periods.)
RECORDS DISPOSAL AND SCHEDULE CHANGES
Requests for changes in the scheduled records retention periods may
be developed by responsible Officers. Such changes should be coordinated
with the Office and Directorate Records Management Officers. All Schedules
are reviewed by the Agency Records Administration Officer for approval in
accordance with legal requirements established by Congress.
PERMANENT RECORDS "RETENTION PLANS"
Each Directorate should aim to eliminate unnecessary or duplicate
files. Specific Offices should be responsible for those records neces-
sary and required to provide the "adequate documentation" called for in
PL 81-754.
The Senior Records Management Officer in each Directorate should de-
velop and publish a "Records Retention Plan" which itemizes all the files
of permanent records and assigns a responsible "Office of Record" for each
such file in the Directorate. Management support of this action will
foster the development of an authoritative mechanism to facilitate the
purge of unnecessary papers and at the same time to preserve the records
of enduring value.
Attachment: Checklist.
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SECRET
 Approved Release 9 1?T8"Y89-04*R000100080008-8
INTERNAL USE ONLY 25 September 1968
HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS: A Ch e c k l i s t
The following types of documents (or records in any other
form) should be exempted from record purges except as individual
documents are duplicated and accessible in other holdings.
Policies
Documents showing the development of policy, including
planning stages, draft plans, deliberations, agreements
and dissents, decision, and follow-up.
All other policy papers.
Organization
Establishment and termination of components.
Tables of Organization, and changes thereof.
Organizational charts.
Key assignments of personnel.
Office evolution reports.
Responsibilities
Legislation--proposed, effected, or repealed.
Statements of function.
Lists of objectives or priorities.
Command decisions; action directives.
Statements of operational requirements.
Standing instructions.
Operational programs.
Mission directives.
Agreements
Coordinated plans, effected or aborted.
Interagency agreements and records of dissent.
Liaison protocols.
Progress Reports
Annual and other periodic activity reports and program
evaluations, including supporting documents, signifi-
cantly revised drafts, sanitized versions, and follow-
up or updating papers.
One-time post-mortems, validity studies, after-action
investigations, administrative post-audits, inspection
reports, and other surveys, including supporting docu-
ments and follow-up.
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 DMINISTRATIVE
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Briefings for key officials.
Operational highlights.
Orientation books.
Background summaries.
Case histories.
Office chronologies.
After-action debriefings.
Indexes
Obsolete indexes, classification and other lists, direc-
tories, and other indicator or locator systems and
finding aids applicable to discontinued records.
Chrono files of senior officers, useful as chronological
indexes to other files.
"Obsolete" Materials: Recap
Obsolete and re-written historical studies, progress
reports, and program evaluations.
Completed or cancelled investigations and inspections.
Liquidated components and stations.
Discontinued units, projects, programs, and functions.
Missions accomplished, and missions defeated or scratched.
Cancelled or deferred objectives.
Accomplished, defeated, repealed, and amended legislation.
Rescinded or countermanded directives.
Superseded or repealed priorities.
Revised and replaced methodologies.
Terminated, retired, or dormant sources and liaison systems.
Rejected or withdrawn plans, options, and alternate courses
of action.
Discarded or aborted targets.
Cancelled policy agenda.
Outmoded material and techniques.
Obsolescent or aborted innovations.
Abandoned indexes or locator systems.
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