Picture this: you’re looking at twenty-years’ worth of overstuffed folders in the file room and wondering how you’ll use your records disposition authority (RDA) to straighten it all out. Good news! Applying an RDA is a lot like checking out your mail. Just like your mailbox commonly features junk mail, coupons, bills, or letters, the records in your office will manifest as one of four kinds of records– (1) non-record, (2) transitory record, (3) temporary record, and (4) permanent record. When you check your mail today, let’s pretend the first item in this stack is a pre-approved credit card s ..read more

The Code of Alabama 1975 § 41-13-21 entrusts the State Records Commission (SRC) with the duty of determining “which government records shall be permanently preserved…and which may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of.” The SRC performs this essential work during biannual meetings. The Commission held its second meeting of 2022 in October at the Alabama Department of Archives and History building in Montgomery. The meeting used a hybrid in-person and electronic presence format as allowed by Alabama Act 2022-421. Read on for an overview of the events of the October 26, 2022 meeting. New and Re ..read more

The Code of Alabama 1975 § 41-13-21 delegates determining the permanency of local government records in Alabama to the Local Government Records Commission (LGRC). The Commission held its second meeting of 2022 in October at the Alabama Department of Archives and History Building in Montgomery. The meeting utilized a hybrid in-person and electronic presence format as allowed for by Alabama Act 2022-421. Read on for an overview of the October 26, 2022 meeting. Revision to Local RDAS The LGRC revises and approves Records Disposition Authorities (RDAs). There are several reasons that a l ..read more

For the Record’s “Meet the Staff” feature is an opportunity for our archivists to connect directly with the community which we serve. Name: Gabriella Galarza Title: Records Management/Appraisal Student Worker Home Institution: Auburn University Major: Bachelor of Arts in History, Minoring in Leadership  What are you working on day-to-day for this project? For this project, I am indexing digitized local government records from Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.com, and the Alabama Department of Archives and History’s collections to inventory these records. In time, this information will complem ..read more

For the Record’s “Meet the Staff” feature is an opportunity for our archivists to connect directly with the community which we serve. Name: Ethan James Title: Records Management Student Worker Home Institution: Auburn University at Montgomery Major: Master of Liberal Arts, History Concentration What is your academic background? I am a graduate student at Auburn University at Montgomery working towards my master’s degree in Liberal Arts with a concentration in History. My previous college education began at Marion Military Institute with an associate degree, after which I transferred to The ..read more

The Alabama Department of Archives and History receives requests for assistance in locating and accessing bankruptcy records; however, federal bankruptcy laws and the United States courts govern the bankruptcy process. As such, the Alabama Department of Archives and History does NOT house bankruptcy records. The Frequently Asked Questions below will help guide those looking to access or obtain copies of bankruptcy records. What is bankruptcy? Bankruptcy is a legal proceeding that occurs when a person or business cannot repay outstanding debts or other obligations. The bankruptcy process balanc ..read more

The Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH) is the official repository for Alabama state agencies’ records. The ADAH building across from the State Capitol accepts permanent historic records into its collection to facilitate research and tell the story of Alabama for generations to come; however, the ADAH also operates a second facility dedicated to storing temporary paper records. This facility, called the State Records Center, has provided secure storage space to state agencies since 1989. State agencies are required to maintain records for a designated timeframe specified in thei ..read more

For the Record’s “Meet the Staff” feature is an opportunity for our archivists to connect directly with the community which we serve. Name:  Kevin Nutt Title:  Collections Archivist Specialties: Audio/Visual Media, Folklife How did you end up working at the Alabama Department of Archives and History? I became an archivist by a delayed and circuitous route. As a student at the University of Alabama and Auburn University at Montgomery during the 1980s, I spent most of my money on books and records, constantly reading history, current events, and literature. One of the bookstore ..read more

The Alabama Department of Archives and History recently received three ledgers of Jefferson County cosmetology licensing examination rosters, dating from 1943 through 1977, transmitted from the Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering.  As Alabama cosmetology examinations remained segregated until 1971, the results from 1946 through 1970 were recorded separately as “colored examination” and “white examination.” The ledgers include the following information about all test takers:  Name School Attended Scores for the practical exam and the theoretical exam Cosmetology License Number ..read more

For the Record’s “Meet the Staff” feature is an opportunity for our archivists to connect directly with the community which we serve. Name: Mary Clare Johnson   Title: Collections Archivist Specialties: Arranging, describing, and preserving archival collections How did you end up working at the Alabama Department of Archives and History? I became interested in a career as a librarian while still in college and decided to pursue a master’s degree in library and information science at the University of South Carolina. While there, I had the opportunity to work as a graduate assistant ..read more