Transferring digital records to our custody

Confirm you have digital records to transfer to the State Archives Collection

We only accept records that were created, received and kept in relation to the official functions of a public office (‘State records’) and that are identified as ‘State archives’ in an approved, current retention and disposal authority.

Transfer normally occurs when the organisation no longer needs the records for on-going business (i.e. the records are no longer being added to or updated, and are not accessed frequently). Your organisation should be unlikely to recall records after transfer.

Actions

• Use a retention and disposal authority to identify records required as 'State archives'.
• Confirm the records are no longer needed for ongoing business.

 Resources

• List of functional retention and disposal authorities issued for use by particular organisations or organisations carrying out similar or the same functions
• List of general retention and disposal authorities authorising the retention and disposal of records common to more than one organisation
• Guidance on using a retention and disposal authority to sentence records

For assistance with this step please contact transfer@records.nsw.gov.au.

Tips

• Once records have been transferred to our custody your organisation can still access and retrieve them, but can no longer add to or alter them.
• There are costs associated with retrieving records that have been transferred to us.

Prepare for a new digital transfer

When preparing to transfer records you need to consider the following and confirm that:

• the records are identified as ‘State archives’ in an approved, current retention and disposal authority
• your organisation no longer needs the records for on-going business
• your organisation is prepared to allocate appropriate resources to complete the transfer (including staff, time, space and budget).

The process for transfers has changed and NSW State Archives now have an online Service Portal available for public offices to use. Please contact the Agency Services team via transfer@records.nsw.gov.au if you are planning to transfer records into the State Archives Collection.

Following receipt of your request for access to the Service Portal we will:

• request your contact details and set you up with a log-in
• provide some training in the use of the Portal

Actions

• Contact the Agency Services team for access to the new online Service Portal. We will set you up with a log-in to the Portal and will provide training and support.
• Identify whether the records form part of an existing record series or whether a new series will be created.

Resources

• Fact sheet 2: Archival terminology
• Search for existing series in either Collection Search or via the Series Explorer function within the State Archives Service Portal.

Confirm access directions are in place

All records transferred to us must be covered by an access direction. Access directions determine whether the records are open to public access (‘OPA’) or closed to public access (‘CPA’) under the State Records Act 1998.

Actions

• Check whether the records are covered by an access direction.
• If the records are NOT covered by an access direction, make an access direction for the records.

Resources

• Register of access directions
• Procedures for making access directions

For assistance with this step please contact transfer@records.nsw.gov.au.

Tips

• Transferring records to our custody does not automatically make them publicly accessible. Public access to records in the State Archives Collection is governed by Part 6 of the State Records Act 1998. See Public access to records under the State Records Act 1998 for more information.
• Records that are closed to public access may still be retrieved by the responsible public office.
• Summary information about records in the State Archives Collection is discoverable through Collection Search. This includes records that are not yet open to public access under the State Records Act.

Document and prepare digital records for transfer

You must list records correctly and generate checksums for the records prior to transfer. You must also provide requested metadata.

Listing records for transfer is very important as it provides evidence of what is transferred to our custody and enables their ongoing retrieval and use. The information provided in the consignment list will be imported to our State Archives Management System and used to manage and retrieve the records in the future.

Checksums support the integrity of digital objects and ensure that records are not altered, lost or corrupted from the time they are exported from your organisation's system until received by us.

Actions

• Complete Form 2: Consignment List - Digital Transfer. This can be downloaded from the website and is also available in the Service Portal.
• Provide metadata as identified in the Consignment List - Digital Transfer. Please contact Agency Services via transfer@records.nsw.gov.au if you have questions about the data required.
• Log in to the Service Portal to request the transfer of digital records.
• Generate checksums.

Resources

• Fact sheet 7: Creating a digital consignment list
• Fact sheet 5: Checksums
• Fact sheet 6: Metadata
• Form 2: Consignment list - Digital Transfer

Following receipt of your consignment list we will review and advise of any revisions required

Tips

• We may choose not to accept a transfer. In such circumstances we will discuss the reasons why and any additional steps your organisation should take.

Deliver records to NSW State Archives and Records

NSW State Archives and Records will notify your organisation when the proposed transfer is authorised. We will also make arrangements for the records to be delivered or collected.

Actions

• Arrange for the collection or delivery of the records to NSW State Archives and Records on the agreed date.

NSW State Archives will acknowledge receipt of the records by email.

Tips

NSW State Archives can provide a secure hard drive for the transfer of digital records if required. Please contact us via transfer@records.nsw.gov.au if you would like to utilise this service.

What happens after transfer?

After we receive the records we will add information about them to our State Archives Management System and ingest the digital objects into the digital asset management and preservation component. We will then send you a consignment receipt.

Your organisation should keep records of the transfer project, including details of what was transferred and when, as evidence of the transfer. Your organisation should also update records control systems, as required, to show that records were transferred to NSW State Archives and Records.

If your organisation needs to retrieve an item that is closed to public access, you can lodge a retrieval request.

You can view items that are open to public access free of charge in Collection Search.