ARA-8.05 - City Agency Access to Physical Records Stored at the Portland Archives & Records Center

Purpose

PARC stores inactive records for agencies and is the official repository for the City’s historical records (Archives). The purpose of this policy is to set rules for City agencies requiring access to their records and other agency records stored at PARC. 

Policies

Agencies may access their records and other records stored at PARC. Agencies may request to check out certain types of records for temporary use. Records not belonging to the agency or any records that are part of the Archives (Historical Records Collection) are unavailable for check out. However, they may be viewed on PARC premises alongside Archives & Records staff except for records known to be exempt from disclosure or in cases where an agency requires that access be routed through their own staff. 

Agency Access to records stored at PARC 

1. Portland Archives & Records Center

   1. Unless otherwise directed by management, all employees of an agency are permitted to check out their agency’s records stored at PARC.

   2. Archives & Records will do a reasonable assessment to determine if a record appears to contain confidential information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is the responsibility of agencies to determine and convey to Archives & Records at the time of transfer if their records may contain sensitive or confidential information. Records containing confidential information are only available to those who have direct responsibility for the records or have been approved for access.
   3. Agencies may choose to designate representatives who may request records for a division or a particular type of record; in this case, the designee will be the only agency employee who may order or receive these records.
   4. Agencies may not receive original records generated or maintained by another City agency.
   5. Agencies may make arrangements to view documents at PARC, including those belonging to another agency except when such documents are known to be confidential or exempt from disclosure.
   6. While onsite at PARC, agency staff may request a photocopy or digital scan of a record, though Archives & Records staff may determine that the request for copy services should be routed through the agency that owns the records depending on volume or complexity of the physical materials. Copy services provided by Archives & Records are a courtesy, and Archives & Records reserves the right to route copy services through the owning agency for any request depending on staff capacity and business need.
   7. Only authorized employees may request records that are exempt from disclosure (ORS 192.314).  
   8. Records requested and checked out to agency staff are sent through inter-office mail on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Records requested by the agency before 8 a.m. on a mail day are retrieved and sent out in that day’s inter-office mail run. Requests made after 8 a.m. are sent out the next mail day.
   9. Rush requests for records are accommodated if determined to be feasible by Archives & Records staff but may not go out in inter-office mail. Requestors may pick the records up at PARC or arrange for a courier to pick them up. Anyone picking up records will be asked to show their City identification, and in the case of couriers, the requestor will notify PARC staff which company will pick up the records.
   10. Extensive requests may take additional time, and the requestor will be notified. Some requests may require a visit to PARC.
   11. Agencies will not add additional material to received files or boxes. Contact PARC for guidance if additional records need to be filed. Files or boxes returning with more material than was sent to the requestor will be rejected.
   12. Boxes or easily identifiable files may be requested. If a file is difficult to find within a box, or takes up a majority of the box, the whole box will be sent to the requestor.
   13. Agencies retain ownership of records sent to PARC for storage that are within their retention period and may permanently withdraw them at any time. Upon request, the record(s) will be removed from PARC’s care and returned to the agency. It then becomes the responsibility of the agency to manage those records following the City retention schedule and the standards for storing City records outlined in ARA 8.07. Agencies may decide to transfer those same records to PARC for storage again at a later date. Agencies wishing to resend boxes that were reassigned to them will need to submit new forms following the requirements found on this page.
2. Agency access to Archival records (Historical Records Collection) stored at PARC
   1. Agencies may not check out records that are part of the Archives (Historical Records Collection); rather, employees may view the records at PARC. Research hours and other information about using the Archives can be found here.
   2. Agencies can request copies or scans of materials from the Archives (Historical Records Collection) following the same processes created for members of the public. Information about requesting copies or scans of historical materials can be found here or by emailing parc@portlandoregon.gov.

Procedures

Agencies: Procedures for requesting records stored at PARC 

1. Submit requests by email (PARC@portlandoregon.gov), phone (503-865-4100) or through the employee’s request form via Efiles.

2. Provide the following information:

   1. Agency
   2. Contact information, including interoffice mail address. A directory maintained by Printing & Distribution can be found here.
   3. Record(s) being requested by one of the following identifying methods, listed in preferred order of specificity:
      1. PARC Confirmation number, along with the box number – e.g. 2007198 box 5;
      2. PARC location – please note that this number is not always a constant and may change; or
      3. Records Retention Schedule number and other identifying information about the box.
3. Know where and when inter-office mail is delivered for the agency and work unit, including boxes. Check these areas before contacting PARC if the file or box has not reached the requestor.
4. Return files promptly and boxes within 6 months to: 224/PARC, with the original check-out tag attached. 

Archives & Records: Procedures for records requests

1. Process all requests received before 8 a.m. on mail days (Tuesdays and Thursdays). 

2. Notify requestor of any problems surrounding their request.

3. Re-file returning records in a timely manner. 

Auditor’s Office Administrative Rule Information

Questions about this administrative rule may be directed to the Archives & Records Management Division.