The dispositions in this schedule pertain to records created in typical circumstances; any unique situations may require consultation with the Archives and Information Management Team. The disposition actions described in the schedule apply only to inactive and semi-active records; active or working records should remain available and on-premises until they are no longer needed, at which time the instructions in the schedule are to be applied.
In some cases, sensitive personally identifiable information (sPII) can and should be redacted as soon as it is no longer needed, even if the entire record is scheduled for a longer period. sPII includes an individual's first and last name in combination with a Social Security number or personal Tax Identification Number; a driver’s license or government-issued identification number; a credit card number with or without an access code; a bank account number with or without a personal identification number (PIN) or password; or medical information. Contact the Archives and Information Management Team for additional information about redacting sPII on specific types of records.
See Transferring or Destroying Records for next steps in carrying out a disposition. See the glossary for definitions of many of the terms found in the schedules.
| Series Title | Series Description | Disposition | Likely Offices of Record |
| Calendars of Events | Calendars of events and other published schedules. | Originals: Transfer 2 copies to Archives. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | OVS, Public affairs offices, Education offices |
| Committee Records | Pertaining to SI and unit committees. Materials include agendas, minutes, reports, by-laws, charters, and related materials. | Originals: Transfer to Archives. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | Committee chairs |
| Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) Records | Pertaining to COTR's interaction with the contractor and site representative. Materials include email and paper correspondence related to work authorizations, problems, delays, modifications, and terminations as well as reports and progress plans. | Originals: The COTR should work with the Contracting Officer to determine which records should become part of the permanent contract file maintained by OCon&PPM. Destroy records not required by OCon&PPM 6 years, 3 months after close of account. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | COTR |
| Contracts | Pertaining to individuals, vendors, and services, including copies of contracts, correspondence, statements of work, project bids, and price quotes. | Originals: Transfer to Archives. Copies: Destroy 6 years, 3 months after close of account. | OCon&PPM, SE |
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| Customer Surveys | Pertaining to surveys created to provide customer feedback for services provided. Materials include survey questions, responses, statistical analysis, and related materials. | Originals: Destroy when 3 years old or when no longer needed, whichever is later. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | Customer service units |
| Departmental Files | Pertaining to the administration and activities of individual departments within a museum or other large unit. Materials include memoranda, reports, meeting materials, notes, and related materials. | Originals: Transfer to Archives. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | Department heads/chairs, Administrators who oversee several departments |
| Design Project Files | Pertaining to the design of special non-exhibition projects such as special events, education programs, or museum signage. | Originals and Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | Smithsonian Exhibits, Museum exhibition design offices |
| Director's Subject Files | Pertaining to the files of the Director and other upper-level staff of museums, research centers, and SI-wide programmatic and administrative offices. Materials include correspondence, email, memoranda, reports, meeting materials, professional activity files, notes, and related materials documenting overall administration of the unit, professional outreach, development, public affairs, and relations with other SI units and non-SI organizations. | Originals: Transfer to Archives. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | Secretary, Under secretaries, Directors/deputy directors |
| Exhibition Records | Pertaining to the design, execution, and installation of exhibitions. Materials include correspondence, memoranda, concepts, proposals, scripts, label texts, catalogs, promotional materials, clippings, installation photographs, floor plans, drawings, graphics, checklists, schedules, visitor comment books, notes, and related materials. | Originals: Transfer to Archives. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | SITES, Smithsonian Exhibits, Curatorial offices, Exhibition design offices, Public affairs offices, Publications units, Directors/deputy directors, Programmatic offices |
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| Exhibition Working Files | Pertaining to the research and planning of exhibitions. Materials include logistical files, research materials, object photographs, drafts, accounting files, travel files, copies of materials created by other offices, design samples, and related materials. | Originals and Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | SITES, Smithsonian Exhibits, Curatorial offices, Exhibition design offices, Public affairs offices, Publications units, Directors/deputy directors, Programmatic offices |
| Intellectual Property Accounting Files | Purchase orders and contracts containing intellectual property rights. | Originals: Maintain in unit. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | Individual units |
| Loan Files | Pertaining to incoming and outgoing loans. Materials include correspondence, condition and facility reports, loan agreements, insurance information, shipping records, treatment reports, and object descriptions and images. | Originals: Transfer to Archives or maintain permanently in unit, whichever is in accordance with unit policy. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed or according to unit policy. | Registrar/collections management offices, Curatorial offices, SIL, Archival units |
| Policies and Handbooks | Policy statements, directives, and handbooks, as well as supporting documentation of their development. Supporting documentation includes correspondence, memoranda, meeting notes, and reports. | Originals: Transfer to Archives. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | OPMB, Central administrative offices, Other units issuing policies and handbooks |
| Production Records | Documentation of the planning, production, and marketing of audiovisual productions. Materials include scripts, correspondence, memoranda, promotional materials, agreements, releases, production logs, cue sheets, production photographs, graphics, and related materials. | Originals: Transfer to Archives. Weed logistical and accounting records. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | SITES, Smithsonian Exhibits, Curatorial offices, Exhibition design offices, Public affairs offices, Education offices, Programmatic offices |
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| Productions | Pertaining to audiovisual materials produced by units for exhibition, television, radio, or other public venues. Materials include final productions, masters, original recordings, and other production elements. | Originals: Transfer to Archives. Weed duplicates and stock footage. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | SITES, Smithsonian Exhibits, Curatorial offices, Exhibition design offices, Public affairs offices, Education offices, Programmatic offices |
| Professional Activities Files | Pertaining to professional conferences, symposia, and workshops in which staff formally participated as a speaker or organizer. Materials include papers, lecture materials, photographs of colleagues, conference programs, correspondence, agendas, minutes, proceedings, and related materials. Materials related to conferences in which staff only participated as an attendee are not considered to be institutional records and are not subject to disposition requirements. | Originals: Transfer to Archives. Weed logistical and travel files. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | Individual staff |
| Publication Records | Pertaining to materials created during the production of a publication. Materials include manuscripts, drafts, proofs, galleys, layouts, editor's files, correspondence, memoranda, camera-ready art, and accounting files. | Originals and Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | Publications offices, Education offices, Public affairs offices |
| Publications | Regular and special publications, in paper or electronic form, published by SI units. This includes magazines, newsletters, brochures, annual reports, and other published materials. | Originals: Transfer 2 copies to Archives. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | Publications offices, Education offices, Public affairs offices, Curatorial offices, Programmatic offices |
| Rights and Reproduction Permissions (Granted) | Permissions granted by SI for use of SI images by non-SI individuals and organizations. Materials include correspondence and related materials. | Originals: Destroy when 7 years old. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | Museum imaging departments, Curatorial offices, Registrar/collections management offices, Archival units, SIL |
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| Rights and Reproduction Permissions (Received) | Permissions received by SI for the use of non-SI images, writings, and other materials in SI publications, productions, and exhibitions. | Originals: Maintain permanently in unit. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed or according to unit policy. | Publications offices, Curatorial offices, Education offices |
| Staff Directories | Print and electronic staff directories. | Originals: Transfer 1 copy of each version to Archives. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | OCIO, Individual units |
| Visitor Comments | Pertaining to visitor feedback. Materials include forms, surveys, and comment books as well as statistics or reports created based upon the comments and formal responses to comments. | Originals: Transfer to Archives. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | OVS, Public affairs offices, Education offices, Curatorial offices, Directors/deputy directors |
| Website Records | Pertaining to unit's websites as well as its official presence on social networking sites. Materials include websites, blogs, feeds, profiles, and related materials as well as documentation about the websites. | Originals: Public websites and blogs to be periodically crawled by Archives. Social media accounts and intranets will be individually appraised by Archives based upon content. Copies and defunct websites: Consult with Archives. | Webmasters, Social media practitioners, Other staff responsible for maintaining websites |
| Website Statistics | Statistical reports pertaining to website and social media traffic. | Originals: Transfer reports documenting long-term trends to Archives for permanent retention. Weed reports documenting short-term trends. Copies: Destroy when no longer needed. | OCIO, Webmasters, Social media practitioners |
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