Within the scope of its functions under this charter, the Department of Records shall exercise the powers and perform the duties pertaining to the creation, maintenance for public use, retention and disposition of City records, formerly exercised and performed by all officers, departments, boards or commissions or other governmental agencies of the City and such other duties as are conferred or imposed upon it by this charter or by ordinance. "City records" shall include all books, papers, maps, photographs, reproductions, or other documentary materials regardless of physical form or characteristics owned by the City and made or received by any officer, department, board or commission or other governmental agency of the City in pursuance of any statute or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, duties, procedures, operations, or other activities of the City or because of the informational value of data contained therein. "City records" shall not include library and museum material made or acquired and preserved solely for reference or exhibition purposes.

ANNOTATION

Sources: See the National Archives Act, United States Code, Title 44, Sections 300, 300(c) et seq.; Federal Records Disposal Act, United States Code, Title 44, Chapter 10; the Administrative Code of 1929, April 9, 1929, P.L. 177, Section 2801-A, as amended.

Purposes: Prior to this Charter, no agency of the City had been charged with the responsibility for the orderly and efficient maintenance of City records. As a result, many City records which could be disposed of occupy valuable storage space; many City records of historical significance and importance either have deteriorated or else are scattered widely throughout the City and under such conditions as will result in their ultimate deterioration; there is no uniform method for the creation and keeping of records so that certain economics could be effected and more useful records had. To overcome these undesirable conditions, a Department of Records is created and this section vests all record functions in that Department. City records are defined in broad and comprehensive terms to make clear the scope of the powers vested in the Department.