I’m biased, but our staff did a wonderful job developing and executing this project over the past number of months. While it was begun to address several internal business process needs and better deal with an important vital records challenge, it became clear that this repository of records schedules would be important to others outside of our agency, like archival and records management professionals, a wide variety of researchers, and citizens interested in the workings of their government.

As noted in the previous post, an online repository of records schedules or disposition authorities has been discussed at NARA for a number of years.

In addition to latest encouragement from Kate T @ archivesnext, a number of public interest groups also called on NARA to provide online access to records schedules. There has been an uptick in interest in this issue with the new Administration and with the Open Government Directive in December. Over the years, a number of Federal agencies also requested online access to schedules to support their records management needs. It is fair to say that a number of different stakeholders have been pushing us on this issue, and it is great that we were able to establish this resource.

The official NARA press release, with comments from the Archivist of the United States, David S. Ferriero, is available at http://www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/2010/nr10-69.html

Thanks again!