AC 37.2024

Date: August 06, 2024 

Memorandum to Federal Records Management Contacts: Exclusions to Disposing of Source Records Using the General Records Schedule 4.5

Now that the deadline for transferring analog records to NARA has passed, agencies are expected to digitize permanent records prior to transfer to NARA unless they have an approved exception. In most cases, if your agency digitizes records to the standards in 36 CFR 1236 Subparts D and E, your agency may destroy the source records using General Records Schedule (GRS) 4.5, item 010.

There are some instances where GRS 4.5, item 010 cannot be applied to the source records. These are the exclusions noted in the GRS item description:

• The format is not yet covered by 36 CFR 1236.
• The source records were scheduled as permanent or are unscheduled and include records dated before January 1, 1950.
• The source records have potential intrinsic value. 

Agencies must submit a schedule to NARA to dispose of source records that fall under these exclusions.

For more information about determining whether source records have intrinsic value, please see the following or contact your NARA appraiser:

• NARA 1441, Appraisal Policy of the National Archives, Appendix 3 - Qualities and Characteristics of Records with Intrinsic Value
• Microlearning lesson: Intrinsic Value

WILLIAM FISCHER
Chief Records Officer 
for the U.S. Government (Acting)