Deputy director warns digital records buildup is driving costs; agency outlines retention process

Deputy Director Patrick McCauley told a legislative review panel that the state archives holds multiple foundational documents and is facing rising costs from growing digital records, and he urged clearer retention and disposal practices to save taxpayer money.

McCauley, speaking for the Department of Archives and History, described the agency's mission to preserve documentary and cultural heritage and outlined three divisions: archives and records management, historic services (the State Historic Preservation Office) and administrative services. He noted the archives preserves more than 40,000 linear feet of records at 8301 Park Lane and operates a records center housing about 80,000 cubic feet of non‑permanent records for state agencies.

Why it matters: McCauley said the largest near‑term cost driver is digital records growth. Agencies often request additional cloud space rather than deleting non‑permanent digital files, he said, creating recurring storage costs and vendor fees. He said working with the state's Division of Technology and Operations (DTO) to enforce retention schedules and delete non‑permanent records could yield significant savings; the records center saves agencies about $1,200,000 annually by providing no‑cost storage and destruction services for non‑permanent records.

The agency highlighted how retention schedules are set: federal guidance, inter‑state practice and consultation with the record‑owning agency. McCauley reiterated common schedules used in practice—financial records are often retained three years and personnel records five years—while stressing schedules are flexible if an agency demonstrates a need for longer retention. He said the General Assembly amended the Public Records Act in the early 2000s to allow schedules to be issued in formats other than formal regulations while retaining legal enforcement through the code.

On documents and public access, McCauley said the archives holds all seven state constitutions and the state's copy of the Bill of Rights and that some items are on limited public display in the State House lobby and in a Revolutionary War exhibit; he emphasized conservation concerns, noting light and prior mishandling have damaged items in the past. The agency offers scheduled tours that bring visitors into the stacks to view select treasures when those items are not on exhibit.

During questioning, committee members asked how the agency decides what is ‘‘of enduring value.’’ McCauley said archivists prioritize materials based on research demand—probate, census and genealogical records are heavily used—and set standards to preserve items likely to be valuable to future researchers. He added that the records management program, established in 1962, aims to identify the roughly 3–5% of records that merit archival preservation.

The presentation also summarized the Historic Services division’s role in federal review and in administering tax‑incentive programs that have driven rehabilitation investment: McCauley told the panel that federal and state tax incentives have supported roughly $1,713,000,000 in rehabilitation projects statewide, with about $754,000,000 in the last five years.

The committee did not take formal action on the presentation; staff and members said they may schedule a follow‑up field visit to the archives’ Park Lane facility.