Locations Nationwide

NARA's Affiliated Archives

parchment Read more about "NARA's Oldest Partnerships" in the Summer, 2006 issue of Prologue magazine.

1. What are Affiliated Archives?

Affiliated Archives are public or non-profit archives that hold--by written agreement with NARA--Federal records owned by NARA. Since 1953, NARA has established eight Affiliated Archives under the authority of 44 U.S.C., Section 2107, including five federal Affiliates and three state Affiliates. These Affiliated Archives act as NARA's agents, arranging, describing, preserving, and providing reference and access services for the Federal records. NARA retains legal custody for the records and some ongoing reporting and supervisory responsibilities. NARA and the Affiliate work together to provide the public access to the Federal records placed in the Affiliated Archive.

2. Why does NARA have Affiliated Archives?

Affiliated Archives allow NARA to provide enhanced access to Federal records and the information they contain through partnerships with premiere repositories nationwide. These repositories may provide NARA with new opportunities, for instance, they may:

  • hold related resources, such as manuscripts, museum holdings, facilities, or other resources that provide value and context to researchers wishing to use Federal records,

  • have special staff subject expertise, equipment, or tools that aid the public in understanding and using the Federal records, or

  • be located close to those researchers who most actively use the Federal records.

The goal of these partnerships is to ensure that NARA's responsibility is met to preserve, protect, and make accessible Federal records to the American people using the special resources and expertise of the Affiliated Archives. These records ensure that our government is accountable to the American people.

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3. What are the Existing NARA Affiliated Archives?

The nine existing NARA Affiliated Archives include:

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4. How are Affiliates established?

A candidate for NARA affiliation may be invited by the Archivist to consider affiliation or may contact NARA to seek affiliation. An initial informal conversation between NARA and the organization wishing to be an Affiliated Archives is encouraged to ensure that the criteria for affiliation are understood. A formal three-step process is then followed to develop a recommendation that must be approved by the Archivist before affiliation is finalized:

A. Application and Preliminary Evaluation
The first step is submission of an application packet that includes:

  1. A letter from the head of the organization requesting consideration as an Affiliated Archives. The letter must describe the records involved, and discuss how the organization meets the criteria described in the Criteria for Designating New Affiliated Archives section below.

  2. Any supporting documentation, such as finding aids, Website information, copying processes, budgets, environmental data on storage and access areas, and personnel qualifications that supports the application.

Applications are submitted to the Senior Archivist for Regional and Affiliated Archives in the Office of Regional Records Services.

An informal evaluation follows in order to determine whether the applicant appears to meet all of the basic eligibility criteria. The Archivist must give a preliminary concurrence for the application to continue.

B. Formal Review
If the Archivist give preliminary concurrence, the NARA Affiliated Archives Review Team (AART) conducts a formal review of the proposal.

This review includes:

  • a repository visit and evaluation by NARA staff
  • submission of any requested additional documentation
  • candidate staff interview(s) with AART

The AART prepares a report and recommendation to the heads of the Office of Records Services - Washington, DC and the Office of Regional Records Services. The Office heads submit a recommendation to the Archivist, who decides whether or not to approve a request. Accepted affiliates then sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with NARA.

5. How do Affiliated Archives Operate?

The operating framework for a NARA Affiliated Archives is described in the Affiliate's Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and typically includes the following responsibilities for:

  • ownership, management evaluation, and reporting on the records to Congress,
  • physical custody and management of the records including accessioning, preservation, protection, arrangement, description, and performance reporting for metrics purposes, and
  • access to the records including reference, public outreach, Freedom of Information Act requests, and usage monitoring and reporting.

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6. What are the Criteria for Designating New Affiliated Archives?

Six principle criteria are used by the Archivist of the United States to determine whether it is in the public interest to establish an Affiliated Archives. Candidate custodians must have:

  • demonstrated ability to provide enhanced public access to the records and the information in the records beyond what NARA is able to provide. Characteristics that enable enhanced access include, but are not limited to:
    • availability of special expertise needed to interpret the records and the recordkeeping system;
    • availability of special equipment or specially designed facilities needed to provide ready access to records;
    • possession of records, manuscripts, or other research resources that provide essential context for the records; and
    • close association or proximity to the segment of the public most likely to desire ready access to the records.
  • demonstrated institutional commitment to the long-term preservation of the records. Custodians must store and maintain records under preservation conditions that are at least equal to those that would be provided by NARA.

  • demonstrated capability to protect the information in the records in accordance with 5 USC 552 as amended. Records exempt from disclosure under 5 USC 552 will not be deposited outside the Federal government.

  • demonstrated ability and stated agreement to follow NARA reference, arrangement, description, preservation, and security guidance, as well as regular reporting to NARA on these matters so as to meet Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) standards required by Congress.

  • documented willingness to permit NARA staff and NARA's Office of the Inspector General staff to examine the records and review how they are being managed, preserved, and made available for research.

  • documented willingness to notify NARA as early as possible of any substantial risk that the institution may not be able to continue to preserve or provide access to the records.

  • documented willingness to notify NARA immediately upon learning of damage to federal records held under this agreement from natural disaster, facility failure, theft, or human-caused abuse.

7. Where can I find more about Affiliated Archives?

To read more about Affiliated Archives, see:

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Locations Nationwide >

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272