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Does That Document Belong in the National Archives and Records Administration?
Identifying Federal Documents
National Archives and Records Administration

[Image: Title of this document is displayed on a backdrop of an old telegram]

The National Archives was established in 1934 to be the nation's official record keeper. Spanning some 300 years, the records consist of textual documents, maps, architectural drawings, photographs, motion picture film, sound and video recordings, as well as electronic records. They are held in the great neoclas­sical building in the heart of the nation's capital; in the state-of-the-art facility in College Park , Maryland ; and in a system of Presidential libraries and regional archives that stretches across the nation.

Occasionally, a document in private hands actually belongs in a government archives. If it is a Federal Government document, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is interested in its return.
This brochure will help you recognize if a document in your possession or offered for sale might be a Federal Government document that belongs in the National Archives of the United States or a Presidential library.

If you are aware of such a document, we are counting on you to contact us.

E-mail: MissingDocuments@nara.gov

Missing Documents
Office of the Inspector General
National Archives and Records Administration 8601 Adelphi Road
College Park , MD 20740
301-837-3500 ( Washington , DC , Metro area)
800-786-2551 (toll-free and outside the Washington , DC , Metro area)
National Archives and Records Administration

[Image: Photo of the National Archives.]

What helps determine if a document might be a Federal record?
Unfortunately, there is no simple, univer­sally valid test that identifies Federal records. Certain features are common to many Federal records, however. Here are some questions that may be helpful in determining a document's status:

Question 1: Is the Federal Government involved in some way?
This is the first, most basic question to consider. The National Archives holds records that were created or received by the Federal Government. It has no responsibility for maintaining the histori­cal documents of state and local govern­ments, businesses or organizations, or pri­vate individuals, whether famous or not. While the National Archives does hold some documents from all of these sources, each such record has a Federal Government connection to explain its presence among our holdings.

Question 2: How is the Government involved?
Is it an original document sent from the Federal Government or the President to an individual or organization?
This is probably NOT a Federal record. Once a Federal agency or official sends a document to an individual or organization, it belongs to the recipient unless or until ownership changes for some reason.
Examples: Over the years, the Federal Government has sent citizens many land patents, military com­missions, and draft notices. Though created by the Federal Government, these documents are NOT Federal records nor do they belong in the National Archives except in exceptional circumstances, such as when such a document becomes an exhibit in a Federal court case.

Is it from a private source to a Federal agency or official?
Once an individual or organiza­tion sends a letter, form, or other document to the Federal Government, it belongs to the Federal Government. As long as it relates to official business and is appropriate for preservation, it becomes a Federal record.

Is it from a Federal agency or official to another Federal agency or official? Was it created by a Federal agency for its own recordkeeping purposes?
Barring unusual circumstances, these documents belong to the Federal Government.

Question 3: Does the document have office markings?
Many Federal records, though not all, bear file designations, stamps, or other notations, often on the reverse side of the document. These markings can be important indicators for NARA archivists in determining the status of a document.

[Image: Recovered Document - A letter from A.D. Hannell to the U.S. District Court concerning the seizure of a rebel warehouse at Chowan River, NC, Civil War Prize Case Files, January 2.1865. Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21.]

[Image: Recovered Documents - Top: Bill of Lading of Schooner Artist, Civil War Prize Case Files, August 5, 1862. Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21.
Bottom: Court order signed by Chief Justice Roger B.Taney, in Schooner Telegraph v. Bennett, November 12, 1853. Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21.]

[Image:Pictures of the Bill of Lading of Schooner Artist , Civil War Prize Case Files and a court order signed by Roger B. Taney for the same case.]

If the document is addressed to a Federal agency or official and it has filing notations, does that mean it belongs in the National Archives?
Not necessarily. It is worth checking, however. A NARA archivist would have to make the final deter­mination about such a document. NARA only desig­nates a small portion of Federal records as signifi­cant enough for archival retention, so the document may have been one that was authorized for disposal after a designated period of time.

What additional analysis would NARA archivists undertake to determine if a document belongs in the National Archives?
There are a variety of analytical tools that could be used. Based on the document's form, content, or markings, NARA archivists may be able to deter-mine that the document fits into one of the many series or file systems that have been accessioned into the National Archives. On the other hand, NARA may have evidence that the series from which the document came was authorized for dis­posal. NARA has also microfilmed copies of many of its holdings and may use the microfilm to verify ownership.

Does NARA provide any other assistance for learning to recognize likely Federal records?
Yes. For more background information, visit NARA 's web site at http://www.archives.gov/research/recover/identifying-government-documents.html.

We appreciate your assistance in helping us preserve the permanently valuable records of the United States Government!

Learn the Indicators So You Can Help Us Recover Missing Federal Records
[Image: Declaration of intention for Greta Garbo, stating that she wishes to become a United States Citizen. September 9, 1949. Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21]

[Image: Telegram from President Abraham Lincoln to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, February 1, 1865.
Records of the Office of the Secretary of War; Record Group 107 ]

[Image: Letter to President William McKinley from Annie Oakley, offering the Government the services of a company of 50 "lady sharp-shooters" in case of war with Spain , April 5. 1898. Records of the Adjuant General's Office, 1780's --1917, Record Group 94]

[Image: Department of Justice official form with file stamp on the reverse]

[Image: Telegram from U.S. Ambassador Walter Page to President Woodrow Wilson conveying a translation of the intercepted Zimmermann telegram from Germany to Mexico , in which Germany proposed an alliance and disclosed its plans to begin unrestricted submarine warfare, February 24, 1917. General Records of the Department of State, Record Group 59.]

[Image: Classification and declassification markings. Report of the cryptographic significance of the capture of the German U-boat U-505, the first enemy warship captured in action by the U.S. Navy since the War of 1812, July 13, 1944. Records of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Record Group 38 ]

Contact the National Archives if you encounter any original document outside Government hands that bears uncancelled national security classification markings.

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