Archives & Records Management Newsletter

Oklahoma Department of Libraries sent this bulletin at 06/15/2026 08:00 AM CDT

 

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Archives and Records Header

June 15, 2026

 

ARM Newsletter

 

I N   T H I S   B U L L E T I N

 

From the ARM Team

Publications Clearinghouse

Off the Shelves

International Archives Week

Terms to Know 

 

From the ARM Team
 

 

From the State Archives and Records Management (ARM) Team at the Oklahoma Department of Libraries

 

End of FY26: Destruction Totals Due

 

With the fiscal year wrapping up, it's time to tally the boxes destroyed under approved continuous destruction authority. Agencies are required to report the volume of records destroyed each June to the Oklahoma Department of Libraries.

 

Destruction totals are required before new continuous destruction requests can be approved. Timely reporting helps ensure accurate statewide records management statistics and allows ODL to continue processing requests efficiently.

 

Email your total box count to patricia.nunes@libraries.ok.gov with the subject line "Destruction Totals."

 

  
 

  

 
 

 

Records Management Training Available

 

In April, Records Management Officer Amanda Chrestensen provided records management training for staff at Oklahoma Emergency Management. The session covered records retention schedules, records destruction requirements, records coordinator responsibilities, and the forms and documentation needed to properly manage records throughout their lifecycle.

 

The Archives and Records Management team is available to provide records management training and guidance tailored to your agency's needs. Whether your staff need an introduction to records management, assistance understanding retention schedules, or guidance on records disposition procedures, we are here to help.

 

Interested in scheduling training for your agency? Contact records@libraries.ok.gov to learn more.

 

 

  
 

  

 
Cameron Thornton

Staff Spotlight

 

Please join us in welcoming Cameron Thornton to the Archives and Records Management Team.

 

Cameron has had a fantastic first month, already taking the lead on Corner Records, becoming the primary contact for land surveyors, and assuming duties previously handled by Amanda Chrestensen.

 

Amanda recently transitioned into the Records Management Officer II position, where she now contributes to records retention schedule revisions and records management training.

 

Cameron's love of film—and his meticulously cataloged collection—reflects the same attention to detail and organization he brings to his work each day. We are excited to have him on the team and look forward to the contributions he will make in serving Oklahoma agencies and researchers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

Preserving Access Through Digitization

 

The Oklahoma Publications Clearinghouse is making thousands of Oklahoma state publications more accessible through a major digitization effort. Staff reviewed 100 boxes of duplicate state publications to identify materials that were not yet available online. Seventy boxes were selected for digitization and sent to a vendor, while 30 boxes of already digitized materials were removed from storage.

 

When the project is complete, 3,973 additional publications will be available online, preserving valuable state information, expanding public access, and saving approximately 100 cubic feet of storage space.

 

When the project is complete, these publications will be accessible as part of the growing digital collection of Oklahoma state publications.

 

 

 

 

  
 
Off the Shelves
 

 

Archives Discovery: A Pen Between the Pages

 

State Archives staff recently discovered a dip pen tucked inside a case file for an Oklahoma Supreme Court civil case decided in 1916.

 

Dip pens, which feature metal nibs that must be dipped into an inkwell every few words, were commonly used before fountain pens became widespread. The pen was found inside a thick court document, where it may have remained for more than 110 years. Staff noticed that several pages had begun to warp around the object, leading to the discovery.

 

Finds like this offer a fascinating glimpse into the everyday tools used by Oklahomans who created and maintained the records that now help tell our state's history.

 

    

  
   

 
IAW 2026
 

 

 

International Archives Week 2026

 

Last week, archives and records professionals around the world celebrated International Archives Week 2026 (#IAW2026). This year's theme, #ArchivesForJustice: Rights, Memory & Futures, highlighted the role records and archives play in protecting rights, supporting accountability, and preserving our shared history.

 

Here in Oklahoma, records managers and archivists help ensure that government records remain accessible, reliable, and preserved for future generations. International Archives Week serves as a reminder that today's records become tomorrow's history.

 

Discover how archives worldwide engaged with this year's theme, #ArchivesForJustice: Rights, Memory & Futures.

 

 

     

 

 

 

  
 

  

 

 

 

 
 

 

Office of Record

 

The office of record is the part of an organization that keeps the official, final version of a document or record series. Multiple departments may create drafts or working copies, but only one office is responsible for maintaining the complete, authoritative version. Identifying the office of record helps ensure there is clear accountability for preserving and managing the official record.

 

 

  
 

 

 

   
 

 

 

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Share this newsletter with colleagues who work with archives, records management, or information governance.

 

Subscribers receive helpful resources, training opportunities, important reminders, and updates from the State Archives and Records Management team.

 

 

 

 

  
 

  

 
 

 

  

 

 

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Questions? Email records@libraries.ok.gov.