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Welcome to Part 2 of the State Archives of North Carolina online tutorial for local government agencies on
preparing paper minutes for microfilming.
First, please call me if you’re unsure of the records dates of previous shipments. I often receive shipments that are missing a meeting,
or 10 pages. Recently, we had to destroy over 500 pages which were duplicated by a later shipment. Please remove all staples,
paper clips, post-it notes, tape, and rubber bands from the records. If you have folded pages tucked in, unfold them and
smooth out the corners. Make sure the originals are signed in the proper places and that they are in the correct order. If not arranged or prepared
properly, locating a specific page will be difficult. Please don't use scratch or scrap paper. We have to film every page that has text on it,
even if it looks like unrelated material or it has been crossed out. You may submit minutes in direct or reverse date order,
but please be consistent. Please use the exact first and last dates of the records on the minutes certification form.
And this is the Certification of the Preparation of Records for Microfilming. We only need one form per container and per record type
for each shipment. If you're sending both Commissioner and Planning minutes, send one form for each board. Let’s zoom in on this…
Now we can take a closer look. First you will want to fill in the name of your county, municipality, or other public body.
Next record the name of the major decision-making board that created the records. Be sure to indicate what kind of records they are.
For example, if your municipality keeps the Town Council’s ordinances and resolutions in the same books as the meeting minutes,
check the boxes next to Minutes, Ordinances, and Resolutions. Then write down the exact date range of the records.
Indicating the month and day along with the year makes it easier to identify gaps if they should arise. You can have your minutes filmed in
direct or reverse order, just be sure to indicate that the records are in reverse order if that is the case. Then, if you use volume numbers,
please tell us which volume the records are from. If you are sending photocopies of part of the volume and use page numbers,
you should indicate the page numbers as well. It is important that you tell me if the most recent volume listed on the form is complete or not.
Then let me know if you want a copy of the film for your own reference or a CD of the images. If it will help your record-keeping to know when
I have received a shipment or when we are finished microfilming, indicate that you would
like to be informed and I will email you accordingly.
There are some special instructions if you would like to have your minute books filmed straight from the originals. If you have one or more
completed volumes, inform us that you are ready to have them filmed. Your original minutes must retain custody under your office or the
Department of Cultural Resources. Do not send originals in the mail, by the state courier, or any commercial service. We have a basic policy
that if you make one trip, we'll make the other. However, due to current travel restrictions, we are not able to guarantee when exactly we can
return your originals to you. If you're in the western part of the state, please contact Jason Woolf. His contact information is provided at the
end of this presentation. After your minute books have been imaged, please do not alter these books, or else the filmed copy will become
invalidated as a certified security duplicate.
Some local government agencies prefer to mail me copies of their minutes. If you go this route, try to use the same size paper. It will result in
quicker filming for us and it will be easier to package for you. Speaking of which, pack your shipments carefully. We’ve only had one
shipment arrive damaged beyond use (and that was a problem at the post office), but we have had several where the pages got bent or rumpled
because they were too loosely packed. You can send copies at any time, whatever is convenient for your office. I will keep your records in order
until I receive at least 600 pages to send to the filming laboratory. Please do not staple or paperclip your copies, but it's ok to rubber band
a volume, year, or other large chunk. Also, identify your pages and volumes (if you use them). I occasionally receive forms that say
"volumes 12 and 13," but I can't tell where 12 ends and 13 begins. I also receive shipments where I can see page numbers,
but there's no indication of volume numbers.
One way you can easily indicate a new volume is by making what we call a “Volume Target.” Think of this as a large title page. The font
should be larger than normal because it will make it easier for someone to find the break between volumes on the microfilm itself or
through the reader. It is a nice convenience you can provide for future researchers.
If you have any questions or want to have your records filmed, contact me, Carie Chesarino and carolyn.chesarino@ncdcr.gov or 919.807.7357.
If you cannot get in touch with me, you can contact any of us in the Local Records Unit. Also, if you want copies of reels we already
have, please ask me and I will give you the contact information for imaging vendors who can help. You are doing important work by keeping
up with the filming of your minutes. I appreciate your efforts, and will do everything I can to help you in this task.
Thank you for listening!