American Samoa § 4.1205 - Archivist—Duties and responsibilities.

§ 4.1205. Archivist—Duties and responsibilities.

The archivist shall adopt rules under the Administrative Procedure Act, 4.1001 et seq., which: (1) establish standards, regulations, and procedures for: (A) the economical and efficient use and maintenance of records; (B) the identification and selection of records for transfer to the national archives and records service, documents, material or items of whatever kind and from any source, that have sufficient historical or other value to warrant their preservation by the government; (C) the disposal of records which do not, or will not after a lapse of time, possess sufficient administrative, legal, fiscal, historical or other research value to warrant their further retention; except that, records known to pertain to unsettled accounts, claims, incomplete investigations, audits, or litigation may not be destroyed until resolution has been made; (D) the selection and protection of records essential for the continuity of government operations and the protection of the rights and interests of individuals in the event of an emergency; (E) the reproduction and maintenance of records by micrographic, photographic, magnetic or other processes. Reproductions made in compliance with these standards have the same force and effect as the originals would have and are treated as originals for audit, admissibility in evidence, and other similar purposes; (F) the standardization of equipment and supplies necessary for records maintenance; and (G) the efficient management of communications, including directives, correspondence, printing and publications, reports, forms, mail and all paperwork processes and systems; (2) identify, and select the archives of the government as a part of the records retention program; (3) establish, maintain, and operate a government records center for storing and servicing records for agencies pending disposition records for agencies pending disposition as authorized in accordance with paragraphs (1) and (2) of this section; (4) inspect or survey the records and records maintenance and disposition practices of all agencies, and report and make recommendations thereon to the head of the agency, with copies of the report provided to the Governor and the Legislature. Records, the use or access of which is restricted by law or rule for reasons of security or the public interest, may be inspected or surveyed by the archivist subject to the same restrictions imposed upon employees of the agency holding the records.