Records Appraisal Report:
Texas State Law Library
Contents of this report
Agency Contact | Agency History | Project Review | Record Series Reviews
Internal links to series reviews
Meeting Minutes - Board
Organization Charts
Biennial Budget Requests
Correspondence - Administration
Policies & Procedures
Archival finding aid
An Inventory of State Law Library Records at the Texas State Archives, 1961-1962, 1970-2004, bulk 1971-2001
January 26, 1996, Paul Beck, Appraisal Archivist
Agency Contact:
This agency contact information was current at the time of the report but may have changed in the interim. Please call (512-463-5455) for current contact information of the agency's records manager or records liaison for these records.
Pat Strebeck, Records Administrator
State Law Library
Tom C. Clark Building
205 W. 14th St., Room G01
Austin, Texas 78701
Agency History and Structure:
The Texas State Law Library was created by Senate Bill 528, 62nd Legislature, Regular Session, in 1971. The law library is a legal reference facility for use by the members and staff of the Texas Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, and the Office of the Attorney General and by other state entities and private citizens of the state. The library provides and improves access to basic sources of legal information by identifying key resources, increasing distribution, producing finding aids, and assisting library users in developing effective legal reference skills. The library maintains a legal reference facility which includes statutes and case reports from the several states, legal periodicals and journals, and printed and published sources for research in Texas legal history. On-site information services include access to computer-assisted legal research. The library is an official selective depository for U.S. government documents as well as a depository for State Justice Institute documents.
The policy-making body of the library is a board composed of the following ex officio members, or their designated replacements: the attorney general, the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, and the presiding judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals. These are nonsalaried positions.
The library is administered by an executive director, who is appointed by the board. In addition to the executive director, other professional librarian staff include a reference/information manager, a reference/acquisitions manager, a reference/friends group/volunteers/grants librarian, and a branch librarian. These positions report directly to the executive director. Other staff consists of a fiscal officer, an acquisitions assistant, two library assistants, and an accounting assistant.
Project Review:
I was assigned to review the records of this agency on September 25, 1995. I have reviewed the agency history in the Guides to Texas State Agencies, 4th-8th editions, 1972- 1994. I looked at the enabling legislation in V.T.C.A, Government Code, Chapter 91. Of note was Section 91.006 (a) which stated "The board by unanimous vote may transfer library books, papers, or publications to the library of the Law School of the University of Texas at Austin." (This section was discussed at the appraisal meeting and agency staff were uncertain if anything had ever been transferred to UT. If so, it had been done in the early 1970s. There might be some administrative correspondence about this that agency staff will attempt to locate as they process their correspondence backlog.) I have also looked at annual financial reports and requests for legislative appropriations in my review.
I then reviewed the destruction requests from the State Law Library and their records retention schedule. There were three "A" series and two "R" series on the schedule. The archival series are: Biennial Budget Requests, Meeting Minutes-Board, and Organization Charts. The archival review series are: Correspondence-Administration and Policies and Procedures Manual.
I had several phone conversations about the agency with Mary Ann Albin, the records consultant assigned to the agency. I prepared a list of questions concerning series on the retention schedule with archival codes "R" or "A" and mailed these along with our letter of introduction to the Executive Director and the records administrator on October 13, 1995. I, and Mary Ann Albin, met with the State Law Library executive director, Kay Schlueter, and the agency's records administrator, Pat Strebeck, on November 7, 1995 to ask questions about the archival status of records on their retention schedule and explain about the appraisal process. From this meeting and several follow-up calls I was able to get enough information to submit this appraisal report. Final details on the administrative correspondence series await processing by the law library staff of their correspondence backlog.
Archives Holdings:
None
Previous Destructions:
One request was submitted by the Law Library in October 1992 for the destruction of 45 cubic feet of Supreme Court "Dockets," circa 1989-1991. This request was approved on August 25, 1993. These "dockets" are actually copies of legal briefs submitted to the Supreme Court. The court sends one copy of each brief to the Law Library for their collection. The briefs are then microfilmed for the Law Library by the State and Local Records Management Division of the Texas State Library. The law library receives a microfilm use copy and the paper copy is routinely destroyed without the use of RMD destruction request forms.
Project Outcome
I am recommending we keep the three "A" series on the schedule as archival: Biennial Budget Requests, Meeting Minutes - Board, and Organization Charts. I am also recommending that the two archival review "R" series be changed to "A": Correspondence - Administration, and Policies and Procedures Manual.
Staff at the law library are to sort through their correspondence backlog to identify and place administrative correspondence in its own appropriate series. The administrative correspondence prior to 1992 should be transferred to the State Archives, as those records have fulfilled their retention requirements. Upon arrival, State Archives staff will appraise this weeded correspondence for archival value. Future transfers of administrative correspondence can be done annually on a fiscal year basis. The exact dates and quantity of records in the administrative correspondence series remain unknown although the total volume is expected to be less than one cubic foot. Once this processing is completed, the information will be added to the series review. Otherwise, the review of the records is complete.
Record Series Reviews
Record Series Review
Series Title: Meeting Minutes - Board
Agency: State Law Library
Dates: 1971-[ongoing]
Current total volume and dates: One small 3-ring binder; approximately 0.24 cubic foot These records are retained by the agency permanently. Actual holdings are 1971-[ongoing].
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional
Current Agency Location: In the office of the executive director of the State Law Library.
Archival Holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: Minutes of the meetings of the State Law Library Board, dating 1971-[ongoing]. There is at least one meeting a year. Activities of the board concerning the operation of the Law Library are usually advisory with the actual administration left to the executive director. There are no agenda or supporting documentation.
Purpose: These records document the decisions of the State Law Library Board made at board meetings.
Agency program: The State Law Library Board is the policy-making body for the Law Library. The board is composed of the following ex officio members, or their designated replacements: the attorney general, the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, and the presiding judge of the court of Criminal Appeals. These are nonsalaried positions. V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 91.003. In addition to its other administrative duties, the board appoints the executive director and sets the salaries of the library staff.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 91.005.
Arrangement: Chronological
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for, or an aid to access? No
Gaps? No
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: None
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? yes
Title: Meeting Minutes - Board
Series item number: 1.1.017
Agency item number: 1.7
Archival code: A
Retention: PM
Recommendations: Although the executive director stated that the Law Library Board functions largely as an advisory group, the board is by statute the policy-making body for the Law Library. As primary evidence of the functions and policy formulation at the highest echelon of the State Law Library, the retention schedule should continue to use "A" as the Archival Code for the minutes. At present, the original minutes are retained permanently by the agency and there are no copies in the State Archives. In order to fulfill the archival requirement of the retention schedule, copies of all minutes from past and future meetings of the Law Library Board need to be made and sent to the State Archives. Minutes from future meetings should be sent annually to the Archives.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Organization Charts
Agency: State Law Library
Dates: 1982-[ongoing]
Current total volume and dates: Fractional.
Retained by the agency until superseded. Actual holdings are 1988-[ongoing].
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional
Current Agency Location: These records are housed in the offices of the State Law Library.
Archival Holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Organization charts are included in the biennial budget requests on file in the Publications Clearinghouse, Texas State Library from 1982-[ongoing]. Two copies of these budget requests are sent to the Publications Clearinghouse as per 13 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 3, Section 3.3 (c).
Description: These charts show agency organizational structure at the State Law Library.
Purpose: These charts display graphically the hierarchy and functions of the staff at the State Law Library.
Agency program: The State Law Library is a legal reference facility for use by members and staff of the judicial branch of state government, other state entities, and citizens of the state.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 91, Section 91.002.
Arrangement: Chronological
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for, or an aid to access? No
Gaps? No
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the State Law Library and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: Organizational charts included in the agency's Requests for Legislative Appropriations beginning in 1982.
Scheduled record series? yes
Title: Organization Charts
Series item number: 1.1.023
Agency item number: 1.7
Archival code: A
Retention: US
Recommendations: Organization charts provide helpful information on state agencies in a succinct format. The Archives has never received any from the Law Library even though organization charts are a separate "A" series in the Law Library's retention schedule. However, they are currently being included in the Requests for Legislative Appropriations which is also an "A" series and these are regularly sent to the Publications Clearinghouse in accordance with the schedule. So, I would recommend that a note be added in the Remarks column for Organization Charts that the archival requirement is met by sending the Requests for Legislative Appropriations to the Publications Clearinghouse.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Biennial Budget Requests
Agency: State Law Library
Dates: 1974-[ongoing]
Current total volume and dates: 0.5 cubic foot
These records are retained by the agency for six years after passage of the appropriations act. Actual holdings are 1988-[ongoing].
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional
Current Agency Location: These records are in the offices of the State Law Library.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
The archival requirement for this series is fulfilled by sending copies to the Publications Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse holds 1974-[ongoing]. Two copies of Requests for Legislative Appropriations must be sent to the Publications Clearinghouse. (13 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 3, Section 3.3 (c)).
Description: These records are the legislative appropriation requests of the State Law Library submitted to the Legislative Budget Board and others. These records date from 1974-[ongoing]. The records generally contain a narrative introduction of the agency and its functions and programs. The program objectives are listed along with a description of each objective, discussions of performance measures, statistics, program need indicators, and expenses--expended, current, and projected, at different funding levels.
Purpose: The purpose of these records is to request specific appropriations from the legislature and to provide justification for the amounts requested.
Agency program: Biennial budget requests are a mandatory requirement of the state budgetary process. The State Law Library is a legal reference facility for use by members and staff of the judicial branch of state government, other state entities, and citizens of the state. The library provides access to sources of legal information and assists library users in their reference needs. The biennial budget requests supply the fiscal means for the law library to maintain this facility.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 91, Section 91.002.
Arrangement: Chronological
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? No
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the State Law Library and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: Legislative Budget Board, Legislative Budget Estimates, have been published since fiscal years 1954-1955. This publication, a compilation of data for all state agencies, summarizes the fiscal information found in agency-submitted budgets or appropriation requests, but omits most of the narrative.
Scheduled record series? yes
Title: Biennial Budget Requests
Series item number: 1.1.004
Agency item number: 1.1
Archival code: A
Retention: AC + 6
Recommendation: Biennial budget requests prepared by state agency boards and/or commissions provide evidence of an agency's fiscal performance needs. The Law Library's retention schedule should continue to use "A" as the Archival Code for these records. The archival requirement is fulfilled by sending copies to the Publications Clearinghouse of the Texas State Library. A comment to this effect - "Copies to be sent to Publications Clearinghouse" - should be placed in the remarks column for this series in the Law Library's retention schedule.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Correspondence - Administration
Agency: State Law Library
Dates: c. 1975-[ongoing]
Current total volume and dates: Final volume is estimated to be less than 1 cubic foot. Holdings are from circa 1975-[ongoing]. Exact amount and dates unknown as the executive director is going to search the agency's correspondence backlog for more administrative correspondence.
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional up to now; may expect larger amounts as backlog is processed and as more correspondence is filed.
Current Agency Location: These records are in the executive director's office.
Archival Holdings: None at the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: This series is currently a catch-all file containing mostly incoming correspondence to the executive director. Dates covered are circa 1975-[ongoing]. Few records in this series fit the archival definition of administrative correspondence - "incoming and outgoing letters and internal memoranda relating to agency policy, agency rule changes, and substantive administrative issues." Instead, most of this series consists of routine, non-substantive correspondence such as thank-you letters from patrons or form letters from other state agencies. However, that is due to change as the executive director will search and separate from the correspondence backlog any old administrative correspondence that should have been filed here originally and will add new administrative correspondence immediately to this series in the future. Routine correspondence will be excluded.
Purpose: This series documents the administration and operation of the Law Library and its relationship with other state agencies and with the public.
Agency program: The State Law Library is a legal reference facility for use by the Texas Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, Office of the Attorney General and other state entities and by private citizens of the state. The library provides and improves access to basic sources of legal information. The library contains statutes and case reports from several states, legal periodicals and journals, U.S. government documents, and other sources for legal research, including on-line information services.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 91.002.
Arrangement: By subject right now but will be processed and filed chronologically in the future.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for, or an aid to access? No
Gaps? Yes, until the correspondence backlog is processed this series is incomplete.
Problems: This series must become established and used as the appropriate site for administrative correspondence. Routine correspondence must be weeded out. Old administrative correspondence from the correspondence backlog must be identified and transferred to this series and new administrative correspondence needs to be added on a consistent, ongoing basis.
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the State Law Library and none were found for this series of for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? yes
Title: Correspondence - Administration
Series item number: 1.1.007
Agency item number: 1.2
Archival code: R
Retention: 3
Recommendation: At present this series contains mostly general correspondence with only a smattering of what could be considered administrative correspondence. However, as the correspondence backlog is processed by the executive director, more administrative correspondence will be placed here and the general correspondence will be weeded out. In the future, new administrative correspondence will be filed here immediately. In light of these upcoming changes for the series, I would recommend this series be designated as archival and the Archival Code on the retention schedule be changed to an "A," providing that the proposed filing changes are indeed implemented. Also, the administrative correspondence prior to 1992 should be transferred to the State Archives, as those records have fulfilled their retention requirements. Upon receipt of these weeded correspondence files, the State Archives will reappraise for archival value. Future transfers of administrative correspondence can be done annually on a fiscal year basis.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Policies & Procedures
Agency: State Law Library
Dates: c. 1978
Current total volume and dates: fractional The agency is working on a new manual while continuing to operate under the old one, c. 1978.
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: None
Current Agency Location: The manual is in the executive director's office at the State Law Library.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: This series contains a procedural manual written circa 1978 and covering circulation, cataloging, ordering, binding, acquisition and other library operations at the State Law Library.
Purpose: The manual formalizes in a written document library procedures and provides administrative control and instruction to library staff in the internal operations of the State Law Library .
Agency program: The State Law Library is a legal reference facility for use by members and staff of the judicial branch of state government, other state entities, and citizens of the state. The library provides access to sources of legal information and assists library users in their reference needs.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 91, Section 91.002.
Arrangement: Topical, by library procedure.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for, or an aid to access? No
Gaps? No
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the State Law Library and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Policies & Procedure Manual
Series item number: 1.1.025
Agency item number: 1.10
Archival code: R
Retention: US
Recommendation: This manual focuses on library operating procedures. Some of this is probably very specific in its details but overall it will provide useful evidence of program fulfillment. (They also have a separate manual for personnel so those matters won't be included in this manual). In addition, there are no separate executive orders and little internal administrative correspondence so this manual provides one of the few insights into the operation of the agency. Thus, I would recommend changing the "R" to an "A" in the retention schedule and keeping the retention period at "US." The Law Library should send to the Archives a copy of the superseded manual when their new one is completed.