Records Appraisal Report:
Legislative Reference Library
Contents of this report
Agency Contact | Agency History | Project Review | Record Series Reviews
Internal links to series reviews
Budget Requests
Annual Board Meeting Agendas
Annual Board Meeting Minutes and Financial Reports
Organization Chart
Legislative Reference Library Personnel Manuals
Photographs of Legislative Reference Library and Capitol
Legislative Bill Files, 1973-present
Archival finding aid
Texas Legislative Reference Library: An Inventory of Board Meeting Minutes at the Texas State Archives, 1969-1991, 1998
February 20, 1996, Tony Black, 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.
Linda North (until December 14, 1995)
Mary Camp (after December 15, 1995)
Records Administrator
State Capitol Building, Room 2.48
(P.O. Box 12488)
Austin, TX 78701 (78711-2488)
Agency History and Structure:
The Legislative Reference Library was created in 1909 as a division of the Texas State Library. In 1969 it was made an independent agency of the legislature (Senate Bill 263, 61st Legislature, Regular Session). The Library serves as a source of nonpartisan, impartial research and information, assisting state legislators and their staff, state agency heads and their staff, and the general public in obtaining information on specific legislative problems and on other matters affecting the state.
The Legislative Library Board, which makes policy for the Legislative Reference Library, is composed of six members: four ex-officio members (the lieutenant governor, who serves as chair; the speaker of the house; the chair of the Senate Finance Committee; and the chair of the House Appropriations Committee); plus one state senator appointed by the lieutenant governor, and one state representative appointed by the speaker. The board appoints a director.
The holdings of the Legislative Reference Library include, by statute, the following:
- checklists and catalogs of current legislation in Texas and in other states;
- catalogs of bills and resolutions presented in the Texas Legislature;
- checklists of public documents in each state;
- checklists of all reports issued by each Texas state agency;
- digests of public laws of Texas and other states; and
- an up-to-date law library.
In addition, the Library contains the following:
- original legislative bill files from 1973 to the present (the library receives copies of each printed daily legislative journal, bill, resolution, or other legislative document);
- federal materials;
- a newspaper clipping file relating to Texas government and politics;
- publications of organizations such as the Council of State Governments, National Conference of State Legislatures, National Education Association, and Southern Regional Education Board; and
- general reference material.
The library is a depository library which receives state documents and publications from other states, distributed by the Texas State Library.
The library regularly publishes the Bibliography of State Agency Publications and the List of New Legislative Reference Acquisitions. It maintains an on- line database for appointments to all state boards and commissions, with the cooperation of the Texas Legislative Council. And it updates the Legislative Information System of Texas (LIST), showing bill histories.
Organizational complexity: The Legislative Reference Library has twelve full-time equivalent employees and no formal divisions.
Project Review:
I was assigned to appraise the records of this agency on September 25, 1995. This agency has passed its second recertification, and is due for a third recertification in January 1997. However, the Legislative Reference Library has decided to seek recertification in January 1996, so that this task will no longer fall during the start of the legislative session, which is the busiest time for the Library.
I reviewed the Guide to State Agencies (8th edition, 1994); the laws (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 324; General and Special Laws, 1969, pp. 154-156); Requests for Legislative Appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993 (including the organization chart on p. 12); and the State Auditor's Report on Limited Review of Internal Controls and State Compliance of Legislative Reference Library, 1988.
I reviewed the records retention schedule, a recertification approved January 23, 1995.
On November 7, 1995, I mailed the introductory letter from Chris LaPlante to the Director, Sally Reynolds. On November 15, Linda North, the Records Administrator (who informed me she would be leaving her job in mid- December), requested blank worksheets for the four "A" and two "R" series for which I need additional data. On December 13, Records Consultant Mary Ann Albin and I met with Sally Reynolds, Linda North, and the new Records Administrator being trained, Mary Camp, at the Legislative Reference Library. On January 19, 1996, I made a follow-up call to Mary Camp concerning some minor questions, and she furnished me the necessary information on February 1, upon which I was able to complete this appraisal report.
Six series on the agency records retention schedule are marked "A", as archival: budget requests; annual board meeting agenda; annual board meeting minutes and financial reports; organization chart; photographs of Legislative Reference Library and Capitol; and legislative bill files, 1973-present. Two series are marked "R", for archival review: correspondence - administrative (an empty series--see note below); and LRL personnel manuals.
Annual and biennial agency reports (non-fiscal) and strategic plans--which normally constitute two other archival series--are not required for the Legislative Reference Library.
Note on the series called "Administrative Correspondence": The first certification of the records retention schedule (approved April 27, 1992) listed General Correspondence, but not Administrative Correspondence; the second certification (approved December 14, 1993) listed only "Correspondence" without specifying General or Administrative; the third recertification differentiated between General and Administrative Correspondence. However, after discussing correspondence with both the executive director and the records administrator, I discovered that the records series called "Administrative Correspondence" is actually an empty series, containing no records. Almost all of the correspondence received by the library is general and routine (and is part of the series General Correspondence); if an item is significant enough to be called Administrative, it is apparently incorporated into the minutes of the Legislative Reference Board as an attachment. Therefore this appraisal report will not have a Record Series Review on this empty series.
There is a noticeable scarcity of direct archival documentation for the work of the Legislative Reference Library. Minutes of board meetings are minimal; administrative correspondence is apparently non- existent; no narrative annual reports or strategic plans are required or produced. On the other hand, the Publications Clearinghouse maintains more substantial materials which are not considered archival, but which represent the work of the Library, e.g. Legislative Reference Library Resources: A guide to current periodicals, newspapers, CD-ROMs, loose-leaf services, indexes and selected legal reference materials in the Texas Legislative Reference Library; Texas Legislative History: A Manual of Sources, 1980; and Chief Elected and Administrative Officials. There is really no further documentation needed for a relatively small library with a staff services function.
Archives Holdings:
The following records have been transferred by the Legislative Reference Library to the State Archives, but none of them were created by or for the Legislative Reference Library itself. They constitute former holdings of the Library, rather than records of the Library. However, this same comment may be made of the following series on the agency's records retention schedule: state agency biennial budget requests, education biennial budget requests, and legislative bill files.
Records of the legislature:
"Old legislative files transferred in 1980," 1915-1977, 1 cubic foot;
Records of the 23rd-36th Legislatures, 1893-1919, 138 cubic feet (AC 1968/136);
Bill files, 1921-1950 (AC 1973/141, 1973/142, 1973/145, 1973/152, 1973/167); 1951-1972 (AC 1980/22, 1982/190).
House and Senate Journals and Laws, 1891-1979, 2.5 cubic feet (AC 1984/107); * House and Senate Journals, 1981-1984, 16 volumes (AC 1987/54); 1987- 1990, 17 volumes (AC 1991/62).
Records of legislative committees:
Legislative Committee to Investigate the Fee System, 1929 (AC 1973/178);
Senate Economic Development Committee, 1973, .94 cubic foot (AC 1980/20);
Legislative Committee on Conservation of Paintings and Portraits, 1951-1962, .24 cubic foot (AC 1981/50);
Senate Committee Investigating Money Expended by the Texas Relief Commission, 1934 (AC 1983/214);
Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs, 1978-1980 (AC 1985/148);
House Appropriations Committee, minutes, 1937, .47 cubic foot (AC 1988/60);
Senate Committee on Human Resources, minutes, 1979 (AC 1989/96);
Agricultural Land Assessment Study Committee, 1952- 1970, 1.71 cubic feet (AC 1985/33, 1991/184);
Special Task Force on the Future of Long-Term Health Care, 1988, 2.46 cubic feet (AC 1989/93).
Judicial records:
Records of Proceedings of High Court of Impeachment ...O. P. Carrillo, 1976; additional O. P. Carrillo files, 1976, 3 cubic feet (AC 1984/171, 1986/1).
Governor's records:
Beauford H. Jester gubernatorial campaign postcards, 1946, fractional (AC 1990/142); governors' speeches, press releases, etc., 1947-1969, 2.35 cubic feet (AC 1991/171); miscellaneous resolutions and governor's vetoes, 1951, 1965, 1969, fractional (AC 1982/178); vetos, 1951; resolutions, 1965-1969; governors' messages, 1951 (AC 1982/178).
Records of state agencies:
Rehabilitation and Relief Commission report, 1933 (AC 1973/169);
Railroad Commission minutes, 1982-1983, 2 cubic feet (AC 1987/113);
Department of Public Welfare reports, 1965-1968 (AC 1983/214);
State Textbook Committee records, 1960-1962 (AC 1984/171).
Records of education institutions:
Budget requests from educational institutions, FY 78- 79, 1976, 2.29 cubic feet; 1980-1984, 14 cubic feet (AC 1991/75);
university minutes, 1982-1989, 3 cubic feet, added to Agency Minutes Collection (1991/5).
Record book, San Antonio Brewing Association, 1909-1910 (AC 1987/14).
Previous Destructions:
The following requests for destruction of public records (RMD-102s) were submitted by the Legislative Reference Library before their adoption of a records retention schedule:
State education budgets, 1982-1983, and newspaper clippings, 1938-1981, 40 boxes (approved January 22, 1987 and August 14, 1987).
Travel vouchers, time sheets, employment applications, EEOC reports, interagency contracts, group insurance reconciliation reports and general purpose forms, agency report on longevity payments, TEC quarterly reports, claims for unemployment insurance, and reimbursable unemployment benefits statements, 1969-1986, 2 cubic feet (approved October 20, 1987).
Time sheets, general correspondence, purchase vouchers, reconciliations and deposit request vouchers, 1977-1985, 4 cubic feet (approved November 28, 1988).
University budgets, n.d., 10 cubic feet (approved March 28, 1991).
Project Outcome:
This agency appraisal is now completed. My recommendations, series by series, are summarized as follows:
Budget Requests
Continue to use "A" as the archival code. The archival requirement is fulfilled by sending copies to the Publications Clearinghouse of the Texas State Library, as the Remarks column in agency's records retention schedule indicates. However, major gaps exist in the holdings of the Publications Clearinghouse (budget requests made for fiscal years 1974-1977, 1980-1983, 1988-1991, and 1994- [ongoing]). I would urge the agency to forward to the Clearinghouse copies of any of these missing budget requests which they hold.
Correspondence - Administrative
Delete this series, since it is empty of records. Recreate it only if truly administrative correspondence (significant and substantive, as contrasted to routine, general correspondence) begins to be created.
Annual Board Meeting Agendas
Consolidate this series with the next one, Annual Board Meeting Minutes and Financial Reports.
Annual Board Meeting Minutes and Financial Reports
Consolidate this series with the previous one, Annual Board Meeting Agendas, and continue to use "A" as the archival code for the consolidated series, renamed "Annual Board Meeting Agenda and Minutes." Since the State Archives has never received copies of board meeting minutes, the Legislative Reference Library should make copies of all existing agenda and minutes and transfer them to the Archives. Copies should then continue to be transferred annually in the future.
To correct duplication on the records retention schedule, either eliminate annual financial reports as a separate series (which I do not recommend), or maintain two series: (a) annual board meeting agenda and minutes and (b) annual financial reports (which I believe is preferable). Since the Clearinghouse has not received any copies of the annual financial reports, the Legislative Reference Library should therefore make copies of all existing reports and forward them to the Clearinghouse.
Organization Chart
Continue to use "A" as the archival code. The archival requirement is fulfilled by sending copies of the biennial budget requests to the Publications Clearinghouse of the Texas State Library, so long as those charts are published in them. The Remarks column in the agency's records retention schedule should state: "Occasionally included in Biennial Budget Request. The archival requirement will be met by sending a copy to the Publications Clearinghouse, Texas State Library."
Legislative Reference Library Personnel Manuals
Remove the "R" designation from the records retention schedule, since this series is not archival.
Photographs of Legislative Reference Library and Capitol
Remove the archival code of "A". If, however, the Legislative Reference Library ever intends to discard these images, the State Archives hopes that they will be offered to the State Archives.
Legislative Bill Files, 1973-present
Continue to use "A" as the archival code. Should the Legislative Reference Library ever decide to relinquish any portion of the bill files, the originals should be transferred to the State Archives.
Record Series Reviews
Record Series Review
Series Title: Budget Requests
Dates: 1972-[ongoing]
Agency: Legislative Reference Library
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional
Agency holdings: Biennial budget requests are in the agency's offices (0.2 cubic foot). These records are retained by the agency for six years after the passage of the Appropriations Act. Actual holdings are 1972-[ongoing] (for fiscal year 1974-[ongoing]).
Archival holdings: None at the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
The archival requirement for this series is supposed to be fulfilled by sending two copies to the Publications Clearinghouse, Texas State Library (13 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 3, Section 3.3(c)). The Clearinghouse holds only those copies dating 1976 (FY 1978/79), 1982-1984 (FY 1984/85 and 1986/87), and 1990 (FY 1992/93).
Description: This series consists of requests for legislative appropriations which the Legislative Reference Library has submitted each biennium to the Legislative Budget Board and other offices. The requests date from 1972- [ongoing]. The requests generally contain an administrator's statement of agency functions. The program objectives are listed, along with a description of each objective, a discussion of performance measures, statistics, efficiency measures, and expenses- -expended, current, and projected. Later requests also contain an organizational chart.
Purpose: These records are created 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 Legislative Reference Library serves as a source of nonpartisan, impartial research and information, assisting state legislators and their staff, state agency heads and their staff, and the general public in obtaining information on specific legislative problems and on other matters affecting the state. (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 324.007.)
Arrangement: Chronological
Access constraints: None
Use constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? None
Gaps? No biennial budget requests for 1969 through 1972 are held by the agency, the Archives, or the Clearinghouse.
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 Legislative Reference 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 and 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.
Series data from agency schedule:
Title: Budget Requests
Series item number: 1.1.004
Agency item number: 9
Archival code: A
Retention: AC + 6
Recommendation: Biennial budget requests provide evidence of the agency's fiscal performance and needs. The Legislative Reference Library's records 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, as the Remarks column in agency's records retention schedule indicates. However, major gaps exist in the holdings of the Publications Clearinghouse (budget requests made for fiscal years 1974-1977, 1980-1983, 1988-1991, and 1994-[ongoing]). I would urge the agency to forward to the Clearinghouse copies of any of these missing budget requests which they hold.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Annual Board Meeting Agendas
Dates: 1969-[ongoing]
Agency: Legislative Reference Library
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional (one page)
Agency holdings: Annual Legislative Reference Board meeting agenda are kept in a notebook in the director's office (fractional). These records are retained by the agency permanently. Actual holdings are 1969-[ongoing].
Archival holdings: None at the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: These records are the agenda of annual Legislative Library Board meetings, filed with the minutes and the annual financial reports. They date 1969-[ongoing].
Purpose: Agenda are created to announce the business to be addressed in the annual meeting of the Legislative Library Board.
Agency Program: The Legislative Reference Library serves as a source of nonpartisan, impartial research and information, assisting state legislators and their staff, state agency heads and their staff, and the general public in obtaining information on specific legislative problems and on other matters affecting the state. (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 324.007.)
The Legislative Library Board, which makes policy for the Legislative Reference Library, is composed of six members: four ex-officio members (the lieutenant governor, who serves as chair; the speaker of the house; the chair of the Senate Finance Committee; and the chair of the House Appropriations Committee); plus one state senator appointed by the lieutenant governor, and one state representative appointed by the speaker. The board appoints a director (annually until 1989, at the pleasure of the board since 1989). (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Sections 324.004 and 324.005.) Practically the only business which the board tends to at its annual meetings is the approval of the budget.
Arrangement: Reverse chronological order (filed with minutes)
Access Constraints: The Director says she does not allow inspection of the notebook except through Open Records Requests, since it contains line-item budgets including employees' salary figures.
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for, or an aid to access? None
Gaps? None
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 Legislative Reference Library, and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Series data from agency schedule:
Title: Annual Board Meeting Agendas
Series item number: 1.1.016
Agency item number: 12
Archival code: A
Retention: PM
Recommendation: Agenda for the meetings of the Legislative Reference Board are almost devoid of information, by the nature of these annual meetings. However, as agenda are created to document board meetings, they are always archival. The Legislative Reference Library should consolidate this series with the next one, Annual Board Meeting Minutes and Financial Reports, and should continue to use "A" as the archival code for the consolidated series.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Annual Board Meeting Minutes and Financial Reports
Dates: 1969-[ongoing]
Agency: Legislative Reference Library
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional (usually one page, rarely attachments)
Agency holdings: Annual Legislative Reference Board meeting minutes and financial reports are kept in a notebook in the director's office (0.25 cubic foot, in one notebook). These records are retained by the agency permanently. Actual holdings are 1969-[ongoing].
Archival holdings: None at the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Three copies of each annual financial report (100 day report) are required to be sent to the Publications Clearinghouse, Texas State Library (13 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 3, Section 3.3(b)). The Clearinghouse holds no copies, however.
Description: This series of records consists of the record copy of minutes of the annual meeting of the Legislative Library Board, which are extremely brief and summary, since meetings rarely last 20 minutes. They date 1969- [ongoing]. Business covered by these minutes includes appointment of the director (which is no longer an annual duty, since 1989), approval of the budget, approval of the Equal Employment Opportunity Plan, etc. Also filed with these minutes are agenda, annual financial reports, and line-item budgets.
Purpose: Minutes are created to document the actions of the board at their annual meetings, especially in regard to the budget.
Agency Program: The Legislative Reference Library serves as a source of nonpartisan, impartial research and information, assisting state legislators and their staff, state agency heads and their staff, and the general public in obtaining information on specific legislative problems and on other matters affecting the state. (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 324.007.)
The Legislative Library Board, which makes policy for the Legislative Reference Library, is composed of six members: four ex-officio members (the lieutenant governor, who serves as chair; the speaker of the house; the chair of the Senate Finance Committee; and the chair of the House Appropriations Committee); plus one state senator appointed by the lieutenant governor, and one state representative appointed by the speaker. The board appoints a director (annually until 1989, at the pleasure of the board since 1989). (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Sections 324.004 and 324.005.) Practically the only business which the board tends to at its annual meetings is the approval of the budget.
Arrangement: Reverse chronological order
Access Constraints: The Director says she does not allow inspection except through Open Records Requests, since it contains line- item budgets including employees' salary figures.
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for, or an aid to access? None
Gaps? None
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 Legislative Reference Library, and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Series data from agency schedule:
Title: Annual Board Meeting Minutes and Financial Reports
Series item number: 1.1.017
Agency item number: 13
Archival code: A
Retention: PM
Recommendation: Minutes for the meetings of the Legislative Reference Board are not very informative, because of the nature of these annual meetings. However, they are evidence of the board's functioning, and become more significant by the attachment of the annual financial reports. Therefore, the Legislative Reference Library should consolidate this series with the previous one, Annual Board Meeting Agendas, and should continue to use "A" as the archival code for the consolidated series. The consolidated series should be renamed "Annual Board Meeting Agenda and Minutes."
As the Remarks column of the records retention schedule indicates, "Agency of origin retains permanent Record Copy. The archival requirement will be met by sending a copy to the State Archives." Since the State Archives has never received copies of board meeting agenda and minutes, the Legislative Reference Library should make copies of all existing agenda and minutes, and transfer them to the Archives. Copies should then continue to be transferred annually in the future.
There is an apparent overlap here with another series on the agency's records retention schedule: agency item number 58, Annual Financial Reports (100 Day Report). This duplication should be corrected on the records retention schedule, by either eliminating annual financial reports as a separate series (which I do not recommend), or by maintaining two series: (a) annual board meeting agenda and minutes and (b) annual financial reports (which I believe is preferable).
Copies of annual financial reports are required to be sent to the Publications Clearinghouse of the Texas State Library, as the Remarks column correctly states. However, the Clearinghouse has not received any copies of this publication. The Legislative Reference Library should therefore make copies of all existing reports and forward them to the Clearinghouse.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Organization Chart
Dates: 1990
Agency: Legislative Reference Library
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional
Agency holdings: An organizational chart is included in the Biennial Budget Request for fiscal years 1992-1993 (fractional). The agency retains a copy of its biennial budget request in its offices for six years after the passage of the Appropriations Act. No organization charts have been found as loose sheets. These records are retained by the agency until superseded. Actual holdings are 1990, published in the Biennial Budget Request for fiscal years 1992-1993.
Archival holdings: None at the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
The archival requirement for this series should be fulfilled by sending two copies of the requests for legislative appropriations to the Publications Clearinghouse, Texas State Library (13 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 3, Section 3.3(c)). The Clearinghouse holds only one biennial budget request containing an organization chart, dating 1990 (for FY 1992 and 1993).
Description: These records consist of one chart showing the organizational structure of the Legislative Reference Library, dated 1990, included in the published requests for legislative appropriations for fiscal years 1992- 1993.
Purpose: The purpose of organizational charts is to indicate agency staff organization in a graphic format.
Agency Program: The Legislative Reference Library serves as a source of nonpartisan, impartial research and information, assisting state legislators and their staff, state agency heads and their staff, and the general public in obtaining information on specific legislative problems and on other matters affecting the state. (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 324.007.) The Legislative Reference Library has no separate divisions, and employs 12 full-time equivalent employees (including professional and clerical).
Arrangement: Chronological
Access constraints: None
Use constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? None
Gaps? No organization charts for 1969 through 1989, or for 1991 through the present, are held by the agency, the Archives, or the Clearinghouse.
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 Legislative Reference Library, and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Series data from agency schedule:
Title: Organization Chart
Series item number: 1.1.023
Agency item number: 15
Archival code: A
Retention: US
Recommendation: Organizational charts assist in understanding the basic structure of an agency. The Legislative Reference Library's records retention schedule should continue to use "A" as the archival code. The archival requirement is fulfilled by sending copies of the biennial budget requests to the Publications Clearinghouse of the Texas State Library, so long as those charts might be published in them. The Remarks column in agency's records retention schedule should state: "Occasionally included in Biennial Budget Request. The archival requirement will be met by sending a copy to the Publications Clearinghouse, Texas State Library."
Record Series Review
Series Title: Legislative Reference Library Personnel Manuals
Dates: 1988-[ongoing]
Agency: Legislative Reference Library
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional
Agency holdings: Legislative Reference Library personnel manuals are kept in agency offices (fractional: three manuals). These records are kept by the agency until superseded. Actual holdings are 1988-[ongoing].
Archival holdings: None at the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: These records consist of the personnel manual which was first created in August 1988 for Legislative Reference Library staff, superseded by employee manuals of January 1992 and April 1994. Each outlines the personnel policies, benefits, leave, and payroll policies which apply to employees of the library. The two revisions also contain brief statements of library organization.
Purpose: Personnel manuals are created to inform library employees of the agency's policies concerning their employment, for example absence from the office during working hours, fraternization with persons interested in influencing legislation, evaluations, sexual harassment, benefits, leave, payroll deductions, etc.
Agency Program: The Legislative Reference Library serves as a source of nonpartisan, impartial research and information, assisting state legislators and their staff, state agency heads and their staff, and the general public in obtaining information on specific legislative problems and on other matters affecting the state. To achieve this purpose, "the director, with the approval of the board, may employ professional and clerical personnel." (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Sections 324.006 and 324.007.)
Arrangement: Chronological
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for, or an aid to access? None
Gaps? The agency produced no personnel manuals prior to 1988.
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 Legislative Reference Library, and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Series data from agency schedule:
Title: Legislative Reference Library Personnel Manuals
Series item number: 1.1.025
Agency item number: 16
Archival code: R
Retention: US
Recommendation: These personnel manuals do not outline policies or procedures which are unique to the Legislative Reference Library. They deal with routine office policies and procedures. The Legislative Reference Library should remove the "R" designation from their records retention schedule.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Photographs of Legislative Reference Library and Capitol
Dates: 1970-[ongoing]
Agency: Legislative Reference Library
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional
Agency holdings: Photographs of Legislative Reference Library and Capitol are kept in a file in the agency's offices (fractional: less than 100 images). The records are kept by the agency until their purpose has been served. Actual holdings are 1970-[ongoing].
Archival holdings: One copy photo of the Goddess of Liberty (AC 1989/90- 1).
Description: This series consists of photographs (mostly copy photos and prints) of historical interest depicting the Legislative Reference Library and the Capitol, dating approximately 1970-[ongoing]. Some were provided by Bill Malone. The Director asserts that no original photos of any true value are present.
Purpose: Photos are collected by the library to aid in historical research regarding the Legislative Reference Library and the Capitol. The Capitol Preservation Board in particular has used them and has made numerous copies.
Agency Program: The Legislative Reference Library serves as a source of nonpartisan, impartial research and information, assisting state legislators and their staff, state agency heads and their staff, and the general public in obtaining information on specific legislative problems and on other matters affecting the state. (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 324.007.)
Arrangement: Unknown
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for, or an aid to access? None
Gaps? The agency holds no photographs prior to 1970.
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 Legislative Reference Library, and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Series data from agency schedule:
Title: Photographs of Legislative Reference Library and Capitol
Series item number: ---
Agency item number: 75
Archival code: A
Retention: PS
Recommendation: The Director of the Legislative Reference Library asserts that the photographs in this series are neither original nor unique to the Legislative Reference Library, and that they are probably duplicated in the holdings of the Texas State Archives. Therefore the archival code of "A" should be removed. If, however, the Legislative Reference Library ever intends to discard these images, the State Archives would like the opportunity to review the images and accession those which may not be present in our holdings.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Legislative Bill Files, 1973-present
Dates: 1973-[ongoing]
Agency: Legislative Reference Library
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: approximately 75 cubic feet per legislative session (10-11 five-drawer file cabinets)
Agency holdings: The original paper copies of legislative bill files, 1973-[ongoing] (900-1,000 cubic feet), are maintained in approximately 120 five-drawer file cabinets, in a secure area of the Legislative Reference Library, State Capitol Building. Public use copies of microfilm (1973- 1987) and optical disks (1987-[ongoing]) are in the reading room of the Library, and master copies of the microfilm are in off-site storage (Safesite). These records are kept by agency permanently. Actual holdings are 1973-[ongoing].
Archival holdings: Bill files and constitutional conventions, 1836-1972, 482 cubic feet
Description: These are the record copies of original legislative bill files (for House and Senate bills and resolutions) filed by each house of the State Legislature with the Legislative Reference Library, dating 1973-[ongoing]. These bill files contain the following types of documents: a copy of the original bill as introduced, copies of substitute bills if any, markup copies, committee reports (briefly stating the committee's recommendation), a bill analysis, fiscal note(s) from the Legislative Budget Board, the engrossed copy, the enrolled copy, and other documents (e.g., original lists of witnesses, committee voting reports, criminal justice policy impact statements, etc.). The blue back sheet traces the bill's history.
Purpose: Legislative bill files serve as the official record of the major activity of the state legislature, which is the introduction, debate, amendment, and passage or defeat of legislative bills and resolutions. Since the full text of legislation is printed in the General and Special Laws, bill files are primarily used by researchers to aid in legislative intent research, to determine what changes were made in a bill, and if possible why. These files are also the primary documentation for bills and resolutions which were introduced, but which did not become law.
Agency Program: From the beginning of its existence as an independent agency, the Legislative Reference Library has been the official repository of legislative documents. As stated in V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 324.008: "Disposition of Documents... (b) Each printed daily legislative journal, bill, resolution, or other legislative document shall be delivered daily to the library. (c) At the close of each legislative session, each daily legislative journal, bill, or resolution possessed by the senate or house sergeant at arms shall be delivered to the library to be disposed of at the discretion of the director." (Senate Bill 813, 69th Legislature, Regular Session, effective September 1, 1985. These provisions are not substantially changed from those of the enabling legislation, Senate Bill 263, 61st Legislature, Regular Session, effective September 1, 1969.)
Arrangement: Numerical, first by legislative session, then by bill number within each session.
Access Constraints: The public has assess to microfilm copies, 1973-1987 (microfilm masters are stored at Safesite, a private, off-site storage facility), or to optical disks, 1989- [ongoing]. The public normally is not allowed access to the hard copy originals; if such access is absolutely necessary, it occurs only under the personal supervision of Library staff. Certifications done by the Director are from the originals only.
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for, or an aid to access? The General and Special Laws (most easily), and also House and Senate Journals, provide the bill numbers if they are not known by the researcher.
Gaps? None. The State Archives holds all legislative bill files prior to 1973.
Problems: None, so long as the original hard copy is maintained. Optical disks are not a proven archival medium.
Known related records in other agencies: House and Senate Committee records usually contain bill files for committee use; the same is true for the records of many other state agencies.
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Legislative Reference Library, and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: General and Special Laws
Series data from agency schedule:
Title: Legislative Bill Files, 1973-present
Series item number: ---
Agency item number: 76
Archival code: A
Retention: PM
Recommendation: Legislative bill files are probably the most important series maintained by the Legislative Reference Library, crucial for legislative intent research. Therefore the Legislative Reference Library should continue to use "A" as the archival code for the series.
The law designates the Legislative Reference Library as the recipient of these and other legislative records. The files are carefully preserved and protected (both physically and in terms of their integrity), while allowing reasonable access to the members of the legislature and the general public through microfilm or optical disk. It should be noted that optical disks are not a proven archival medium; therefore hard copy should always be maintained.
Disposition of the files after the end of the legislative session is at the discretion of the director. Should the Legislative Reference Library ever decide to relinquish any portion of the bill files, the originals should be transferred to the State Archives.