1. The department shall operate a municipal archives, the head of which shall be a professional archivist. The archives shall perform the following functions:
a. develop and promulgate standards, procedures and techniques with regard to archives management;
b. make continuing surveys of existing records to determine the most suitable methods to be used for the creating, maintaining, storing and servicing of archival material;
c. preserve and receive all city records of historical, research, cultural or other important value;
d. appraise, accession, classify, arrange and make available for reference all records which come into the possession of the archives and
e. establish and maintain an archives depository for the storage, conservation, processing and servicing of records.
2. The department shall operate a municipal reference and research center, the head of which shall be a professional librarian. The center shall perform the following functions:
a. provide information and assistance to the mayor, the board of estimate, members of committees thereof and administrative officers of the city in connection with problems of municipal administration and proposed legislation;
b. provide legislative reference assistance to the council, its members and committees and maintain, in a legislative reference section, such records and papers as the council and city clerk may remand to its custody;
c. maintain facilities which shall be open to the public wherein, subject to such reasonable regulation as may be prescribed, all books, reports, documents and other materials shall be available for public inspection;
d. ensure that at least one copy of each report, document, study or publication of the city or any of its administrations, departments, boards or other agencies shall be available at the center at all times;
e. collect, compile and maintain data and information pertaining to the operation of the city as well as other municipalities, governmental bodies and public authorities and arrange for the exchange, sale, purchase and loan of information materials from and with legislative and research services, libraries and institutions in other municipalities, governmental bodies and public authorities; and
f. ensure that each report, document, study or publication that is electronically transmitted to the department of records and information services pursuant to section 1133 of the charter is made available to the public on or through the website of the department, or its successor's website, within ten business days of publication, issuance, release or transmittal to the council or mayor.
3. The department shall:
a. provide for the distribution of publications of the city, where such authority is not vested in another city agency, and issue at regular intervals, no less than quarterly, a bulletin describing its facilities and resources;
b. institute actions in replevin to recover any historical and/or other documents properly owned by, or originating from, the city of New York;
c. report annually by the thirtieth day of September to the mayor and city council on the powers and duties herein mentioned including, but not limited to, the cost of savings effectuated by the department during the preceding fiscal year. This report shall further include an evaluation of compliance with the requirements of subdivision a of section 1133 of the charter.
4. The department shall operate a municipal records management division, the head of which shall be a professional records manager. The center shall perform the following functions:
a. develop and promulgate standards, procedures and techniques in relation to records management;
b. make continuing surveys of operations relating to records and recommend improvements in current records management practices, including the use of space, equipment and materials employed in the creation, maintenance, storage and servicing of records;
c. establish standards for the preparation of schedules for the disposition of records, providing for the retention of records and archives of continuing value, and for the prompt and orderly disposal of records no longer possessing sufficient administrative, legal or fiscal value to warrant their further retention; and
d. establish, maintain and operate facilities for the storage, processing and servicing of records for all city agencies pending their deposit in the municipal archives or their disposition in any manner as may be authorized by law.
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Administrative Code Appendix A at L.L. 2003/011.