When may a damaged record with a permanent retention period be destroyed?

When may a damaged record with a permanent retention period be destroyed?

• A. They may be destroyed without authorization
• B. They may be destroyed only with authorization from the director and librarian of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission
• C. They may be destroyed if the records have permanent retention period and are digitized
• D. They may be destroyed after 30 years

Answer: (B)

Damaged records with a permanent retention period are treated as archival material with ongoing public value, so their disposal isn’t decided by the agency on its own. The appropriate disposal can occur only after formal authorization is given by the director and librarian of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. This requirement ensures that permanently retained records aren’t casually discarded and that a careful review is made to determine whether any archival value or alternative preservation (such as digitization or transfer) should be considered before destruction. Simply digitizing the record doesn’t by itself authorize destruction, and permanent records don’t have a built-in 30-year destruction timeline.

Damaged records with a permanent retention period are treated as archival material with ongoing public value, so their disposal isn’t decided by the agency on its own. The appropriate disposal can occur only after formal authorization is given by the director and librarian of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. This requirement ensures that permanently retained records aren’t casually discarded and that a careful review is made to determine whether any archival value or alternative preservation (such as digitization or transfer) should be considered before destruction. Simply digitizing the record doesn’t by itself authorize destruction, and permanent records don’t have a built-in 30-year destruction timeline.