(June 2000)--To better serve congregations and presbyteries, the PHS is expanding its list of the records we accept on deposit. In addition to minutes, registers, property records, etc., we have added all records that have permanent value to those we will store for congregations in our temperature and humidity controlled vaults. These include photographs, newsletters, oral histories, and scrapbooks among other items. We continue to provide this service free of charge, and congregations may recall their records, for which they retain ownership, at any time. The PHS will also microfilm all records with permanent value at the subsidized cost of 20 cents per frame. The PHS encourages congregations to microfilm their records for security, access, and preservation reasons.
Congregations are reminded that the Book of Order (G-9.0406 and G-10.0300) give them three options for storing their records: housing them in their own facilities, depositing them with the PHS, or depositing them in a temperature and humidity controlled seminary library. The congregation retains ownership of the records in perpetuity and, should they dissolve, their presbytery assumes ownership. Should the congregation decide to house the records in a facility other than the three options listed above, they should be aware that they cannot transfer ownership of the records to that facility. We welcome inquiries about deposit and microfilming from all interested congregations.
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