State Agency COVID-19 Records

We encourage state agencies to proactively plan for preserving these records. Among the records that should be saved for future transfer to the Ohio History Connection State Archives are:

  • Press releases and other public information material
  • Social media posts (these could be captured as screenshots and saved as PDFs)
  • Agency website content on COVID-19, including revised or new procedures implemented for providing services to citizens
  • Communications and minutes of meetings with advisory boards and other partners
  • Email documenting new policies and procedures that were implemented due to COVID-19 (we recommend saving the email in a specific folder just for COVID-19 material)
  • Telework and social distancing plans for the agency
  • Plans for reopening to onsite staff and the public, including any new safety protocols implemented
  • Email and correspondence documenting the questions and feedback received from Ohio residents during this time
  • Reports detailing the impact on the agency, such as staffing and services to the public
  • Documentation, such as photos or social media posts, on any efforts made by employees to assist outside of work, such as donating medical supplies or to a food bank

These are just some examples, and your agency may have other records of historical value. We are happy to consult on the types of records and document formats (especially digital).

iamge

State Archives

Ohio History Connection 800 E. 17th Ave. Columbus, OH 43211-2474 Phone: 614.297.2536 FAX: 614.297.2546

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The Ohio History Connection State Archives is working to document how Ohio's state agencies are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The records created during this time will be critical in chronicling how state agencies protected the health of their staff and the public while continuing to provide services to the state's citizens, including launching new initiatives to assist Ohioans through the crisis.