Scope and Content: Under the direction of the state archivist, the Massachusetts Archives is responsible for securing, preserving, and managing noncurrent records of the Commonwealth determined to possess archival value.  The state secretary’s responsibility for such records, grounded in the Constitution (1780), was not specifically delegated until 1897, when the third clerk of the secretary’s office was designated as chief of the Archives Division (St 1897, c 351).  Series reflects administration of the secretary’s archival function chiefly after the establishment of the division and until provision for the professional post of Archivist of the Commonwealth (St 1962, c 18).
Arrangement: Arranged within each sequence chronologically
Notes: Chiefly derived from former series: Administrative files, 1846-1983 ((M-Ar)168), in turn derived from the state secretary’s: Miscellaneous collection, box 44
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Scope and Content: Under the direction of the state archivist, the Massachusetts Archives is responsible for securing, preserving, and managing noncurrent records of the Commonwealth determined to possess archival value.  The state secretary’s responsibility for such records, grounded in the Constitution (1780), was not specifically delegated until 1897, when the third clerk of the secretary’s office was designated as chief of the Archives Division (St 1897, c 351).  Series documents discussion in the public press of the mission, operations, and holdings of the Massachusetts Archives, and display of such holdings at the Commonwealth Museum; also related issues regarding public records and archival materials throughout the Commonwealth.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: Under the direction of the state archivist, the Massachusetts Archives is responsible for securing, preserving, and managing noncurrent records of the Commonwealth determined to possess archival value.  In 1986 the Archives was relocated from the Massachusetts State House to a new facility in Dorchester, erected also to house the State Records Center and Commonwealth Museum.  Series was created to administer design, construction, and furnishing of and removal to the new facility.
Notes: Partly derived from: Blueprints and plans for the State Archives, 1958-1982 ((M-Ar)170X), now titled: State House Archives facility and renovation files, 1953-1986.
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Scope and Content: Under the direction of the state archivist, the Massachusetts Archives is responsible for securing, preserving, and managing noncurrent records of the Commonwealth determined to possess archival value.  In 1979 Franklin County records in the Greenfield, Massachusetts Area CETA (i.e. Comprehensive Training and Employment Act) subgrantee region.  The project was carried out in conjunction with the records management unit of the State Secretary’s Public Records Division, now under more specifically the administrative control of the state archivist.  Franklin County public records survey and inventory project files consist of the final project report and descriptive records inventories for the fourteen towns surveyed.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by town
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Scope and Content: Under the direction of the state archivist, the Massachusetts Archives is responsible for securing, preserving, and managing noncurrent records of the Commonwealth determined to possess archival value.  In 1974 the Massachusetts Archives initiated a state-wide historical documents inventory to gather information about manuscript and archival repositories and their holdings.  No publication of results was issued.  Instead the information was forwarded to the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHRPC) for database compilation and was used for publication of their Directory of archives and manuscript repositories in the United States (1978).  Survey files consist mainly of completed survey forms returned to the archives from repositories throughout the state that include detailed descriptions of the records held by the institution, including collection title, inclusive dates, formats, and volume of materials held.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by locality
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Scope and Content: Under the direction of the state archivist, the Massachusetts Archives is responsible for securing, preserving, and managing noncurrent records of the Commonwealth determined to possess archival value.  It also receives other documentation of Massachusetts history and culture from various sources including private donors, as assembled in this series.  Souvenir postcards include photographic views of urban/rural landscapes, building interiors/exteriors, and historical monuments throughout the state; also pictorial representations of historical events.
Arrangement: Arranged numerically by indexing code
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Scope and Content: Under the direction of the state archivist, the Massachusetts Archives is responsible for securing, preserving, and managing noncurrent records of the Commonwealth determined to possess archival value.  In 1981 the Massachusetts Archives received grant funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHRPC) to conduct a project to assess the state of historical records in Massachusetts.  The project led to the printing of a report: Historical records in Massachusetts–prospects, programs, and plans (1983).  Project files were gathered in the course of administering the grant.
Arrangement: Arranged by subject
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Scope and Content: Under the direction of the state archivist, the Massachusetts Archives is responsible for securing, preserving, and managing noncurrent records of the Commonwealth determined to possess archival value.  The state secretary’s responsibility for such records, grounded in the Constitution (1780), was not specifically delegated until 1897, when the third clerk of the secretary’s office was designated as chief of the Archives Division (St 1897, c 351).  Series reflects administration of the secretary’s archival function after further provision for the professional post of Archivist of the Commonwealth (St 1962, c 18). –See also: Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. Forms ((M-Ar)1406)
Arrangement: Arranged by type/publication title, thereunder chronologically
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Scope and Content: Under the direction of the state archivist, the Massachusetts Archives is responsible for securing, preserving, and managing noncurrent records of the Commonwealth determined to possess archival value. Since 1988, the reference staff has maintained a database of usage statistics compiled and summarized from weekly reports of patron use of the Archives (see: Weekly reference activity reports ((M-Ar)1109). The database is used to produce weekly, quarterly, or other reports summarizing activity in the Archives.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Arrangement: Arranged by executive or constitutional office, thereunder by division
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