As the keeper of Utah’s permanent government records, we at the Utah State Archives and Records Service keep tabs on the ongoing shuffle of offices and agencies within government that takes place on an annual basis. Knowing the structure of government is critical to providing effective records management services, while also holding together the story of who created permanent records and why they were doing so. This year is providing a unique opportunity for this routine work, as our parent Department undergoes a major change!
Where We Were
The Utah State Archives and Records Service began as an office within the Division of State History, before being moved out as an independent division in 1969. In 1981, the Utah Legislature passed the Administrative Services Act, which consolidated divisions that provide direct support to government agencies within the Department of Administrative Services. This has been our home alongside our sister divisions that include Purchasing, Finance, Fleet Services, Facilities and Construction Management, Risk Management and Administrative Rules.
Where We Are Going
During the 2021 Utah Legislative Session, Senate Bill 181 was passed, leading to a major restructuring of Utah’s government services. Effective July 01, 2021 the Department of Administrative Services will become the Department of Government Operations. In addition to the name change, two new divisions will join our ranks: the Division of Human Resource Management and the Division of Technology Services. This realignment will streamline the services our Department offers to governmental entities, and open opportunities for collaboration between divisions that will improve the Utah government experience for both government workers and Utah’s citizens.
What We Do
We at the Utah State Archives and Records Service are very excited for this change and the doors it will open as we continue to work towards fulfilling our mission of getting the right records to the right people at the right time. With Technology Services as a sister division in our department we look forward to engaging them as a collaborative partner in figuring out the complexities around electronic records management and preservation. With Human Resource Management on board we are excited at the opportunities to collaborate and work on furthering employee engagement and advancing employee understanding of how government records are created, managed, and accessed. We remain a unique division within our department as we also continue to engage directly with the public and pursue the goals within our Strategic Plan that focus on:
- Meeting our users where they are
- Modernizing our methods
- Acting as the professional leader for Utah
- Building our future through our people
It is an exciting new day in government, and we are excited at the opportunities that lie ahead as a contributing teammate within the new Utah Department of Government Operations!