Sec. 14.18.02.02. Definitions

A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.

B. Terms Defined.

(1) "Agency" means any office, department, board, commission or other separate unit of Maryland government, including the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, and all political subdivisions.

(2) "Appraisal" is the process of determining how long, in what format, and under what circumstances a record series ought to be preserved, based upon the information contained in the records inventory.

(3) "Archives" means the Maryland State Archives.

(4) "Custodian" means an officer or employee of the State or a political subdivision who, whether or not the officer or employee has physical custody and control of a public record, is responsible for keeping the public record.

(5) "Division" means the Records Management Division of the Department of General Services.

(6) "Non-permanent record" means a public record with temporary value which may be destroyed after the passage of a specified period of time.

(7) "Permanent record" means a public record which is considered by law, statute, rule, agency personnel or the State Archivist to have ongoing administrative, fiscal, legal, historical, or other archival value.

(8) "Publication" means any informational material developed by or for an agency for general public dissemination.

(9) Record.

(a) "Record" means any documentary material in any form created or received by an agency in connection with the transaction of public business; and

(b) "Record" includes:

(i) Written materials, email, books, photographs, photocopies, publications, forms, microfilms, tapes, computerized records, maps, drawings, and other materials in any format;

(ii) Data generated, stored, received, or communicated by electronic means for use by, or storage in, an information system or for transmission from one information system to another.

(10) "Records inventory" means a survey of all records series maintained by an agency resulting in a detailed itemized compilation of the records in the possession of the agency, and is the first step in preparing a records retention and disposition schedule.

(11) "Records officer" means any person or persons designated according to the provisions of this chapter whose responsibilities include the development and oversight of agency records management programs.

(12) "Record series" means a set of similar records maintained in any form or format.

(13) "Schedule" means a records retention and disposition schedule which is an official document listing and describing all records of an agency, and provides:

(a) For the permanent retention of records considered by statute or the Archivist to be of permanent value; and

(b) For the destruction of records that are not essential to agency operations after the lapse of a stated period of time.