Vermont-Archives.org
Title
Vermont Secretary of State Office, Vermont State Archives Home Page
Description
Mission Statement
The State Archives Division of the Office of the Secretary of State preserves and keeps accessible state government records deemed by statute, records schedules or archival appraisal to have continuing value. The goal of the Archives is to provide evidence of key government transactions and to document the core functions and activities of government. Emphasis is placed on the acquisition and preservation of state government records generally, and executive, legislative, and election records in particular.
The Archives shall, to the extent practicable, cooperate with and assist state institutions, political subdivisions, and individuals engaged in archival management and historical research. The Archives may offer advice on questions associated with the statutory provisions governing access to public records. The primary statutory authority for the State Archives can be found in 3 V.S.A. §117 and in the broader requirements of Article VI, Chapter I of the Vermont Constitution for the accountability of the government officials to the public.
Background
The State Archives is an embodiment of the Secretary of State's constitutional role as the record keeper of the state. On October 23, 1779, a legislative committee, which had been appointed to "point out the office and duty" of the Secretary of State, enumerated the records to kept by the Secretary and stated his responsibility to "grant copies thereof...when requested."
