The first survey of records in government ministries, departments and other quasi-government agencies was carried out in 1970. Due to the lack of space and pressing demands on the small staff needed to establish the historical side of the archives, the Records Management Programme was not implemented. However, ministries and departments were encouraged to list their records and suggest possible retention periods and destruction dates with a view to having these suggestions, with the proper approval and modifications, become mandatory implementations. There was much success in this area as many ministries and departments responded by submitting their lists and suggested retention periods and destruction dates.
While this effort was being carried out, there was much correspondence between the Department of Archives and the Ministry of Education, concerning the establishment of a Records Management Programme and a Records Centre. A second survey was conducted in May 1977 and, among other things, it was found that a Records Management course was needed to make government officers and clerks aware of proper records management procedures. A course was devised and coordinated by the Public Records Office. The Archivist and Assistant Archivist lectured to various levels of clerical officers. Today, courses in records management are offered in college and universities around the world. Locally, courses are offered through Continuing Education, The College of The Bahamas and the Public Service Commission Human Resources Division. A records management workshop for registry supervisors or their assistants was held at the Public Service Commission Human Resource Unit 10 - 12 May, 2000. A Professor from Florida International University was the lecturer.
In 1987 the Records Centre opened in the Cooper Building off Moss Road in Oakes Field. In May 1995 the records were re-located to three rooms at the Learning Resource Centre, Mackey Street and have since been removed to the new records centre at the main Archives building, with a storage capacity of 2,200 square feet. Services at this location will be fully automated. The Records Centre Management System will be used to define the hierarchy of locations (building - floor - room - bay - shelf).
