Example 1

RG 33, Records of the Federal Extension Service, Farm Labor Program. Prisoner-of-war-program, 1943-46. 1 ft.

Arranged alphabetically by state.

Correspondence regarding the needs, placements, and status of prisoners of war employed in agriculture. The records reflect the relationship between the use of prisoner-of-war labor and migratory labor from Mexico and the Caribbean.

A . Intrinsic value criteria

  1. Example of physical form? No. These are records in the usual physical forms of mid-20th-century records.
  2. Aesthetic or artistic? No. These records are not visually interesting.
  3. Unique or curious physical features? No. There are no three-dimensional materials or unusual bindings, seals, papers, or inks.
  4. Age? No. These records are not unique in terms of age because there are many records from the World War II period, including records relating to POWs among the permanent holdings.
  5. Exhibit potential? Unlikely.
  6. Authenticity? No. There are no doubts as to the authenticity of the records and no suggestion of forgery or other record tampering. There is no problem of signature or handwriting identification.
  7. General public interest? No. Although the records reflect a significant issue in US history (i.e. the treatment of POWs in World War II) the records are not used frequently, no significant persons are named in the records, and no significant events are records.
  8. Legal basis of an agency or institution? No. These are records of implementation.
  9. Policy at high level of Government? No. These are operating level records.

CONCLUSION: this series of records does not have intrinsic value.

 

B. Are these records covered by a statute requiring retention in original physical form? No.

C. Can adequate copies be created? Yes. The records do not vary in size, there are no problems of scale or colour coding, and the ease of reference is not impaired by use of a reproduction. There is no privacy problem that would bar reproduction at this time.

CONCLUSION: the custodial unit can duplicate and request disposition of these records.