The Office of Public Records is mandated by DC Law 6-19 and the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations, Title 1, Chapter 15, to review and approve agency records retention schedules; train records officers in implementing the policies, procedures, and guidelines of managing records; collect, store, preserve, conserve and service historical records in the custody of the Archives; collect, store and service temporary records in the custody of the Records Center; and collect, store and service publications in the custody of the Library of Government Information.
Public Records and Archive Services is managed and administered through the Office of Public Records and Archives.
Service Details:
Research Building Permits and Architectural Plans
Related Services:
Library of Government Information
Service Contact:
Office of Public Records, Administrator
Contact Email: archives@dc.gov
Contact Phone: (202) 671-1105
Contact Fax: (202) 727-6076
Contact TTY: 711
Office Hours: Monday to Friday 8:15 am to 4:45 pm
Service Location:
GIS Address:
1300 Naylor Court, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Office Hours
Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm
Connect With Us
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 419, Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 727-6306
Fax: (202) 727-3582
TTY: 711
Alternate Number: Notary: (202) 727-3117
Email: secretary@dc.gov
Ask the Secretary of the District of Columbia
Secretary of the District of Columbia
Office of Public Records Unpaid Student Internship Description
The Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia (OS) provides protocol, authentication, ceremonial, and public records management services on behalf of the Mayor and District government agencies. In addition to managing the District of Columbia’s Archives, commissioning all District of Columbia notaries public, and publishing the District of Columbia Register and the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations, the Office of the Secretary (OS) is responsible for maintaining official records of mayoral actions, receiving legal process for actions against the Mayor, preparing executive orders, proclamations, directives, and administrative issuances and acting as a liaison between the government and the diplomatic community.
The Office of Public Records (OPR) schedules, collects, stores, and manages records of the District government through the services of the District of Columbia Archives Records Center and the Library of Government Information. These repositories hold a wide array of documents that include administrative, architectural, engineering, fiscal, genealogical, historical, and legal records. The office also surveys, appraises, and schedules records; accessions into the Archives Records Center and Library of Information; services records and research records in the repositories; and disposes of records that have met the terms and conditions of the schedules.
The District of Columbia Archives holds historical and permanently valuable records of the DC Government such as birth and death records, wills, land records and marriage records. Historic records on file include the original wills of Alexander Graham Bell, Francis Scott Key, James Madison, Dolly Madison, Woodrow Wilson, Oliver Wendell Holmes and Frederick Douglass, and the birth certificate for Duke Ellington. Special projects include planning and implementation around Black History Month, Emancipation Day in the District of Columbia, research on historic DC residents of note for milestone events and support for the DC Compensated Emancipation Day Commemoration Commission and the Commission on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.
The successful candidate will provide direct support to the State Archivist/OPR Administrator of OPR. Duties will include but are not limited to assisting in administrative tasks like filing, record management, research, data entry, IT support, graphic support, archiving, accessioning, digitization, boxing, re-boxing, documenting processes, training development, document management, copying, mailing, writing, research, drafting memos, audio-visual support, photography, social media posting, and intradepartmental support as needed.
Archives Processing
Graduate-level students with a concentration in archives, public history, or related cultural heritage disciplines are invited to apply for a practicum or field study with the DC Archives within the Office of Public Records. The DC Archives holds valuable records documenting the history of the District of Columbia. During your practicum/field study, you will conduct processing activities on one or more of a number of previously accessioned collections with current research interest.
The activities you will be responsible for include:
Because of the level of interest in these records, you may have the opportunity to consult with researchers.
To apply, email your resume, a statement of interest, and a link to your school’s practicum or field study requirements to archives@dc.gov.
Undergraduate Unpaid Internship
Undergraduate students with an interest in history, architecture, public policy, librarianship, or archives are invited to apply for an internship with the Office of Public Records. Typical projects will include creating folder-level inventories of archival collections, supporting the capture of metadata and other aspects of the digitization process, managing the physical condition of mid-century building permits, and transcribing 18th and early 19th century handwritten records. All work must be done on-site during regular business hours with a minimum commitment of six hours a week.
To apply, email your resume and a statement of interest to archives@dc.gov.
Technical Requirements:
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams is necessary for this role.
• Zoom, WebEx and Adobe experience is helpful.
Other Requirements:
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Familiarity with Washington, DC, and the United States.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Superior organizational skills.
• Ability to carry out responsibilities independently while functioning as part of a team.
• Strong intercultural communication skills; maturity, cultural sensitivity, and tact suitable for working with all individuals.
• District resident, statehood awareness desired.
• Customer service orientation.
• Curious, willingness to learn.
• Solutions orientation is a must.
• History, archival, record management background or interest preferred.
• Hours are flexible, but interns generally work during normal business hours of 8:15 am to 4:45 pm Monday - Friday.