As most of you know, the Library of Virginia maintains the official archives of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The state archives contains more than 91 million items documenting four centuries of Virginia history. We have been monitoring Senate Bill 818 and want to reassure researchers that safeguards exist through the state's records management program to preserve the vital information contained in wills. The Code of Virginia in the sections known as the Virginia Public Records Act gives the Library of Virginia authority to manage and direct records management for the Commonwealth of Virginia. This Code section governs the retention and disposition of the records of the circuit courts. As a result, circuit court clerks in Virginia are either keeping the original will or creating a facsimile of the original will. This is standard procedure. Senate Bill 818 would not change this. We will continue to work closely with the state's circuit court clerks on the requirements of our records management program to ensure that the invaluable information in these records is preserved, assuring researchers effective and efficient access. We are grateful for the concerns you have expressed and will continue to communicate and work with the Commonwealth's circuit court clerks on this matter. As the official state repositoty we are committed to the preservation of the documentary hertiage of Virginia and do not believe Senate Bill 818 as currently written threatens that mission. ************ Conley L. Edwards State Archivist The Library of Virginia 800 East Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-692-3554 [log in to unmask] ************ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html