The Archives
and Records Management Section provide secure storage for
inactive records i.e.records which are no longer in use in UN
offices on a day to day basis but which still need to be retained.
UN offices can retrieve the records which they have transferred to ARMS by using the ARMS retrieval services. They can also make arrangements to authorize non-staff members (for example consultants) to consult the records for which they are the originating office.
For retrieval purposes archival records are managed differently
from inactive records. These are records which are no longer
needed by the office of origin and have been scheduled for archival
retention for their long term values to the United Nations and
the world at large. For archival reference you can search the
Archives database or
e-mail your request to arms@un.org.
Records Storage
The Archives and Records Management
Section has two storage facilities; a research centre at
Headquarters for archival records and a records storage facility
or records centre in Queens, New York City.
The ARMS Records Centre
The ARMS Records Centre provides secondary storage for United Nations offices based in New York, as well as offices away from Headquarters and peacekeeping missions. The Records Centre is a secure, modern and centralised records centre, providing economically for the special storage requirements of records, their retrieval and disposition.
Concrete and steel are the prime building materials of the Records Centre. All records are stored on metal shelving. There is full electronic surveillance, sprinkler/gas fire prevention and a landline to the local fire station. The Records Centre also provides a climate-controlled environment.
For directions to the ARMS's facilities click
here.
Records Retrieval
The Archives and Records Management Section (ARMS) provides a file retrieval service and/or makes records available for consultation at its research facilities.
Authorized staff of United Nations offices can access eligible
inactive records in their custody. Eligible records include
those that are less than 20 years old as well as records which
are scheduled as semi-active records on a permanent basis. To
retrieve records from ARMS please send a completed Request
for Records - Form RMS.51(8.00) to the Archives
and Records Centre.
United Nations offices may authorize non-staff members (for
example, consultants) to gain access to records controlled by
the originating office. To arrange such authorization send a
completed Delegation
of Authority - Form P86 (8.00) to the Archives
and Records Centre.
Service commitment
ARMS will normally retrieve records within 2 days and deliver a small number of files via the internal mail service (or, for digitized records, by e-mail). Requests for larger volumes of records will take longer and may require on-site consultation at our Queens facility. In all cases staff will be in touch promptly to make more detailed arrangements as necessary. Please do not hesitate to contact ARMS staff if there seems to be a problem.
Please note that United Nations offices must return retrieved files within 30 days after the date on which they receive them.