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What do I need to know?

Searching by responsible agency will help you to discover records held by Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) relating to an agency’s current or past business and operations, including records created by an agency’s predecessors.

You will need to know the name of the agency responsible for the records you are looking for. Enter the name in the search box below.

 

What is a responsible agency?

An agency is considered the “responsible agency” by PROV if it either:

  • Transferred the records to PROV, including records created by its predecessors e.g. City of Yarra is responsible for records held by PROV that were created by the council since its establishment in 1994 as well as records transferred to PROV that were created by its predecessors (former cities Fitzroy, Collingwood and Richmond).
  • Is the current government agency which conducts the function documented in the records e.g. the current Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is responsible for records created by its many predecessors – including Commissions, community service agencies, mental health and child welfare institutions.

Occasionally two agencies may be considered to be responsible for a records series concurrently.

 

How do I search?

Enter the name of the responsible agency whose records you wish to find. Searching by responsible agency should retrieve in one search, the records created by an agency’s predecessors.

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    What are in these records?

    Agencies may be responsible for various types of records in PROV custody.

     

    Notes when searching by responsible agency

    • The agency title must be known to PROV for it to be linked to records series.
    • Although PROV regularly updates responsible agency information for commonly retrieved series (usually after extensive machinery of government changes), not all 18,000+ records series are updated regularly. Records series on low retrieval are updated on request.
    • If you do not find the records you are expecting, consider searching by an agency’s previous title or whether a different agency may have previously been responsible for those records.
    • Users may wish to conduct a catalogue search by 'creating agency' in addition to using the search on this page to ensure that they receive the most complete results possible.

    Material in the Public Record Office Victoria archival collection contains words and descriptions that reflect attitudes and government policies at different times which may be insensitive and upsetting

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples should be aware the collection and website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.

    PROV provides advice to researchers wishing to access, publish or re-use records about Aboriginal Peoples

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