avlagrats

Avlagrats is a term used in archival practice and records management to denote materials that have been withdrawn from active use and placed in long-term storage within an archive. The term is derived from the Swedish verb avlagra, meaning to store away or to archive. In practice, avlagrats can describe both physical records and digital objects that have been designated for preservation beyond day-to-day operations.

Usage and scope vary by organization, but avlagrats typically applies to items identified as no longer needed for current workflows while still requiring retention for accountability, legal compliance, historical value, or administrative purposes. Retention schedules, privacy concerns, regulatory requirements, and perceived historical significance guide decisions to designate items as avlagrats.

Process and management often involve appraisal, selection, and transfer to archival storage. Activities may include cleaning or stabilizing materials, creating or updating metadata and finding aids, and ensuring proper cataloging. For digital items, preservation actions such as format migration, checksum verification, and refreshment of storage media are common. Access to avlagrats is usually restricted or mediated through catalogs, with arrangements for authorized researchers or designated personnel.

Significance lies in reducing the volume of active data, improving information governance, and ensuring long-term preservation and accessibility of materials that retain historical, legal, or administrative value. Terminology and practices surrounding avlagrats can vary between institutions and countries; some organizations use alternative terms such as archived, retained, or deactivated records.

See also: Archival science, records management, retention schedules, deaccessioning, long-term preservation.