Overview
The State Electronic Records Institute (SERI) - originally launched in 2011 as the State Electronic Records Initiative - is the Council of State Archivists’ comprehensive, long-term program dedicated to strengthening the management and preservation of electronic government records in all 56 states, territories, and the District of Columbia. In 2024, CoSA formally transitioned the program name to the State Electronic Records Institute, reflecting the program’s growth from a time-limited initiative into an established, enduring institute that provides ongoing education, community engagement, and national leadership in electronic records stewardship.
As government operations increasingly rely on digital information, the volume, complexity, and importance of electronic records continue to grow. These materials include emails, databases, audiovisual content, websites, social media, digital documents, and countless other forms of born-digital and digitized information. They document public rights, legal decisions, accountability, cultural identity, and the essential functions of government.
However, electronic records face significant and ongoing risks: rapidly changing technologies, storage fragility, lack of standardized practices across agencies, and the need for active monitoring and preservation. Without coordinated strategies, these records can quickly become inaccessible or lost.
SERI exists to meet these challenges head-on. Through nationwide training, shared standards, collaborative communities, and strategic advocacy, SERI empowers state and territorial archives to develop resilient, scalable, and sustainable electronic records programs. The Institute brings together archivists, records managers, technologists, and policymakers to address both the technical and strategic dimensions of digital preservation - from file formats and metadata standards to enterprise infrastructure, digital continuity, and long-term access.
More than a program, SERI is a community of practice and a catalyst for innovation, helping archives build capacity, share expertise, and advance collective solutions to the complex challenges of electronic records management. Through its education initiatives, affinity groups, guidance documents, and collaborative projects, SERI ensures that every state and territory has the tools and support needed to safeguard the digital public record for generations to come.
Thank You to Our SERI Sponsor!
Electronic Records Affinity Groups
Why SERI Matters
As state agencies and governments rely more on born-digital records - emails, databases, documents, digital assets - the volume and complexity of records are growing rapidly. Without deliberate, strategic approaches, electronic records risk becoming inaccessible due to format obsolescence, storage failures, or lack of consistent management.
Unlike paper or other physical media, digital records don’t automatically remain readable over time. They need ongoing planning, migration, and preservation workflows (including regular refreshes, format monitoring, metadata practices, and secure storage) to ensure long-term usability, authenticity, and access.
Electronic records are often the official documentation of government actions, decisions, public services, and citizen interactions. Losing or mismanaging these records can undermine transparency, legal compliance, institutional memory, and historical record-keeping for future generations.
Many state and territorial archives lack the resources, staff, or technological infrastructure to independently develop robust electronic records programs. SERI helps bridge that gap by offering education, guidance, community support, and shared tools.
SERI Programs & Services
Workshops, webinars, and training series to build professional capacity for electronic records management.
Affinity groups and user-groups (e.g., “Archivists Who Code,” “Preservica Users Group,” “APPX Users Group”) to foster peer learning, share experiences, and coordinate work across states.
A participatory, attendee-driven virtual gathering where participants discuss challenges and strategies around electronic records (e.g. records lifecycle, privacy, new technologies, advocacy).
Visit the STEER Unconference webpage for more information.
Raising awareness about the importance of preserving electronic records among government agencies, policymakers, and stakeholders. This includes observances such as Electronic Records Day.
Visit the Advocacy webpage for more information about CoSA's Advocacy efforts.
Providing documents, frameworks, recommendations, and resources for archives to implement sound electronic records management and digital preservation plans.
Visit the Resource Center webpage for access to available resources.