Retention schedules set by the State Archivist and the Director of the Records Management Division in consultation with agencies, help determine retention and disposition schedules for all records. Decisions on the fate of records are based on the criteria of uniqueness, form, volume, enduring value and continuity. Records are valued and used by their creators and others because they provide for accountability and continuity. State, county and local government employees use historical information in the Archives for informed planning and decision making, and to support continuity, consistency and effectiveness in the operation of government. Records of activity provide evidence of rights and obligations and support the role of law enforcement agencies and the judiciary.
Records also support information reporting, audit, review and accountability mechanisms.
Users of archives include genealogists, film companies, lawyers, consultants, the business community, students and professors of history and writers. Citizens and businesses of Arizona search historical records, from marriage licenses to voter registrations to tax lists, to meet their personal and corporate information needs. The State Archives does not have a catalog. Materials are described in finding aids which have been produced systematically in recent years, but for most older holdings, the finding aids are confusing and difficult to use. Researchers must consult directly with an archivist in order to learn about the archives and to use its holdings.