National Archives and Records Administration

**Our Mission & Services** NARA's mission, however, reaches far beyond these two buildings to cover the entire lifecycle of records from creation to their ultimate use. [Learn More](https://www.archives.gov/about/info/mission.html) Archives locations in 17 states and the District of Columbia, from coast to coast, protect and provide public access to millions of records. In addition to assisting Federal agencies and the public with research and reference services, we deliver educational programs and public workshops to help Americans learn how to use archived records. Further, 16 [Federal Records Centers (FRC)](https://www.archives.gov/frc/) provide Federal agencies superior records storage, access, and disposition services through a national network of facilities. The [National Personnel Records Center](https://www.archives.gov/st-louis/) in St. Louis manages the records of millions of military veterans of the 20th century as well as former civilian Federal employees. The Federal Register is the daily gazette of the U.S. Government. Published daily, the [*Federal Register*](https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/the-federal-register/) is a record of Government proclamations, orders, and regulations, and Presidential and other public documents. The [Presidential libraries](https://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries) house papers, records, and other historical materials relating to all Presidents from Herbert Hoover on, their families, and their administrations. Not strictly libraries, these institutions combine museum exhibits and educational programs with original records open for research. NARA also runs a Government-wide [records management program](https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt) to identify records of permanent value, assure the timely disposal of temporary records, and provide agencies with guidance on managing their current records, and it assists non-Federal institutions through a grants program administered by the [National Historical Publications and Records Commission](https://www.archives.gov/nhprc/).