Who's behind the news?
Who's behind the news?
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Newsjunkie.net is a resource guide for journalists. We show who's behind the news, and provide tools to help navigate the modern business of information.
Use of Data
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The Arquivo Público do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (APERS) was founded by Decree No. 876 of 8 March 1906, issued by state president Antônio Augusto Borges de Medeiros. The founding mandate directed the institution to acquire and systematically conserve all documents relating to legislation, administration, history, geography, arts, and industry of Rio Grande do Sul. The archive began operating just seven days after its legal creation. Construction of the first dedicated building began in 1910 to a design by French architect Maurice Gras and was completed in 1912; subsequent wings were added in 1919 and between 1948 and 1950 to accommodate the growing collection.
The archive has been affiliated with various state secretariats over its history and is currently a department linked to the Secretaria de Planejamento, Governança e Gestão (SPGG). Its permanent building complex of three pavilions, located at Rua Riachuelo 1031 in central Porto Alegre, is historically significant in its own right.
APERS holds documentary funds from the state executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as well as civil registration and notarial records. Executive branch records date from 1884 to the present. Judicial holdings span from 1763 to 1980, comprising court records from Rio Grande do Sul's earliest comarcas (judicial districts), created in 1833. Civil registration and notarial records are a particular strength of the archive: these have been extensively digitised in collaboration with FamilySearch, making them available to genealogical researchers worldwide. Legislative records cover proposals for the creation, incorporation, merger, and reorganisation of municipalities from 1953 to 1995.
The archive also serves as the managing organ of the Sistema de Arquivos do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (SIARQ/RS), created in 1989 to advise public bodies on document management standards throughout the state.
APERS is open Monday through Saturday at the Pop Center access point, with full services available at the Rua Riachuelo address. Guided visits are offered for educational groups. The archive provides online search tools for its catalogued holdings. Enquiries about access to specific funds can be directed to the reading room team.