Public Records Requests What are public records? The Massachusetts General Laws define public records as “all books, papers, maps, photographs, recorded tapes, financial statements, statistical tabulations, or other documentary materials or data, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by any officer or employee” of any Massachusetts governmental entity, unless a specific exemption exists. For more information about the public records law, please see the Secretary of State’s publication, A Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law (PDF). All records are retained in accordance with state records retention regulations. The university adheres to the Statewide Records Retention Schedule and the MA State Colleges