The Division handles different types of records. It is mainly responsible for handling older records – some of the documents date from the 9th century. In certain cases, the Division also considers present-day records. It is responsible for the archival records of the highest state and autonomous authorities that operated until 1918 and of part of the justice system (state prosecutors’ offices until 1945), the most important archival collections (charters, manorial records, etc.), and, recently, the records created by Slovenians abroad, along with a register of public symbols, coats-of-arms, flags, seals, and rubber and other stamps at the state level.

Working with the oldest archival records requires a good knowledge and understanding of archival theory and of certain fields of history, particularly the development of administrative and judicial authorities in our territory since the Middle Ages, legal history, the development of legislation on archives, the tasks and internal organisation of entities governed by public law in the areas of administration, justice, the economy, and so forth, both in the past and today. Such work is highly demanding, all the more so since almost all of the archival records created up to 1918 are written in German (and, to a smaller extent, in Latin, Italian, French, etc.). The professional processing of archival records dating from the period from the High Middle Ages to the end of the 19th century is particularly demanding. This is due to the development of script and difficulties in understanding the language (Latin and German) of that time.

The Division is responsible for the professional processing of archival records and promotes their use in the reading room of the Archives and, since a considerable portion of the archival records has been digitalised, increasingly often online.