Which of the following is considered a government record?

The option referring to documents maintained in the course of official business is considered a government record because these documents are created or received as part of the administrative and operational functions of a government agency. Government records include any document, report, or correspondence that is produced in the course of fulfilling a public agency's duties. This encompasses a broad range of materials, such as meeting minutes, budgets, contracts, and reports, all of which serve to maintain transparency, accountability, and continuity in government operations.

In contrast, the other choices do not meet the criteria for being classified as government records. Informal notes between colleagues lack the formality and context of official documentation. Emails that are not saved to a file do not have the permanence typically associated with government records, and personal correspondence of employees falls outside the scope of official business, as it does not pertain to the functioning of the government agency. Thus, option B is the correct choice as it directly aligns with the definition and requirements for government records.