On January 2, 1979, all records of the St. Louis court of criminal correction and those records in the possession of the clerk for criminal causes shall be transferred to the circuit clerk of the city of St. Louis. These records shall be kept and preserved by that clerk as a permanent part of the records of the circuit court of the city of St. Louis. The circuit clerk is authorized to issue certified copies of any of these records and his certificate of them shall have the same effect as if certified by a clerk of the original court.