Records Retention Policy

2.1 RECORDS RETENTION POLICY

Mt. Sterling Public Library, like other public entities in the State of Ohio, must retain certain records from year to year. Although the Ohio Revised Code does not set guidelines for public libraries, the Board of Trustees of Mt Sterling Public Library adopts the following policy for record retention.

Records shall fall into two categories: Permanent and Non-Permanent. Retention of records may be any commercially viable media that provides an accurate reproduction of the record. The following list shows the retention period of specific records, which is compiled from recommendations from the Auditor of State’s Office and the Ohio Historical Society.

2.1.A. PERMANENT

Annual Financial Report to the Auditor of State

Annual report tho the State Library

Audit Reports from Auditor of State

Board of Trustees Minutes

Building Specifications and Plans

Historical Files

Library Statistics – Annual Report

Payroll Records

Payroll Tax Records

Ohio Public Employees Retirement System Reports

W-2 Forms

2.1.B. NON-PERMANENT

Non-Permanent	Retention Period
Accident Reports	5 years provided no pending action
Accounting Reports not specified	5 years provided audited
Accounts Payable Ledger	5 years provided audited
Administrative Policy and Procedure Files	One year after superseded
Amended Official Certificates	5 year provided audited
Annual Budget Resolutions	5 year provided audited
Annual Certificate of Estimated Resources	5 year provided audited
Annual Employee Absence Summary	4 years provide audited
Applications for Employment	Retain with personnel record if applicant employed; others 1 year
Appropriation Ledgers	5 year provided audited
Non-Permanent	Retention Period
Automated System Backups	3 months
Bank Deposit Receipts	Until audited
Bank Statements	4 years provided audited
Bids – Successful	15 years after completion of project
Bids – Unsuccessful	4 years after Letting of Contract provided audited
Board Agendas	1 year
Book Inventories	Maintained online; until superseded
Budget – Annual	10 years
Calendars, Scheduling Planners, Appointment Books	Until no further administrative use
Canceled Checks	4 years provided audited
Cash Journals	4 years provided audited
Cash Register Tapes	Until audited
Certificates of Total Amount From Sources Available for Expenditures	4 years provided audited
Check Registers	4 years provided audited
Committee Reports	1 year
Computer Booking Logs	Daily
Contracts and Leases	12 years after expiration
Deduction Authorizations	Until superseded or employment termination
Deferred Compensation Deduction Reports	5 years provided audited
Depository Agreements	4 years provided audited
Email and Voice Communications	Until no further administrative use
Employee Handbooks	Until superseded
Employee Request for Leave Forms	Until audited
Employee Schedules	Fiscal year plus two years
Encumbrance and Expenditure Journal	5 years provided audited
General Correspondence (Requests for information pertaining to interpretation and other miscellaneous inquiries; informative – does not attempt to influence policy. Including copies of outgoing correspondence maintained for reference purposes.)	2 years
Non-Permanent	Retention Period
Gift Donor Forms	3 years
I-9 Immigration Verification Forms (Retained separately from personnel files)	Three years after date of hire, or one year after termination of employment, whichever is later.
ILL Records	30 days, unless financial obligations
Insurance Policies/Bonds	Twelve years after expiration provided all claims have been settled
Inventories, except books	Until superseded
Investment Reports	4 years provided audited
Job Descriptions	Until superseded
Job postings/advertisements of job openings, promotions, training programs or opportunities for overtime	One year if no action pending
Levy Campaigns and Work Papers	Life of Levy plus 5 years
Levy Official Files	Life of Levy plus 5 years
Levy Files, Failed	3 years
Lost Book/Fine Files	Once paid removed from patron history
Patron Information	Permanent or three years after inactive
Personnel files	6 years after termination of employment
Postal Records (e.g. registered/certified/insured logs or receipts/postal meter documents)	2 years
Prevailing Wages Records	4 years provided audited
Purchase Orders	2 years provided audited
Quarterly Payroll Reports for State	5 years
Receipt Books	Until audited
Receipt Journals	5 years provided audited
Record Requests	2 years
Records Commission/Records Disposal documents	10 years
Software	Destroy when obsolete
Substantive Correspondence (Correspondence of the head and the executive staff of an agency dealing with significant aspects of the administration of the office. Includes information concerning agency policies, procedures, programs, fiscal and personnel matters.	Five years; file with related records if content requires longer retention; appraise for historical value
Non-Permanent	Retention Period
Time Sheets	4 years provided audited
Transient Materials/Correspondence (all informal and/or temporary messages and notes, including e-mail and voice mail messages, and all drafts used in the production of public records)	Discretionary; retain until no longer of administrative value
Unemployment Compensation Claims	4 years provided audited
Vehicle Maintenance Records	Until vehicle is sold
Video Monitoring	Minimum of 14 days, or until image capacity of the system is reached
Voucher with Invoice	5 years provided audited
W-4 Forms	Until superseded
Workers Compensation Claims	10 years after date of final payment