Basic Records Management

Records Management 101
The Basics
Archival and Records
Management Services Division

What is a Record?
"Public record" or "record" means recorded information that
documents a transaction or activity by or with any public
officer, agency or employee of an agency. Regardless of
physical form or characteristic, the recorded information is a
public record if it is produced, collected, received or
retained in pursuance of law or in connection with the
transaction of public business. The medium upon which
such information is recorded has no bearing on the
determination of whether the recording is a public record.
Code of Virginia, Title 42.1 Chapter 7
Virginia Public Records Act

What is a record REALLY?
A RECORD:
 Documents a transaction or activity
 Includes all mediums regardless of physical form
or characteristic
 And is considered a public record if it is produced,
collected, received or retained in pursuance of law
or in connection with the transaction of public
business

Vital Records . . .
Vital Records are those records essential to the
operation of the organization and/or resumption of
operations following a disaster. These are records
that you must have to stay in business, such as
accounts receivable, patents, current patient files, or
payroll records.

What is not a record?
 Reference materials:
 reference texts, magazine and newspaper articles, textbooks,
presentation handouts, extra copies of official records, etc.
 Administrative and personal correspondence/e-mail:
 meeting times, lunch dates, staff association memos, FYI
memos, spam, etc.
 Personal materials:
 errand lists, bills, checkbooks, personal letters and/or photos,
etc.
 Stationary, blank forms, and publications for distribution
 Copies of policy and procedure manuals

The Commonwealth
 Minimize litigation risks
 Ensure federal, state,
and regulatory compliance
 Safeguard vital information

The Agency
 Ensure business
continuity
 Support decision
making
 Preserve the
corporate memory

The Employees
 Control the growth
of records
 Improve efficiency
and productivity
 Integrate new Records Management
technologies

Records management is…
Providing the right information
At the right time
To the right people
Effectively & efficiently
At the
lowest possible cost.

http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwedo/records/sched_local/index.htm

1. “Destroy in compliance with No. 8 on the
schedule cover page.”
2. If your records do not fall into any series on
any General Schedule it can not be destroyed.
3. Format does not matter. Content does.
4. Retention periods are not suggestions.
Important Things to Know

Code of Virginia §42.1-86.1
IMPORTANT CHANGE TO THE
VIRGINIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT
“C. Each agency shall ensure that records created after July 1, 2006
and authorized to be destroyed or discarded in accordance with
subsection A, are destroyed or discarded in a timely manner in
accordance with the provisions of this chapter; provided, however,
such records that contain identifying information as defined in
clauses (iii) through (ix), or clause (xii) of subsection C of §18.2-
186.3 shall be destroyed within six months of the expiration of the
records retention period.”
What does destruction of records in a “timely manner” mean?
The Library of Virginia interprets “timely manner” to mean that
records scheduled for destruction will be destroyed no later than the
end of the year (calendar or fiscal) in which the retention period
expires.

Records Destruction Procedure
 Identify what is to be destroyed and how by using retention
schedule
 Fill out RM-3 – Interactive form at
www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwedo/records/forms/rm3ia.pdf
 Obtain Designated Official and Records Officer signature
 When records HAVE BEEN DESTROYED obtain signature
of the individual who destroyed the records or witnessed the
destruction.
 Send form with ALL original signatures to the Library of
Virginia

Email is not a record series
Email is a format, not a record series. Asking
how to file an email is the same as asking
how to file a piece of paper.
The content determines the
disposition.

Basic information
 Public school employees are responsible for managing e-
mails, including messages sent and received.
 You are responsible for all e-mails you send. Your function
within the school system defines whether you keep e-mails
you receive.
 Requests from the public for e-mail records, including FOIA
requests, must be honored in the same manner as other
public records.
 E-mail records must remain accessible during their entire
retention period and should be maintained in such a manner
as to permit easy access and timely retrieval.

Organizing E-mails
 Organize e-mail in folders by records series
or subject area and fiscal or calendar year.
 Establish agency- or division-wide filing
structures.
 “AutoArchiving” within Outlook is not
recommended.
 Archive manually and frequently.

Specify Retention
within Folder
Properties

Printing E-mail
 Names and e-mail addresses of recipients
 If an e-mail is sent to a distribution list, include names
and addresses of all members of distribution list)
 Name and e-mail address of sender
 Time and date sent
 Subject line that describes the content of the e-mail
 Text
 Attachments, if applicable

Top Five Tips for E-mail Use
5) Official “signature”
4) Proofread
3) Retain final e-mail
2) Useful subject line

Top Five Tips for E-mail Use
1) Do not put anything in an e-mail message
that you would not want to see printed in
tomorrow’s newspaper or displayed on a
bulletin board. When sensitive issues need to
be discussed, a face-to-face conversation or
telephone call may be a better
communication choice than e-mail.

The Library of Virginia can help
The Records Analysis Section provides you, our client, the
following support:
 consult in developing and implementing a records
management program
 consult in developing, updating, and modifying records
series and schedules
 provide training on policies and procedures
 assist with disaster planning and recovery

State Records Center
 storage for inactive non-permanent records (paper,
microfilm, and digital media) in a climate controlled facility
with secure, controlled access
 pick-up services for storage and shredding within 150 miles
of the SRC
 confidential shredding of records – paper, microfilm, and
electronic
 degaussing of hard drives
 assist with disaster recovery

State Laws and Regulations
 Virginia Public Records Act (VPRA) [Code of Virginia
§ 42.1-76 et. seq.]
 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) [Code of Virginia
§ 2.2-3700 et. seq.]
 Government Data Collection and Dissemination
Practices Act
[Code of Virginia § 2.2-3800 et. Seq]
 Copies of Originals as Evidence
[Code of Virginia § 8.01-391]

Archives and Records Management
Services Division
800 E. Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Phone: 804-692-3600
Fax: 804-692-3603
Or search our website at:
http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwedo/records/index.htm

Basic Records Management

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