I. PURPOSE
This policy is intended to ensure the safekeeping of the Sacramento Public Library Authority's ("Authority") records with administrative, legal, fiscal, programmatic, or historical value, provide ease of access to Authority records by staff, ensure public access to Authority records in accordance with applicable law and provide the necessary guidance to ensure efficient and economical management methods to the creation, utilization, maintenance, retention, preservation and disposal of Authority records. Effective Records Management ensures that records are kept only as long as they have some administrative, fiscal, or legal value.
II. POLICY STATEMENT
a. Public Records include any writing containing information related to the conduct of the public's business prepared, owned, used or tetained by Authority, regardless of physical form or characteristics. Records kept by Authority employees because they are necessary or convenient to the discharge of the employees' duties also are public records. All records generated in the course of Authority business are the property of Authority, unless otherwise agreed to in a contract document.
b. Records must be maintained in accordance with the Authority's Records Management Schedule until their retention period expires, after which the records should be disposed of promptly and appropriately. Records can be maintained by administrative staff for time periods exceeding the retention period in the schedule only if the records are originals and still needed for reference. Such records should be disposed of as soon as possible to conserve storage space.
III. APPLICATION
This policy applies to all persons, including employees, consultants and contractors, who are responsible for the generation and/or maintenance of the Authority's records.
IV. GENERALLY
a. The Records Management Schedule attached to this policy assigns retention periods by record description to satisfy general business and legal requirements. Since no single time limitation governs all record-rentention issues, Retention Periods depend upon the nature of the document or transaction, as well as the applicable state and federal laws.
b. At least every two years, the Records Management Schedule will be reviewed and revised as needed. The Schedule will be circulated to the dpeartment directors for recommended changes and additions and reviewed by the General Counsel. Changes to must be approved by the Library Director and General Counsel.
c. Rentention Periods for records required for litigation, audit or environmental review must be suspended and the records maintained in their original condition and format until the matter is solved.
d. Duplicates of hard-copy reocrds may be destroyed at any time if it has been determined that at least one accurate and legible copy is maintained for the time period set forth in the Records Management Schedule.
V. RECORDS CONTAINING CONFIDENTIAL OR TRADE SECRET INFORMATION
Records created at or received by the Autority containing confidential or trade secret information must be marked as such and kept secure from third parties. Staff should take all necessary steps to ensure that such records are not copied or disclosed to third parties unless requried by law. Once a record is submitted to the Authority by a company or individual, it immediately becomes a public record unless that party has expressly designated the record or portion thereof as confidential, proprietary or trade secret.