IARA County/Local Records Management - Copy of Record & Duplicates
Indiana Archives and Records Administration sent this bulletin at 10/12/2020 09:15 AM EDT
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Greetings Clerks and staff,
Do you have multiple copies of the same record? Ever wondered if you can toss or shred those extras? Today I want to talk about just that, how to distinguish your Record of Copy and the duplicates you can get rid of.
Copy of Record: Whichever version of the information your agency currently uses to fulfill the legal retention requirements for that type of information. (Sometimes known as the original)
Duplicate: A copy of the information in the same or another format. (Also known as a non-record)
When you're dealing with duplicates, whether they're in the same format as the original, or a different format, you'll need to determine which version is the Copy of Record, with all other versions being duplicates.
As long as the information is the same, you get to decide which version that is. The Copy of Record does not need to be the original. It doesn't even need to remain the same copy over the lifetime of the record: if you duplicate a paper record in microfilm format, you might decide that the microfilm is now the Copy of Record and destroy the paper originals. As long as the information is an authentic duplicate and the format and medium meet IARA standards (60 IAC 2 for microfilm, and OCPR Policy 20-02 for electronic records) then any version of the information can be the Copy of Record.
Destroying Duplicates/Non-Records:
The following items may be destroyed at any time, once they are no longer needed/useful for your agency:
- Copies of a public record that are NOT the Copy of Record
- Non-record materials*
(You do not need prior permission from IARA, nor do you need to notify anyone afterward. You don't need to fill out any forms or follow the other destruction procedures for public records because these things are not considered records.)
Duplicates of confidential materials are still confidential, though, and must be
destroyed in a confidential manner.
I hope this explanation of the Copy of Record and Duplicates is clear. I've also attached the County/Local Records Custodian Handbook, it's an tremendously helpful guidebook designed to help agencies in Indiana properly and legally care for the public records in their custody.
As always, let me know of any questions. Have a good week!
AMY CHRISTIANSEN JANICKI
Records Management Liaison
Indiana Archives and Records Administration
o: 812-929-3882
e: achristiansenjanicki@iara.in.gov |
a: 402 W Washington St, Room W472, Indianapolis, IN 46204
*See page 5 in the Indiana State Records Manager Handbook for the definition of a non-record.