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Many agencies operate libraries that provide information, research materials, and services to agency staff.  Agency libraries maintain collections, perform research, loan materials, borrow materials through interlibrary loan, and conduct database searches.  Some agency libraries provide library materials and services to clients, researchers, and patrons from the general public. 

Records Not Covered:  Records maintained by the State Library that document library operations or in connection with its missions of services to the public and of centralized support for agency library programs.

*90314  Interlibrary Loan Files 
Requests from patrons and requests from an agency library to borrow or photocopy materials from other libraries, receipts for materials, photocopy logs, accounting records, and circulation records.

Minimum Retention and Disposition:  Destroy 3 years after completion of transaction (i.e., receipt or issuance of photocopies or return of borrowed materials), except destroy records concerning duplication of materials protected under U. S. Copyright Law 5 years after order is completed.

Justification:  This retention period ensures that records of transactions will be available for reference, analysis, and planning.  This period will also meet any legal need to demonstrate compliance with U. S. Copyright Law (17 USC 507) which establishes a 5-year limitation on criminal actions for copyright violations.

Note:  Before disposing of these records, agencies must ensure that no legal actions have been initiated which might require access to them.  If a case-by-case review of files is impractical, the Office of the Attorney General advises retaining the records an additional 3 months beyond the minimum retention period.

90315  Catalogs of Holdings 
Manual and automated catalogs and lists of books, journals, reports, serials, and other published materials held in an agency library.

Minimum Retention and Disposition:  Destroy catalog record when associated material is permanently removed from the collection or after record is revised or superseded.

Justification:  Catalog records for specific items are not needed after the items have been removed from the library collection or after the record has been superseded.

*90316  Circulation and Use Records 
Logs, charge-out cards, and related records documenting the loan of library materials to patrons or use of materials by patrons in the library.

Minimum Retention and Disposition:  Destroy after patron completes use or returns borrowed item or after efforts to retrieve are abandoned.

Justification:  Circulation and use records have no legal or fiscal value after patrons complete use or return materials or agency abandons retrieval efforts. 

Note:  Agencies may wish to retain certain records, especially those showing loan or use of rare, valuable or restricted materials, for additional periods in the event of loss or damage to those materials which may not be detected until a later time.

90317  Reference Requests Records 
Call slips, requests for database searches, requests for research services, and related records created by patrons to request services such as database searches or retrieval of material from library stacks.

Minimum Retention and Disposition:  Destroy after completion of request.

Justification:  Reference request records are not needed after requests have been filled.

90318  Collection Acquisition Records 
Copies of purchase requests, orders, vouchers, receipts, invoices, and related correspondence documenting the acquisition of books, serials, database services, brochures, and other publications for a library collection.

Minimum Retention and Disposition:  Destroy when obsolete or superseded.

Justification:  These records have no legal or fiscal value because record copies of purchase records are retained by fiscal offices of agencies. 

90319  Serials Subscription Records 
Logs, card files, databases, and other records used by agency libraries to check in serials and to prompt or plan subscription renewals.

Minimum Retention and Disposition:  Destroy when obsolete or superseded.

Justification:  These records have no legal or fiscal value.

*90320  Library Subject and Correspondence Files 
Correspondence, reports, studies, surveys, copies of internal policies and procedures, articles, vendor materials, and related materials used to support library operations, arranged by subject, covering such topics as library methods, information services, library automation, relations with the New York State Library and other agency libraries, the American Library Association, and similar subjects.

Minimum Retention and Disposition:  Destroy when obsolete or superseded.

Justification:  These records have no legal or fiscal value.

Last updated
Wed, 2015-10-07 14:45