Pg. 9 of 10 - Disposition & Destruction

SCAN-ON-DEMAND Links to an external site.

  • Scan-On-Demand is a new service that allows government agencies to receive a scanned image of records they need to recall from the Records Center, rather than the paper copy.

How the process works

  1. When you recall a record via the Records Center Recall form Links to an external site., add a note in the “special instructions” box that you want the record sent electronically.
  2. Records Center staff pulls the file and determines if it can be scanned and sent electronically.
  3. Scanned images are sent within 24 business hours using either an encrypted email or a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) server.
  4. If the recalled file is over 100 pages in length, over 150 MB when imaged, or if it contains any court-sealed documents, bound books, or other record formats deemed to be unscannable, the Records Center notifies the agency and makes other arrangements for transfer.

TRANSFER RECORDS AS NECESSARY Links to an external site.

    • If you choose to send records to off-site storage because they are inactive (used less than once a month) but their retention has not yet been met, you may send them to the State Records Center. The State Records Center, located in Clearfield, Utah, is a secure storage facility for records that are still in the custody of the creating governmental agency. Records can be stored at the State Records Center at no cost to your agency. Although the records are stored off-site at the State Records Center, the creating agency still has the responsibility to maintain them; records officers can recall records as needed and are responsible for providing access to the records. When transferring records of historical value that have met their retention, you will send them to the State Archives, which is located in downtown Salt Lake City, just south of the Rio Grande building. The custody of records stored there is held by the Utah Division of Archives and Records Service.

DESTROY RECORDS Links to an external site.

An essential part of implementing a records retention program is destroying all records, regardless of format, that have a disposition of destroy when their retention has been met. The retentions stated on retention schedules do not only indicate the minimum amount of time that a record should be kept, they also indicate the point at which a record should be disposed of. If the schedule says “Retain 3 years and then destroy,” then the records should be destroyed after three years.

TIPS for managing the destruction of records:

  • Establish a routine for destroying records (according to an approved retention schedule) as part of your normal course of business.
  • Be clear about who is responsible for the destruction of each copy of the record, and how and when the records will be destroyed.
  • Document the disposal of records, citing the retention schedule which authorized disposal, the date, and the names of persons who disposed of the records. A destruction log can prove invaluable if your records become part of an audit or litigation, but may also simplify the process of responding to GRAMA requests by clarifying whether or not you possess the requested record. A model destruction log Links to an external site. can be found on the archives website.

All copies of a record should be destroyed at the same time as the record copy (if it was not done sooner). Since records are state property, a records officer may NOT transfer custody to the private sector in lieu of disposing of them. It is important that record information be destroyed in a way that prevents it from being pieced back together. Electronic record information should also be destroyed in a way that precludes retrieval. Consult with your IT department to determine the best process for your agency.

There are situations wherein it is necessary to suspend destruction of a particular record:

  • When records are involved in an ongoing investigation, organizations are required to preserve records related to the potential case, including electronic records such as email.
  • When there is a reasonable expectation that records will be required for possible litigation.
  • If the agency receives a Litigation Hold Notice: a written directive advising custodians of certain records that they must not destroy evidence that may be relevant to future litigation.
  • If there is a pending GRAMA request for a record when the retention period ends, then destruction of the record should be suspended until the GRAMA request has been fully addressed (including appeals).
  • If the record is being used in an audit when the retention period ends, then destruction of the record should be suspended until the audit is complete.
  • If there are concerns about the scheduled retention, if it seems incorrect. In this scenario, the records officer needs to contact a RIM specialist at the Utah State Archives in order to discuss his/her concerns. The RIM specialist can investigate the reasoning behind the original appraisal and scheduled retention of the records, and, as needed, work with the records officer to get a more appropriate retention approved.

Pulverize Records