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FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
What
is the difference between "active"
and "inactive" records?
"Active"
records are those records that require some
type of follow up action, or that are needed
in the office for reference purposes. Generally,
records are considered to be "active"
if they are accessed approximately three (3)
times per month.
"Inactive"
records are not needed in the office for reference
purposes, but have not yet satisfied their state
retention requirements. Generally, records are
considered to be "inactive" if they
are accessed less than three (3) times per month.
"Inactive" records should be transferred
to the Records Center for storage on an annual
basis.
Why
can't I just throw out inactive records?
Florida
Statutes 119 and 257, the Public Records Statutes
govern public records in the State of Florida.
The Public Records statutes provide for a State
Retention Schedule, which specifies how long
each record must be retained. An "inactive"
record may still be subject to a state retention
requirement, even though it is no longer required
for business purposes.
When
should records be microfilmed?
Microfilming
is recommended in order to ensure the preservation
of records that carry a permanent retention
requirement. In addition, vital records are
candidates for microfilming. "Vital
Records" are those records that document
county operations and are needed in order to
re-establish the legal and financial position
of Pinellas County in the event of a disaster.
The Records Management Microfilm Review Criteria
are as follows:
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Are the records being transferred public records
as defined in Chapter 119.011(1) of the Florida
Statutes?
-
Are the records being transferred from a Pinellas
County BCC agency?
-
Do the records being transferred have a minimum
retention period assigned by the State Bureau
of Archives and Records Management of 25 years
or longer?
-
Are the records being transferred the BCC
agency's record copy?
-
Are the records being transferred vital records
of the transferring BCC agency (may require
written justification for the BCC agency of
the designation as vital records)?
-
Is the information contained in the records
being transferred unique in the County (no
other copies or other sources for the information
known to exist in other BCC agencies)?
-
Are the records being transferred inactive
and referenced by the BCC agency less frequently
than on a daily or weekly basis (i.e. monthly
or less often)?
-
Are the records being transferred complete
and need no documents to be added by the BCC
agency in the future?
What
records should be filmed?
Records
which are of permanent value or which have a
retention period longer than ten years, because
it is the most cost-effective way to store the
information.
Why
do I have tape number 5 and it is April 2,1997?
Sunday
is used to calculate which week's tape you will
receive. Tape 1 is used if Sunday's date is
between 1 and 7, Tape 2 when Sunday's date is
between 8 and 14, and so on. So if today is
Wednesday, April 2, 1997, Sunday's date would
have been March 30, 1997 and therefore you would
receive Tape 5 for your weekly backup rotation
tape.
What
if I get stuck in the computer system?
If
you get an X with a circle with a line through
it, try resetting your computer by pressing
the CNTL key and the R key, or pressing the
right ALT key. If the computer does not respond
please call Records Management personnel.
What
is a State Retention Code?
State
Retention Code is a value assigned to each type
of public record by the State of Florida Division
of Library and Information Services, Bureau
of Archives and Records Management. The retention
code defines the various classifications of
public records and determines how long each
classification must be kept.
Where
do I find the State Retention Codes?
The
State of Florida Division of Library and Information
Services, Bureau of Archives and Records Management
publishes the State Retention Codes. The schedule
most commonly used is the GS1-L, or general
schedule for local government. Schedules GS2
through GS13 govern public records that are
related to specific areas within the government.
To obtain a copy of the State Retention Schedule
you may access the Division of Library and Information
Services website at http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/barm/genschedules/gensched.htm.
Select the "General Records Schedules"
option listed under the Records Management menu.
Select the option for GS1-L to print a copy
of the General Retention Schedule for Local
Government Agencies. Should you have any questions,
please do not hesitate to contact Records Management.
We are always available to assist you.
What
do I do if I cannot find a retention code that
meets my needs?
As
the State Retention Schedules are general in
nature, it is possible that certain records
produced by county agencies may not "fit"
into any of the currently defined classifications.
If this happens, please contact the Records
Management Analyst. The Records Management Analyst
will work with you in order to ensure that your
records are accounted for in the appropriate
manner.
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