Record Retention Policy
The Putnam County District Library, like other public entities in the State of Ohio, must retain certain records from year to year.
Although the Ohio Revised Code does not set guidelines for public libraries, the Board of Trustees of the Putnam County District Library adopts the following policy for records retention:
Records shall fall into two categories: Permanent and Non-Permanent. Retention of records may be any commercially viable media
that provides an accurate reproduction of the record. The following list shows the retention period of specific records, which is
compiled from recommendations from the Auditor of State's Office and the Ohio Historical Society:
Permanent
Annual Financial Report to the Auditor of State
Annual Report to the State Library
Audit Reports from Auditor of State
Board of Trustees Minutes
Building Specifications and Plans
Historical Files
Library Statistics – Annual Report
Payroll Records
Payroll Tax Records
Ohio Public Employees Retirement System Reports
W-2 Forms
Non-Permanent Retention Period
Accident Reports 5 years provided no pending action
Accounting Records not specified 5 years provided audited
Accounts Payable Ledger 5 years provided audited
Administrative Policy and Procedure Files 1 year after superseded
Amended Official Certificates 5 years provided audited
Annual Budget Resolutions 5 years provided audited
Annual Certificate of Estimated Resources 5 years provided audited
Annual Employee Absence Summary 4 years provided audited
Applications for Employment Retain with personnel record if applicant employed; others 1 year
Appropriation Ledgers 5 years provided audited
Automated System Backups 3 months
Bank Deposit Receipts Until audited
Bank Statements 4 years provided audited
Bids — Successful 15 years after completion of project
Bids — Unsuccessful 4 years After Letting of Contract provided audited
Board Agendas 1 year
Book Inventories Maintained online; until superseded
Budgets — Annual 10 years
Canceled Checks 4 years provided audited
Cash Journals 4 years provided audited
Cash Register Tapes Until audited
Certificates of Total Amount From Sources 4 years provided audited
Available for Expenditures
Check Registers 4 years provided audited
Committee Reports 1 year
Contracts and Leases 12 years after expiration
Deduction Authorizations Until superseded or employment terminated
Deferred Compensation Deduction Reports5 years provided audited
Depository Agreements 4 years provided audited
Employee Handbooks Until superseded
Employee Request for Leave Forms Until audited
Employee Schedules Fiscal year plus two years
Encumbrance and Expenditure Journal 5 years provided audited
General Correspondence 2 years
Gift Donor Forms 3 years
I-9 Immigration Verification Forms 3 years after date of hire, or 1 year after termination of
(retained separately from personnel files) employment, whichever is later
ILL Records 30 days, unless financial obligations 30 days, unless financial obligations
Incident Reports 5 years provided no pending action
Insurance Policies/Bonds 12 years after expiration provided all claims have been settled
Inventories, except books Until superseded
Investment Reports 4 years provided audited
Job Descriptions Until superseded
Job Postings/Advertisements of One year if no action pending
Job Openings, Promotions, Training Programs
or Opportunities for Overtime Work
Levy Campaigns and Work papers Life of Levy plus 5 years
Levy Official Files Life of Levy plus 5 years
Lost Books/Fine Records Once paid removed from patron history
Personnel Files 6 years after termination of employment
Prevailing Wages Records 4 years provided audited
Purchase Orders 2 years provided audited
Quarterly Payroll Reports for State 75 years
Receipt Books Until audited
Receipt Journals 5 years provided audited
Record Requests 2 years
Records Commission/Records 10 years
Disposal Documents
Software Destroy when obsolete
Time Sheets 4 years provided audited
Transient Material (all informal and/or Discretionary; retain until no longer of administrative
temporary messages and notes, value. E-mail pertaining to topics covered by this
including e-mail and voice mail schedule will be printed and retained as required.
messages, and all drafts used in the
production of public records)
Unemployment Compensation Claims 4 years provided audited
Vehicle Maintenance Records Until vehicle sold
Voucher with Invoices 5 years provided audited
W-4 Forms Until superseded
Workers' Compensation Claims 10 years after date of final payment
Until Audited and Provided Audited is defined as the Auditor of State, or other contracted auditors, have audited the fiscal years
encompassed and the audit report has been duly released.
Effective 2-19-2008