Records Management

Extra Copies

If you have five copies of something, four are convenience copies--use them as you need them, but save only one as the record.

Extra anything is a non-record: flyers, posters, tickets, permits, brochures, booklets. Save one as the record--two at most if the matter is visually interesting and has very unique content, so that the archives in future can use one as a display copy, if needed. 

Junk or bulk email

Mass emails, advertisements, unsolicited offers, announcements of events, emails from third parties to which you subscribe, such as the Craft Beer Fan Club, etc. are not records. Most emails on which you are merely cc'd are non-records. Delete non-records as soon as you don’t need them. Delete your deleted mail file weekly.

Examples of non-records:

• Mass mailings or emails
• Courtesy copies
• Convenience copies
• Drafts
• Personal notes
• Personal materials unrelated to your office
• Emails serving as reminders
• Student work that had been graded and returned to a student
• Expired parking passes
• Ranger News
• Copies of publications such as catalogues, directories, or class schedules unless they are produced by your office