A record is active when it is current and being regularly used as part of an office's routine work. The current staff handbook, the most recent issue of the Tuesday, or files related to planning this year's Homecoming activities are examples of active records.
A record becomes inactive when it is no longer current and is only consulted occasionally for routine work. Past course catalogs, files related to Christmas at Luther 2005, and issues of the Tuesday from 2013 are examples of inactive records.
Different records go inactive at different times. An annual report may become inactive after 7 years, while a meeting agenda may go inactive after 1 year. A general rule of thumb is that once a record is 5-7+ years old, it is likely inactive.
Identifying inactive records is important to ensure you and your office are making the best possible use of your storage space, both physical and digital. Knowing your inactive records allows employees to identify which inactive files have reached their retention period and can either be transferred to the Archives for permanent storage or sent for confidential destruction, based on the Records Retention Schedule. This ensures that excessive files are not kept and taking up storage space.
Are there records from your office not represented on the Retention Schedule? Contact the College Archivist Librarian! She can work with you to add those records to the retention schedule or create a custom schedule for your office.
Put it on the calendar! Setting aside time, even just once a year, to review all the records in your office can make a huge difference. This will give you time to make sure records are filed correctly, inactive files ready for transfer or destruction are identified, and excess duplicates are removed.
Pick a file organization scheme - and stick to it!There are several ways to organize files. Create one that works for you, then stick with it! For shared file spaces such as communal filing cabinets or shared Google Drives, work with your office/department colleagues to create a system you can agree on. Create a short guide to your system so that others can figure out where files are kept in the event you are ill or on vacation.
Know your storage locations!It's okay (sometimes) to store things in closets - that's what closets are for. What's important is knowing what closets (or filing cabinets or shared drives or CD disks) are being used as storage areas for your office or department. Have a list and update it regularly.
Make copies mindfully!It is very easy to duplicate records, especially in a digital workspace. An abundance of copies can clog up file storage and make it difficult to tell duplicates from official records. Be mindful as you duplicate files and clean up any unneeded ones prior to transferring materials to the Archives.
Do you want a document to live in multiple folders in Google Drive? Add a shortcut instead of making a copy! The shortcut will appear in a folder as a copy would, but when you click on it, it will take you to the original document.
