Records Management Services

Overview

Records Management Services offers a free centralized paper records storage, reference, and destruction service. Our records center is a university-owned facility with 20,000 linear feet of secure, climate-controlled, high-density storage space. The office of record retains ownership and control of files stored in the records center. The office's records coordinator is responsible for approving the final destruction of the records (a process which occurs biannually, at the turn of the calendar and fiscal years). Folder-level reference service is are available through campus mail.  

Preparing Records for Storage

• A Records Transfer Request must be completed online.
• RMS reviews your transfer and issues box labels through campus mail.
• Transferring departments can deliver approved, labeled boxes in person or arrange for transport to the records center through the Moving & Hauling unit of Building Services.
• Records must be packed in new storage boxes appropriately sized for our shelving. Improperly sized, used boxes, or damaged boxes will be refused at time of delivery.
• We require the following box sizes for records center storage: either 10”H x 12”W x 15”D (standard) or 10”H x 6”W x 15”D (half). 
• You will realize substantial savings by purchasing storage boxes from Records Management Services. Boxes are available from RMS through Hokie Mart at $2.25 per box; they can be picked up at the records center. Please specify standard size or half size.
• When you receive your labels from RMS, place them in the lower right hand corner on the short end of the box.
• Hanging files are not allowed unless they are placed horizontally inside of the box.
• Binders are allowed but must be placed inside the box and without interfering with secure closure of the box lid. 
• Place only one year's worth of one records series (one type of record) in each box.
• Do not tape boxes shut.

Delivery to Records Center

• All boxes for storage must have the proper label issued by Records Management Services at  the time of delivery, or they will be refused at the dock and returned to the department. 
• Deliveries are currently accepted by appointment only Monday-Friday from 8:30-12:00 and 1:00-4:00. Please call 1-0224 to schedule.
• Overstuffed, poorly packaged, unacceptable boxes, or badly damaged boxes will not be processed.
• Please contact us (1-0224 or recmgmt@vt.edu) for other questions regarding appropriate boxing of documents for storage.

Record Center Reference Services

• Please use the Records Service Request form to request box and folder reference services for records currently stored in the records center.
  
• Folders will be sent upon request through campus mail. They can be returned to us through campus mail or by hand delivery by departmental personnel during normal operating hours.
  
• Since boxes cannot be sent through campus mail, it is the department's responsibility to return or pickup boxes. This can be done by department personnel or by Moving and Hauling (1-4300).

Overview

Records Management Services can help you to document your own processes of records destruction, and can also carry out records destruction for you. Begin your request for offsite records destruction by completing our Records Destruction Request form. Before completing the form, consult the official records retention schedules to determine that your records are eligible for destruction. When completing the destruction request form, be sure to check YES to state the need for Records Management Services to shred records for you.

Preparing Records for Offsite Destruction

• Within 3-5 business days after completing the request form, we will be in touch with further instructions. Official labels for the boxes and transport guidelines will be sent to you separately through campus mail.
• For paper records, prior to delivery please remove:
  • Binder clips
  • Carbon paper and all plastic material
  • Hanging file folders
  • Binders, and any metal or plastic spiral binding from documents or notebooks.
• You do not need to remove staples or paper clips. 
• For electronic media destruction, please remove:
  • Any plastic or metal mounts or brackets attached to hard disk drives.
• Records can be delivered in used boxes small enough to be easily handled by one person. Do not tape boxes shut.   
  

Delivery to Records Center

• All boxes for offsite destruction must have the proper label issued by Records Management Services at the time of delivery, or they will be refused at the dock and returned to the department. 
• Deliveries are currently accepted by appointment only Monday-Friday from 8:30-12:00 and 1:00-4:00. Please call 1-0224 to schedule.

The IT Knowledge Base article “What are Retention Labels” introduces the basic concepts and practices for applying retention labels in Microsoft and Google environments. Note that the labels describe a retention period and not a records series title or code number. You will need to first consult the appropriate records retention schedules to determine the appropriate retention period, and then select a retention label which covers the anticipated time frame. 

Employees must contact their departmental records coordinators before labels are applied. If you need help identifying the appropriate records coordinator, please contact us at recmgmt@vt.edu for more information. 

A final disposition review takes place at the end of the retention period when using Microsoft retention labels. Records Management Services oversees the review process, and will reach out to your organization's records coordinator to complete a Certificate of Records Destruction prior to disposal. 

At the time of review, Records Management Services will only have the name of the person who applied the retention label, and not the organization. For this reason, retention labels should only be applied by personnel registered with Records Management Services as a departmental records coordinator. The names of past coordinators will be retained by our office, and this information will be used to contact the appropriate organization and personnel to complete the disposition review.

If the retention labels are applied by someone who is not a registered records coordinator, we will be unable to contact your unit for disposition review and the records will be deleted automatically without review. 

Disposition review before final records disposal will not be available when using Google retention labels. Files with Google retention labels are deleted automatically at the end of the retention period. Because the disposal of official university records is subject to review through the Certificate of Records Destruction process, Google retention labels should be used only for the management of convenience copies and other non-record material.