STATEMENT OF POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Section: NLLS Board | Chapter: Vision and Policy Statements | Page(s): 5

Subject: RECORDS RETENTION | Sec 2, 1M

Reviewed: 2023/05/17 | Revised: 2023-08-25 | Effective: 2017/05/13

SECTION 2 – 1.M

RECORDS RETENTION

1. Northern Lights Library System (NLLS) adheres to the Income Tax Act of Canada and the Province of Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) as authority for the retention of records and the privacy of employees.
2. The NLLS keeps orderly and timely records of the business of the library system ensuring that procedures comply with federal rules and regulations, provincial legislation, and with the needs of the system.
3. NLLS strives to operate in a digital-first environment and adheres to best practices in storing, backing up, and retaining electronic documents. Wherever possible and practical, NLLS will avoid the unnecessary production of printed documents.
4. NLLS retains and disposes of records as outlined in Schedule A.

5. Records, as set out in Schedule A, are:
   1. 1. (De)stroyed – the records shall be destroyed without any copy being retained.
      2. (P)ermanent – the original records shall be preserved and never destroyed.
      3. (Re)placed – annual forms replaced with new forms.
6. Permanent records are held as:
   1. 1. (H)ardcopy – the original (or facsimile of a digital original) document is retained.
      2. (E)lectronic – original document is maintained online with no hard copy
7. The Executive Director has the discretion to retain appropriate records of anniversary years,

i.e. five (5) year intervals beginning in 1990.

8. Depending on the format, records referred to in Schedule A are stored:
   1. 1. In electronic format and backed up in offsite storage.
      2. in secure storage.