Can We Scan Our Documents? Yes, effective January 1, 2001, the Local Records Act (50ILCS205) was amended to allow Local Government agencies to reproduce existing public records in a digitized electronic format with the intent to dispose of the original records. On our web page we have several pages devoted to electronic records. In the hand-out you will find directions on accessing our web page. However, if you intend to dispose of the original record and replace it with a scanned image a Local Records Disposal Certificate must be submitted sixty (60) days prior to the intended destruction date of the record. A Disposal Certificate will also need to be submitted prior to the destruction of the electronic record.

Longevity of Digital Records Most people realize that if you had created a text document 12 years ago using any of the most popular commercial word processing software programs, you would not be able to read it today. Even if you had kept the exact machine and software program that created the document, there is a good chance that the storage medium would have degenerated.

What type of media is acceptable for storage of electronic records under the Local Records Act? They must be reproduced on a "durable medium that accurately and legibly reproduces the original record in all details," and "that does not permit additions, deletions, or changes to the original document images.” CD-R’s, DVD-R’s For example you may store electronic data on cd-r’s or dvd-r’s but not on a re-writable cd or dvd. There was a recent article in the Society of American Archivists Journal, which demonstrated just one of the problems with cd’s and dvd’s. One of the larger Jazz Museum’s in the New Orleans area had converted many of their old jazz tapes to cd’s only to find that after the flooding the aluminum layer had separated from the cds. They lost several thousand cd’s just because of this. Now granted paper records would have been pulp as well in the type of extreme weather conditions records were subjected to in the New Orleans area.

Archival Gold Cd-R’s and Dvd-R’s The recordable Archival Gold CD-R is manufactured using a patented dye that reacts faster to the disc drive's writing laser, making the pit edges used to store data sharper and easier to read. This dye offers the maximum resistance to the effects of light, humidity and heat. The CD's reflective layer is made with 24K gold instead of the silver layer used in most common discs, making it less vulnerable to oxidation (DC rot). Estimated shelf life of 300 years.

Permanent Retention If you have a record which calls for a permanent retention please be advised that cd’s and dvd’s are not an archival medium, only microfilm is considered a records medium of archival quality at this time. For more information go to our web page: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/records_management/electrecs.html

Disposing of Original Records and Replacing Originals With Digitized Records Each agency is also under the obligation to file a Records Disposal Certificate with the appropriate Local Records Commission before any original record may be disposed of and before the reproduced digital or microfilm record is disposed of.

Digitized Records Agencies must remember that any information that was a public record when produced in paper remains a public record when produced or maintained in any digital format, and that any information created as, or converted to, an electronic format is a government asset and must be retained for any period required by law or Local Records Commission regulations.

“Freedom of Information Act” & Digitized Records In addition, the digital records must be "retained in a trustworthy manner so that the records, and the information contained in the records, are accessible and usable for subsequent reference at all times while the information must be retained."