Records Inventory and Disposal

The Local Records Act (50 ILCS 205) regulates the preservation or disposal of the records of all units of local government in Illinois.

What is a Record? 

A record is any information which functions as evidence of activities or evidence of intentions within an agency or organization.

Examples of formats that a record can take include:

• Paper documents
• Writings, graphs, charts, photographs, sound records, video images
• Electronic documents such as e-mail and text messages
• Back-up tapes and disks
• Other digital-based recordkeeping systems that provide input/content for other business records and raw data in electronic repositories

It is essential that departments obtain a Retention Schedule from the Local Records Commission in accordance with the Illinois Local Records Act. 50 IL205/4, defining how long agency information must be kept.

Disposition or Destruction of Records

Before disposing or destroying Cook County records, each Cook County department must adhere to the following process:

• Departments must provide an inventory of department records to the Cook County Records Manager and the Illinois Secretary of State's Office.
• The Illinois Local Records Commission reviews the inventory creating an Application for Authority to Dispose of Local Records.
• After approval the state will provide the department’s records retention schedule.
• Each year, departments must follow that schedule to submit a Certificate of Disposal to the Cook County Records Manager.
• The state must approve the disposal certificate prior to the destruction or disposal of the records.
• Each departments Records Point of Contact must work with the County Records Manager for the proper process of disposing of records.