Library Administrative Services Retention Series (L01)

NEW UPDATES!
OARs governing county retention were updated November 2025. Your Multnomah County Retention Series has been updated accordingly. Please make sure to double check - some series may have new retention periods.

Each series contains the following information:

• Series Title (Agency Series #)
• Description. (Legal Citations)
• Retention  

Accounting Reports (L01-004)

Documents library expenditures and revenues in personnel, materials and services, and indirect costs. Reports are used to prepare revenue and expenditure section of the annual State Library report. Consists of copies of reports generated by the county's accounting systems, including detail and summary reports of revenues, expenditures, encumbrances, cash balances, trial balances, payroll, and other reports used in the tracking and reconciliation of budget accounts. (OAR 166-150-0110(17)(b))

Retention:

• Retain 3 years.

Adopted Department Budget (L01-008)

Records documenting the final annual financial plan approved by a governing body for all department expenditures. Information may include budget message, financial summaries, revenues and expenditures, operating programs, debt service, position and wage analysis, overhead allocations, organization charts, previous actual and budgeted amounts, and related data. Duplicate copies should be retained as needed. (OAR 166-150-0110(12)) (OAR 166-017-0045(2,4)) (MCC § 8.500) 

Retention:

• Retain permanently - transfer to Archives upon becoming inactive or after 10 years, whichever comes first.

Note: Recent increase from 10 years.

Budget Preparation Records (L01-007)

Records documenting the preparation of department budget requests presented to the specified governing body. May include staff reports, budget instructions, worksheets, surveys, allotment reports, spending plans, contingency plans, budget proposals, financial forecasting reports, and similar records. (OAR 166-150-0110(11))

Retention:

• Retain 5 years.

Contract Administration Records (L01-005)

Documents the management of contractor activities and payments for all Library contracts. Records include expense reports, copies of payment vouchers (including payment memos and invoices), contract approvals, contract amendments, contract review checklist, data entry screens, contract routing form, copy of contract, certificates of insurance, contractor information (bankruptcies, lawsuits, etc), and related correspondence. (OAR 166-150-0005(7)(a))

Retention:

• Retain 10 years.

Deposit Records (L01-002)

Documents deposits made of revenues from library operations. Does not include branch library receipts. Records include deposit notices, receipt for deposits, copies of checks, correspondence, and related documentation. (OAR 166-150-0110(9))

Retention:

• Retain 3 years after annual audit report issued.

General Journal Vouchers (L01-006)

Used to correct coding errors on payment vouchers. Shows date, original account coding information, correct account coding information, remarks, and initials of accountant. (OAR 166-150-0110(25)(c))

Retention:

• Retain 3 years.

Grant Reporting Records (L01-010)

Documents grant awards, reported expenditures, and requested claims for grants from federal, state, and local funding sources. Includes notices of grant award, grant contracts including amendments and modifications, progress and final expenditure reports and claims with supporting documentation, and related correspondence. (OAR 166-150-0110(20))

Retention:

• L01-010(a) Records documenting the purchase or disposal of real property, 10 years after substantial completion [as defined by ORS 12.135], or 3 years after final disposition, or as specified in agreement, whichever is longer.
• L01-010(b) Unsuccessful grant applications, 1 year after rejection or withdrawal.
• L01-010(c) All other grant records, 10 years after final expenditure report approved or as specified in agreement, whichever is longer.

Note: Recently divided into multiple parts.

Payment Vouchers (L01-003)

Documents payments made for goods and services. Includes payment vouchers which indicate amount and description of payment, authorized signature, and accounting code payment is to be made from, and copies of invoices. (OAR 166-150-0110(1))

Retention:

• Retain 3 years after annual audit report has been completed.

Public Service Statistical Reports (L01-009)

Documents public use of the Multnomah County Library system. Records include monthly statistical reports from the Library's integrated library system, statistical information from the branch libraries, spreadsheets (Excel 97) containing summaries of the statistical information, and a web site on the library's intranet that links to the spreadsheet summaries. Information includes monthly statistics on public use of each library in the county library system and totals for the entire system. (OAR 166-150-0140(6)) (OAR 166-017-0045(2,4)) (MCC § 8.500) 

Retention:

• L01-009(a) Statistical reports: retain permanently - transfer to Archives upon becoming inactive or after 10 years, whichever comes first.
• L01-009(b) Preparation records: retain 2 years.

Purchasing Records (L01-001)

Records documenting orders, authorizations, and evidence of receipt of the purchase of goods and services by the department. Does not include purchasing records for the technical services program. Includes purchase orders and requests, purchase authorizations, requisitions, contract release orders, material and cost specifications, central stores or printing orders, telephone service orders, and similar records. (OAR 166-150-0110(23))

Retention:

• Retain 3 years.