Vital Records: Vital Records Checklist

Record Title: _______________________________________________________ Description of Function: _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ Location: __________________________ Retention: __________________________ Format: _______Paper_______Tape_______Disk_______Photo

Answer the following questions for each record series you are evaluating: What would we be unable to do if these records were destroyed?
______________________________________________________________________
Can the work be carried forward without the record?	1 2 3 4 5 low       medium       high
How high would the consequences to the University be?	1 2 3 4 5 low       medium       high
How much of an impact would losing the records have on students and UW employees?	1 2 3 4 5 low       medium       high
How high would reconstruction costs be? (Time and money)	1 2 3 4 5 low       medium       high
How quickly would the information need to be reproduced?	1 2 3 4 5 low       medium       high
Why? ___________________________________________________________
Can the records be replaced from another source(s)?	1 2 3 4 5 yes       possible       no
Where? ___________________________________________________________
Add all the circled numbers together for a TOTAL: ____________
Key:    1-9  Nonessential      10-19  Useful      20-29  Important       30-35 Vital

FOR VITAL RECORDS ONLY: Protection Method: __________________ Completed by: ___________ Location of other copies: __________________ Date ___________

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