CODE OF VIRGINIA

ESSENTIAL PUBLIC RECORDS; SECURITY RECOVERY COPIES; DISASTER PLANS (§ 42.1-86)

A. In cooperation with the head of each agency, The Library of Virginia shall
establish and maintain a program for the selection and preservation of essential
public records. The program shall provide for preserving, classifying,
arranging, and indexing essential public records so that such records are made
available to the public. The program shall provide for making recovery copies or
designate as recovery copies existing copies of such essential public records.

B. Recovery copies shall meet quality standards established by The Library of
Virginia and shall be made by a process that accurately reproduces the record
and forms a durable medium. A recovery copy may also be made by creating a paper
or electronic copy of an original electronic record. Recovery copies shall have
the same force and effect for all purposes as the original record and shall be
as admissible in evidence as the original record whether the original record is
in existence or not. Recovery copies shall be preserved in the place and manner
prescribed by the State Library Board and the Governor.

C. The Library of Virginia shall develop a plan to ensure preservation of public
records in the event of disaster or emergency as defined in § 44-146.16. This
plan shall be coordinated with the Department of Emergency Management and copies
shall be distributed to all agency heads. The plan shall be reviewed and updated
at least once every five years. The personnel of the Library shall be
responsible for coordinating emergency recovery operations when public records
are affected. Each agency shall ensure that a plan for the protection and
recovery of public records is included in its comprehensive disaster plan.

HISTORY: 1976, c. 746; 1980, c. 365; 1990, c. 778; 1994, c. 64; 1998, c. 427;
2005, c. 787; 2006, c. 60.