I would also suggest checking with your auditor. Ours recommends a 
minimum of 3 years for check copies for membership, etc.,7 years for 
bank statements and other financial paperwork and a permanent file for 
audit statements and other significant accounting records.

Betsey Mayhew
Martha's Vineyard Museum

Batson, Barbara (LVA) wrote:
> Erin,
>
> In _Museum Archives. An Introduction_, (Deborah Whyte, ed., 2d edition, SAA, 2004), Paula Stewart indicates that there are no hard and fast rules about how long to retain records. Each institution needs to establish its own schedule based on its operations and needs. You might want to check the SAA's website, which includes a short piece on museum archives (http://www.archivists.org/governance/guidelines/museum_guidelines.asp). Someone at the New York State Archives might be able to suggest an archivist in your area who can work with you to set a retention schedule and to
> determine which records are considered temporary and which permanent.
>  
> Barbara C. Batson 
> Exhibitions Coordinator 
> The Library of Virginia 
> 800 East Broad Street 
> Richmond, VA 23219-8000 
> 804-692-3518 
> [log in to unmask] 
>   
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