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Records Retention Center
Lorain County offices, departments and agencies currently maintain millions of documents in a variety of formats. Most of these records are paper and contain information of long-term legal, historical, administrative or fiscal value. The majority of these records are created and maintained as a result of mandated services. Good management is essential. Without a sound management strategy, records begin to occupy valuable space, are disposed of carelessly or are stored in insecure or inaccessible locations.
Purpose
The purpose of the Lorain County Records Center is to alleviate some of these management concerns by providing: economical storage, timely retrieval, facility security, document processing and legal disposal for those semi-active and inactive records generated as a part of the business of government.
The Center serves the offices and agencies of County government with a centralized records storage center and provides records management services that will assist County personnel to maintain more efficient and effective control over the documents they create. If you are seeking information or a specific record, you are encouraged to call the Records Center directly and we will be very happy to assist and provide you with the location and/or the status of the information you need.
The Center also ensures that County records and information are preserved and legally disposed of pursuant to Ohio's records laws.
History
The Lorain County Records Retention Center, established in February 1998, ensures that the County governmental records and information resources are both preserved and available for public access.
Tools
The Records Center management tools include:
- Schedules of retention and destruction
- Computerized tracking of records (irrespective of media) housed at the Records Center
- Timely retrieval
- A full micrographic and imaging service
Benefits
Benefits of the Lorain County Records Management Program include:
- Microfilming records to reduce space and protect vital records
- Secure records destruction
- Improve security for confidential records
- Improved public access to those records transferred to the Center
- Improved productivity and space utilization for the offices served
- Archival security of all master microfilm
- Computerized indexing of county records
The Records Center is a fully functional records storage and processing facility available to any county office or department. The center is considered by the Lorain County Records Commission to be an extension of each office for the purpose of records storage and processing. Records stored in the facility always remain the responsibility of the originating office.
Working with the Records Center
One employee per department or agency should be designated as a contact with the Records Center. Identifying an alternate is also recommended. This person should be very familiar with the function of their office and those records these functions necessitate.
- Where can I get a copy of my birth certificate?
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Contact the Lorain County Health Department at 440-322-6367 or 440-244-2209.
- Where can I get a copy of my Marriage License?
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Contact the Lorain County Probate Court at 440-329-5176.
- Where can I get a copy of my Divorce Case?
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Contact the Clerk of Courts Records Department at 440-329-5511
- I want to date my home to see when it was built. Who do I call?
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The Records Center has Auditors Tax Duplicate Records dating back to 1824. We have the microfilm available that you may research at the Center to get you this information. It would be most helpful to have the following information when you come to research: The city, village, or township, address, parcel number, and the owner of the property's name back in the early years.
- Are all the county records here?
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Not quite: we only accept inactive records that county employees consult less than once a month.
- How many records are stored here?
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Currently 10,347 cubic feet of inactive records are stored at The Records Center.
- Are all the historical records here?
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Not quite. We have some marriage records, but the majority of these are held by Probate Court. Birth and death records are in the Probate Court and the Health Department. Ask us and we will refer you to the appropriate department.
- Are there more records to transfer into the Records Center?
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As more records become inactive, they are transferred to The Records Center to clear primary office space.
- What types of Records does the Records Center hold?
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The Lorain County Records Center holds a tremendous number of different records for Departments all over the County. It is our suggestion that you contact the Office of the Record Originator, and if the information you need is in our Center, the department will give you our contact information. If you do not have the contact information of the Department, feel free to call us and we will be happy to assist you in getting you the information you need.
Please remember that not all departments have records that are all considered public records. Many have records that are deemed confidential under the Ohio Revised Code 149.43 that are not available for public viewing. The Lorain County Records Center holds Records for the following Departments and Agencies:
- Adult Probation
- Auditors
- Board of Elections
- Board of Revisions
- CBCF- Lorain/Medina
- Children and Family Council
- Children Services
- Clerk of Courts - Records from all divisions
- Commissioners (all departments)
- Coroners Crime Lab
- Court of Common Pleas
- Domestic Relations Court
- Engineer
- General Health District
- Probate Court
- Prosecutors Office
- Purchasing Department
- Recorders Office
- Solid Waste
- Transit
- Veterans Services
Contact Lorain County Records Retention Center
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Records Center
Physical Address
320 Gateway Boulevard N
Elyria, OH 44035
Phone: 440-326-4868
Offices: 1st floor
Hours
Monday through Friday
8 am to 4:30 pmClosed Federal Holidays