Mark, to simplify things, I could see applying a functional retention
depending on what the listserv is about. For example, if the listserv is
about accounting, one could develop a broad functional retention based
on accounting retention schedules. In our case, that would probably have
a retention of somewhere between 3-5 years. In these situations, I think
there is a variable relationship between how complex you want the
schedule to be, what the risk factors are, what costs are associated
with simplicity of application vs. cost/risk of maintenance, in addition
to the traditional retention schedule values. One factor to consider is
who the records custodian is: the listserv host, or the individual
participants - this could also have an impact on how the content is
scheduled. I'd take a serious look at how much of the content actually
consists of records - I wouldn't assume all listserv content constitutes
records subject to retention schedules (which would tend to place the
responsibility of custodianship on individual users under the assumption
they can best determine what a record is). To take a more familiar
example, a records management listserv retention could be derived from
an RM retention schedule, addressing such content as:

"So is this the symbol for a man in a hat wearing glasses who has a 
beard   <!8~)=   or not?   Because if this is actually the retention 
schedule symbol for orthodox documents then all I can say is I am =3D"*

Retention seems pretty clear on this one (the message actually supplies
that information - a helpful source of metadata). Whether or not this is
a record depends on its orthodoxy.

Dwight Wallis, CRM
Records Administrator
Multnomah County Fleet, Records, Electronics, Distribution & Stores
(FREDS)
1620 SE 190th Avenue
Portland OR 97233
phone: (503)988-3741
fax: (503)988-3754
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*Happy Friday, Hugh!

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