<An excellent point, and I guess my attempt to CLARIFY what the question
wanted may have done just the opposite.  NO ONE IS SUGGESTING we remove
it, what is being asked is do present RIMs think that mailroom
operations should be considered a "competency" required to be an RIM,
and if so, what accompanying knowledge and skills should one have to
properly perform the task?>

Until mailroom, capture at point of entry, and registry systems are
eliminated as records management functions or responsibilities
EVERYWHERE, then it should be considered one of the competencies -
perhaps a minor one, but one none the less.  In today's work environment
we do not know where we may be working one, five, or ten years from now,
or what organizational structure that firm or agency may have.  Even if
we have the luxury of knowing we will still be with the same firm, the
firm itself may expand into more international environments where
capture at point of entry or the registry system is still used or even
required.  This does not mean it should be a required competency - many
records management functions are not required everywhere - but it should
be included in competency or field of knowledge testing and instruction.
It also does not mean RIM folks have to do all the tasks.  Many
functions I manage, I do not physically do.  But I do need to know how
to do it and what equipment, software, tools, information, etc. is
required to do it.  This is true of film based or electronic imaging
functions, records storage functions, filing functions, etc.

Ginny Jones
(Virginia A. Jones, CRM, FAI)
Records Manager
Information Technology Division
Newport News Dept. of Public Utilities
Newport News, VA
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