Nora,

What is the retention of your closing books?

If they are archival you might consider investing in a book platen for 
scanning. It would allow you to scan the books without bursting them. If you 
are committed to bursting them and scanning the, I recommend you leave them 
disassembled. Store them in acid free boxes. There is an archival procedure 
to all of this, if they are permanent. If the books are not archival, leve 
them burst, folder them, store them, and dispose accorfding to hte retenion 
schedule.

Chris Flynn


>From: Nora Kensignton <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Records Management Program <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Practices for scanning closing books
>Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2006 14:08:45 -0500
>
>Good afternoon all,
>
>I hope this message finds you all well feed from a scrumptious holiday
>dinner and well rested for the new year to come.  I am not sure how many of
>you are around for the holiday but I do have a question I that I would love
>to have the listserv's input/insight/comment on.
>
>I am working for a real estate company and have come across a practice that
>I have not encountered before.  The current RM staff have taken to scanning
>closing books for an acquisition or disposition in a most unusual manner.
>What follows is the general practice:
>
>Perfect bound closing books are having their spines split open with an
>exacto knife;
>Each document is then being removed via cutting with an exacto knife (only 
>a
>few pages at a time) and then scanned into a searchable pdf file;
>The original physical closing book is then being hole re-assembled in
>original order, hole punched, and then fastened together with a ring;
>The original physical closing book is then placed in an expanding folder,
>affixed with a file code, and placed on the file shelf in onsite activity
>filing space; and
>The pdf of the closing book is being saved locally to the department data
>store/drive.
>
>The intent is not to replace the original but to provide a convenience
>copy.  Some of the things that strike me immediately are:
>
>1) The integrity of the original closing book is now being compromised;
>2) Available space (both electronic and physical) are not being used
>efficiently; and
>3) Security and access to the electronic closing book are not secure.
>
>Any additional insight or perspectives on this practice would be greatly
>appreciated.
>
>Thanks
>
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>Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance

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