Steve,
I assume you mean you find printing out electronic records to be a
burden. I've found it a help occasionally to have hard copies in the
file.
When I first came to GAO in 1990, I worked with a laptop computer which
ran on DOS with WordPerfect 4.2. It had no hard drive, only two disk
drives for 3-1/2" floppies which had the operating software on them.
(Any of you older people remember boot disks, LOL?) Printing was very
cumbersome because most of the computers were desk top models and we
only had one printer. To print anything, I had to save my data file to
a 5-1/4" floppy in an external drive that was attached to my laptop.
Then I had to walk the floppy to the front office and put it in a desk
top computer there. The desk top computer which was hooked up to the
printer had 5-1/4" drives, no 3-1/2" drives.
Believe it or not, as historian, I occasionally still need to use files
I created in 1990. I've carefully tried to migrate the files for which
I have a continuing need with each computer upgrade I've had over the
last 15 years. But there are a few files that I missed transferring off
of the old 5 1/4" floppies. Boy, am I glad to have a hard copy in my
files for those! Of course, now I have a scanner and can digitize them,
again!
For a cool example of how a handwritten annotation adds life to a typed
document, check out the scrawled comment by President Nixon's chief of
staff, Bob Haldeman, on the jpeg in the NARA exhibit at
http://www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/when_nixon_met_elvis/part_2.html.
Click on the link to Dwight Chapin's memorandum and look at Bob's
scrawled comment in the margin on the last page! I met Bob in 1987 when
I was an employee of NARA's Nixon Project, he really had a wry sense of
humor. The whole exhibit is fun, check it out at
http://www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/when_nixon_met_elvis/index.html
.The Haldeman memo wouldn't be as interesting if we didn't have the
handwritten annotation.
Maarja
>>> [log in to unmask] 4/5/2005 4:21:23 PM >>>
I am not making a comment on Nancy, her agency, or NARA in
general...,
nevertheless...the quote... "if it's a record, print it out and
file
it."
Sounds like 1950 era logic...; we may as well just throw away the last
55 years of technological advances and capabilities.
I hate paper records...
Best regards, Steve
Steven D. Whitaker, CRM
Records Systems Manager; City of Reno
>>> [log in to unmask] 04/05/05 11:43AM >>>
All,
I'm a long time lurker and need some input. I'm the records manager
and
archivist at a wildlife research facility, part of the USDA, Animal
Plant
Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services. I'm responsible for
records
management and archives at our headquarters location in Fort Collins,
CO
and for our 9 field stations. We're a smaller government agency,
around
200 people total, about 120-130 are at headquarters. I've been here 5
years and have a small staff of a 30 hour a week assistant and 2
student
employees.
For our Records and Information Management Week April 18-22, I'm
giving
a
presentation on electronic records management. Several months ago
the
management approved an e-mail policy, which follows the NARA line of
"if
it's a record, print it out and file it." We'll get an electronic
records
management system whenever it filters down from on high of the USDA.
I'm
using our recent policy guidelines as a reason to talk formally about
all
electronic records. I've done smaller presentations/training types of
things for secretaries and those who deal directly with our agency
retention schedule.
I'd like some input on what I really need to cover in a presentation
that
will be about 20 minutes, plus questions. I have no idea who will
attend.
I'm guessing some of the secretary types in administration, who I
already
work with on records management, will come. There may be a wildlife
or
chemistry researcher or two, who will be lured by the fact that I'm
providing snacks. So it will be a mixed crowd of those who have some
rm
experience and those who don't. I plan to spend a short period of
time on
the basics of rm and how that relates to electronic records. I'll
talk
about our e-mail policy and provide examples of what things would be
considered a record. I may do a few of my favorite records management
cartoons, just for fun.
What types of things, in 20 min., should I absolutely make sure I
cover?
What have you found effective to stress the basics of electronic
records
management? I have a good idea of what I want to do, however, thought
I'd
pick the brains of the list. Any thoughts or ideas will be greatly
appreciated!
Many thanks,
Nancy Freeman, Records Manager/Archivist
National Wildlife Research Center
4101 LaPorte Ave.
Fort Collins, CO 80521
(970) 266-6023
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