Well, I most emphatically disagree with the idea that you should avoid using
or defining the term "official record." Multiple copies can and do exist in
any media -- not just hardcopy.

It is very important, if not vital, to establish who or what office is
responsible for a particular record. This link between a record and
responsibility for it establishes what record is official and distinguishes
it, for example, from copies held by persons or offices for reference
purposes. The person or office responsible for the official record is the
person or office that is responsible for its retention and disposition as
determined in a records retention schedule.

Gerry van Houten
Information Policy Adviser
Archives of Ontario


-----Original Message-----
From: mwhaider [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: January 4, 2006 11:30 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: "Official Record" definition


Kathy,
I suggest you avoid using (or defining) the term "official record".  Perhaps
it was a useful term when documents were typed with multiple carbon copies
and it was best to retain the most durable, but generally it simply confuses
the issue.
Mary Haider

Mary W. Haider
Records & Information Manager

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