As I read these various articles, Isee the failure of any body or organization to really take leadership on the whole issue of records.

> Sullivan clerk: Vital records on life support

> Internet is not a reliable archive, Dutch organisations warn

> Adopting ECM – A Case Study in Failure

The whole problem often stems from an inability to classify records and develop a retention program.  If you keep everything and treat it all the same, then guess what… no budget can keep up.

If only there was some guiding force here to step up and show leadership. To show some thoughtful counsel to these entities each time they pose these solvable problems.  Someone to tell them…  “Just use common sense.”

If a County or company or Town Hall has a budget of X dollars, then develop a program that exists on that budget.

Far better to retain records for three years in a proper environment with environmental control and protection from flooding and mold and mildew than to keep the records of 25 years and watch them all degrade equally.

I guarantee that a review of Sullivan County’s records would show that those are not all “Vital Records” as we all know that the rate is typically 2% to 10% of the archive in general depending on the type of organization.

Ironically the greatest thing to happen to records management in the last decade is “SHREDDING.”  Companies and organizations shred down aggressively.  This improves security. Makes the cost of retaining the remaining records less expensive and by default takes an organization back to a point where they feel like they have some control.  The newly evolved archive and records collection is more organized.

Peter maybe we should develop a Code for the RAIN posts:
#1 - Failure to classify
#2 - Failure to set a Retention Schedule
#3 - Failure to shred records past retention
#4 - Failure to develop a “Legal Hold” program.
#5 - Failure to recognize Electronic Records as part of the Empire.
#6 - Failure to protect Vital Records

It can be used universally.  Just last night, my wife found some old luncheon meat hidden in the lower shelf. Now she would have simply filed this in the #2 Category.  Then later I found she had thrown out the TV schedule so that is a #4. 

But to be fair, I found where my wife hid her big chocolate Easter Bunny and polished off the ears.  Instead of getting mad, my wife could have filed this under #6.

Maybe the Listserve could respond to these articles with some standard responses so these repetitive stories could be resolved. Sort of like the comedian who does the bit about “Here’s Your Sign!”  We could send a reply of:
"Dear Sir or Madam, please review #1, #2 provided herein and never appear in the RAIN again. Sincerely……”



Hugh Smith
FIRELOCK Fireproof Modular Vaults
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