Gary,

You are correct.  While my primary concern is records management, I help coordinate with our Archivist when we receive materials that employees think should be "Archived".   As a non-profit foundation, we look to archive only those items that are historic in nature (i.e. legacy items, material from various program areas, etc.).  We check our Grant Database (to see if the material is duplicated there), and check our Records Management Database to see if we already have the document and/or how similar items were handled in the past.  I would say we archive only 20% of the material we receive, mostly because a lot of it is duplicate material (either already in our Archives, or existing in our Grant Database).  Another 20% would be placed in mid-term storage (7-10 year retention, stored off-site with the items being reviewed before destruction).

So your thought on archives being a process is spot on.  Most people think that they may have the Holy Grail of documents, but in most cases they are either duplicates of materials we already have, are printed copies from our Grant Database, or simply information that does not increase our knowledge of the organization's history.  By destroying (confidential on-site shredding by a highly reputable company, of course), we reduce the risk of over burdening our small legal staff should any legal action arises, while maintaining material legally required or that relates the knowledge gathered with our many grantees.


Jim Craft | Records Management
(O) 269.969.2161 | (F) 269.968.0413
www.wkkf.org | Twitter: @wk_kellogg_fdn

W.K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION
A Partner With Communities Where Children Come First

List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present, place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]