All very good points, but to me the most important point is - What are the requirements for the record type. Not all records are created equal. Records appraisal is imperative to determine the best method for the entire lifecycle of the record. Paper storage may be the most cost effective means of storing SOME records. For the majority retaining them in their original, digital form is best, but then most information created by an organization is transitory and doesn't need to be retained past their primary or business purpose.
That is why there are records managers. To assess the requirments and the risks associated with retaining or not retaining anything in any media.
Given the issues around digital records preservation the appraisal is even more important. Until there is a failproof way to retain everything digitally forever this debate will continue.
And as for authentication - in the Rules of Evidence - even paper must show that it is. A good records management system will provide this as well as reduce the time for people to find the records. It is even harder to locate electronic records that have not been properly classified or filed that rilfling through a file cabinet.
Just my two cents...
Charmaine Brooks, CRM
Jesse Wilkins <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
And in defense of digital:
Costs:
- cost of paper storage, particularly given the volume of information which
must be maintained regardless of format
- cost of peoples to find the paper, or call the offsite vendor and have
records pulled and delivered
- cost to scan the printed copy of a born-digital document
Authenticity/security:
- Electronic records carry dates inherently as part of metadata and can be
almost always be digitally authenticated, particularly in combination with
appropriate media
- Ability to audit usage and track changes, if permitted, automatically
Preservation and the futility of printing:
- Email with attachments
- Rich-media records such as VOIP, audio/video recordings
- Dynamic records such as database-generated websites, databases, e-commerce
- The cost to print to paper all the records that the State of California is
concerned about losing
I agree that there are concerns, but the final comment is just as dangerous
to long-term preservation of information as is keeping it all in the file
format du jour.
My tuppence on a gorgeous Colorado Monday...
Jesse Wilkins
CDIA+, EDP, LIT, ICP, ECMP
IMERGE Consulting
[log in to unmask]
(303) 574-1455 office
(303) 484-4142 fax
Yahoo! IM: jessewilkins8511
-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Larry Medina
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 12:53 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: RAIN Article that seems pertinent to recent discussions...
Check out the final comment...
http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=ARCHIVE-12-11-05
Another problem is authenticating digital documents. A paper record can be
stamped with the date, and future researchers can verify its age by
characteristics such as paper and type.
That's no easy feat with an undated digital document. And it's hard to know
whether an electronic record was altered after it was first created.
....
But digital archiving is "more costly than most people think," said James
Jacobs, until recently a government information librarian at the University
of California, San Diego.
....
"This is the unfunded mandate from hell," said Greenstein, referring to
programs mandated by the state without accompanying money. "Where's the
check?"
....
"It's something our legislators aren't really thinking about, and that's
kind of alarming," Jacobs said.
....
As it stands, these solutions are theoretical. Today, the only surefire way
to guarantee that a document will be available in the future is decidedly
low-tech.
"If we absolutely, positively want to ensure that we have the item in 150
years," Jewell said, "our best preservation is print."
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List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
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