We currently have several overlapping threads on the list.

We are discussing, GARP, titles, and peer review.

Internally we are trying to establish standard operating procedures. I hope
with the goal of defining the core principles within our field of endeavor.
Starting at base level we go back and bring individual programs into what
will maybe become a compliance issue. I guess we will have to wait and see
if authority develops the require this. I think I heard that the avenue to
establish this is to try an have the requirement to comply integrated into
legislation. Another is to have NARA possibly establish GARP as a federal
requirement. Once again we are abrogating any leadership is directing
records activities.

We have settled over the years on "Records Manager" as title for both our
title and our field of endeavor. In the way back old days, Records Managers
were Records Clerks. While clerks still exist using the title Records
Manager supported the modern importance of records in organizations. The
plethora of title that have been inflicted on us in recent history reflects
a perceived lack of gravitas that " Records Manager" does not provide. Keep
in mind that CIOs started out as IT managers, IT Directors, Exutive
Directors...... The title, to often maybe, does matter.

As I said in a previous post, peer review within the field of records
management in America is problematic. Those that achieve the loftiest
levels within the field, maybe rightly so, see themselves without peer or
part of a very select and small group. Without a clear infrastrucure within
the field there is no "profession". Around the world there is a much more
stringent hierarchy for our field.

The importance to our field is that we facing inceased preassure. Some
remember the heady days when computers found their way into our our lives.
Coming on the heels of an economic downturn, this wonderful new tool readiy
filled significant gaps. We are racing towards a similar event. The impact
records management was were unprepared, lacked requisit knowledge to deal
with it, and we organizationally marginalized. Those that followed tech at
the beginning of the new millena, recall the amazing ideas for storing
records. The economic downturn has stopped these initiatives. When the
economy bounces (provided we outlast (12/21/12), these incredibly high
volume solution will be a large part of our existence. We were rolled under
for years as computers dominated. Our salvation was that the courts finally
caught up to the technology. Conservative  decisions hvae attemted to put
at least a portion of the jeanie back in the bottle.

Because the courts were our salvation last time we seem eager to rely on
this path again. Put our priciples in legisaltion and rely on the courts to
enforce them. It might work again. Then again, we spent ten years trying to
bring standard practices into play still have not been close to succesful.
If we wait for the courts it will be to late this time. We need to
establish leadership.

We can either grow wings or return to the sea.

Chris Flynn
Blame Larry he is the one that got me cranked up

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