Practical E-Records

Here are some skeletal recommendations if you beginning to implement an program to include electronic records in your archival repository.  Although in many cases it will make sense to begin working with these recommendations by going through them in the order listed, the process of setting up a program for electronic records management is not linear, so you should expect to incrementally implement the program’s steps.

The emphasis in these recommendations is in develop a program using existing resources, technologies and tools in a way that does no harm to the records and leave them in a position that they can be integrated into more formally complex and sufficient preservation systems, at some future point.

1. Assess available resources (e.g. staff, technology, IT support, institutional commitment, budget.)
2. Write an electronic records program statement.
3. Directly engage targeted records producers in the pilot electronic records program.
4. Develop policies and procedures concerning submission of content from creators/producers.
5. Begin implementation of a trustworthy digital repository , in light of constraints imposed by 1 above.
6. Develop preservation and access action plans.
7. Develop processing, preservation, and storage workflows for submitted materials.
8. Implement the workflows using the Practical E-Records Workstation.
9. Develop an access system for resources ingested into your trustworthy storage environment.

Important note: the information provided via the links above is a work in progress.  Over time, the steps may change.  Recommendations are added, deleted, or edited on a daily or weekly basis.