Managing your web records? Patrick Power Manager Government Recordkeeping Programme

Digital information lasts forever, or five years, whichever comes first. Jeff Rothenberg., Scientific American, January 1995.

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The web information continuity project Research Literature Review Case Studies Guidance Develop Guide Determine Web Archiving Relationships Project Team Alice Patterson, Stephen Clarke, Cheryl Pointon Anna Crooks – 3months web design

Some findings In New Zealand public offices and local authorities are aware of the Public Records Act, and that web information is subject to the Act. Responsibility for web records is not always clear Risk assessment and appraisal/disposal often neglected Metadata requirements are frequently not considered, especially when building a new website Ability to recover evidence of past states often not tested Confusion about what is a web record and what is a publication, and what responsibilities are

The guide to managing web records

Basic concepts What is a web record? What is the difference between web records and publications? Creating and maintaining web records. Systems for managing web records. Risks to web records. Deciding what web records to keep. Access to web records. Digital continuity.

What is a web record? Information on public websites Information on intranets and secured extranets Blogs, wikis, shared workspaces Information in administrative systems used to run websites (change logs etc.) Records relating to the creation, management, and disestablishment of web sites.

What is the difference between web records and publications? Information available to the public: pages, images, documents Metadata: Who published it? When was it approved? What changed? What application was used to do it? Documentation: Why was the website created? How was it managed? What policies and procedures applied? Publications Web records

Recordkeeping strategies: Recordkeeping framework. Sentencing and disposal. Using metadata to describe web records. Implementing a migration strategy. Using a content management system as a recordkeeping system. Using an electronic recordkeeping system to manage web records. An integrated approach to managing web records.

Recordkeeping framework Web records should be incorporated into the wider organisational recordkeeping framework What does this mean? Identify principles and strategies for managing web records Define responsibility for capture and management Communicate this to staff Regularly monitor and review effectiveness

Sentencing and disposal Implement authorised disposal requirements as close as possible to creation. This can save money and resources. A CMS may allow you to automate aspects of sentencing and disposal using the content scheduling function. Public offices can apply GDAs, agency-specific disposal authorities, or undertake a one-off appraisal Local authorities can use the Local Government Schedule to assess long term value. Decommissioned websites which have been successfully harvested by the National Library may be destroyed under GDA4 Class 5.4

Metadata Specific recordkeeping metadata is needed. Use the Electronic Recordkeeping Metadata Standard to determine minimum metadata requirements. Use the accompanying Technical Specifications for guidance on what information to actually capture.

Approaches to Managing Web Information Using a CMS as a recordkeeping system. Using an EDRMS to manage web records. Integrating systems. Approaches vary in complexity, level of automation, and of course, cost of implementation!

Managing websites no longer in current use When to archive websites. Harvesting / Snapshots. Transaction logs / versioning / rollbacks. Digital preservation approaches

Where to start?

First steps Read the guide If you are a records person, talk to your web team or teams. Find out about the information they are creating and the systems they use to manage it If you are a web person, talk to your records team. Find out about the organisation’s recordkeeping requirements. Concentrate on managing new web information to start with – there is no obligation to have a programme to ‘retro fit’ systems Prioritise ‘at risk’ information Raise awareness and get senior management support

Make friends with your IT people Courtesy National Archives of Australia

Further steps Include web information in your recordkeeping framework. Appraise your web information. How much value does it have? How long does it need to be kept? Manage the information only for as long as it is needed. Think about the organisational and technical requirements of different approaches. Technical approaches can range from simple manual processes to complex system integrations. Consider people and business processes as much as technical processes. Choose an approach that best suits your needs. Test it.

Key points We have a new guide to managing web records, and we think you should read it. There’s no one best way to manage your web records, but the guide will help you to make decisions. Your recordkeeping framework should include web records. You don’t have to keep all of your web information forever. In fact, you’d be crazy to try.

Further Information The guide: The website: Via Via telephone: (04)