U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Records Management Practices: Doing Right by the Records John Faundeen ASPRS May 1, 2008 Portland, Oregon
Agenda Context Records Management Elements Take Away
Context Science Records Our Thrust is Observational Aerial Satellite Principles Apply to all Science Records
October 1951 June 1994 Aerial
Satellite July 1973 May 1990
Records Management Lifecycle Creation, Use & Maintenance, Disposition Each Stage Must Have Documented Processes Ongoing Process Constant Attention IT Partnership Differing Roles
Records Management Elements Appraisal Accession Arrangement Access (Description / Reference) Preservation Disposition
Appraisal n. ~ 2. The process of determining the length of time records should be retained, based on legal requirements and on their current and potential usefulness. Determine Lineage Written Agreements Determine Quality Data / Metadata / Reference Materials Documentation Critical Authenticity, Reliability, Integrity, Usability ISO :2001(E) Intellectual Control Source: “A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology,” Society of American Archivists 2004.
Collections Appraised (Sample) ApolloDispose Shuttle Hand-HeldDispose GeminiRetain AVHRRRetain Landsat RBV (film)Retain Large Format CameraRetain Shuttle Imaging Radar-ADispose Shuttle Imaging Radar-CRetain
Accession v. ~ 2. To take legal and physical custody of a group of records or other materials and to formally document their receipt. – 3. To document the transfer of records or materials in a register, database, or other log of the repository ʹ s holdings. Communicate Before & After Transfer Documents Processing Staff Document Provenance Change Intellectual Control Source: “A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology,” Society of American Archivists 2004.
Arrangement n. ~ 1. The process of organizing materials with respect to their provenance and original order, to protect their context and to achieve physical or intellectual control over the materials. Keep Collections Together Usually Easier to Manage & Locate (Discovery) Arrange in Priority Order Emergency Physical Control Source: “A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology,” Society of American Archivists 2004.
Access (Description / Reference) n. ~ 1. The ability to locate relevant information through the use of catalogs, indexes, finding aids, or other tools. – 2. The permission to locate and retrieve information for use (consultation or reference) within legally established restrictions of privacy, confidentiality, and security clearance. Invest in Metadata Require Complete Metadata in Contracts Leverage Internal & External Systems Aids Discovery Actions Intellectual Control Aid / Context Source: “A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology,” Society of American Archivists 2004.
Preservation n. ~ 1. The process of protecting materials from deterioration or damage; the non-invasive treatment of fragile documents LAW · An order issued by a court designed to prevent the spoliation of materials potentially relevant to litigation and subject to discovery. Federal Records Act Access is Mute! 3-Copy Strategy Migrate Every 3-5 Years Metadata Security Procedures Usability Physical Control Source: “A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology,” Society of American Archivists 2004.
Preservation 13 Semis of 1 Copy < 1 SUV for 2 Copies
Disposition n. ~ 1. Materials ʹ final destruction or transfer to an archives as determined by their appraisal. Transferring Document What, When, Where Why & Who Useful Plan for … $ Retention Schedule (legal document) Physical Control Source: “A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology,” Society of American Archivists 2004.
Take Away Observational Records Have Lifecycles Rarely Destroyed Transfers Likely Applying Records Management Document What Occurred Discovery Context Provenance Intellectual & Physical Control