1. Working together, looking forward: 20 years of DLM DLM Forum Annual General Meeting Athens, 10-11th June 2014

2. Dr. Vasiliki Delegou Eleni Mamma Georgia Tsouri
The challenges of the General State Archives (GSA) in electronic records’ management
Dr. Vasiliki Delegou
Eleni Mamma
Georgia Tsouri

3. Timeline

4. Brief history and legal framework
Law 1946/1991 “General State Archives and other provisions”
Determines the legal framework
dictating the operation of the General State Archives
up to date. The Central Service is composed
of departments and Archives are
established in the capitals of the prefectures
that did not exist at the time

5. Brief history and legal framework
Circular 2001 for electronic protocol, Ministry of Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization
Sets out specifications and rules for the development and deployment of web-based front and back office systems (including the creation and exchange of electronic documents) for the Greek Public Administration

6. Survey – The numbers
10 major Ministries were chosen to participate in the survey.
55 questionnaires were sent to General and Special Secretariats of the 72 in total and
Only 14 filled the questionnaire:
The majority of the Ministries’ Secretariats did not have an integrated Records Management System (RMS) in place
Almost half of both the Special and General Secretariats of the Ministries in question did not have any strategy for records management, they lacked policies and supporting procedures and usually there was no single responsibility (i.e. a person or a department) for the records created or received

7. E-government: First attempts
2009, Ermis ( )
A governmental Gate provides from a central point complete briefing in the citizens and the enterprises with regard to all their transactions with the Public Administration (natural or electronic), as well as selected services of Electronic Transactions
2010, ( )
For the first time in Greece introduced the obligation to display the decisions of governmental bodies and the administration on the Internet

8. Brief history and legal framework
Law 3979/2011 (e-Government law) “E- governance and other provisions”
This Law defines concepts, captures the basic principles of e-Governance, specifying the obligations of public sector bodies to use and utilise new technologies, giving rights to citizens in relation to the processing of personal data and the use of information and communication technologies, adjusts issues of storage and distribution of electronic copies, files and protocol, as well as issues of user authentication services

9. Working towards e-records management
Ministerial Decision, YAP/F/40.4/3/1031/ “Settings for the electronic document” This ministerial decision serves as the Internal Regulation on electronic publication and distribution of documents of the Ministry of Administrative Reform and e-Governance

10. Working towards e-records management
27-28/1/2011 General State Archives (GSA) held a National Conference for shaping a new strategy for archives and libraries
The GSA highlighted not only the importance of the electronic record management in the public sector but also outlined the fundamental role that national archives ought to play in the management of the records produced
The GSA legislation in force has incorporated and it is harmonised with the priorities and goals of the Digital Agenda 2020 and the European e-Government Action Plan

11. Present situation
Liaison Officers , GSA Law 1946/1991, art. 12, par. D
Intermediary officers between GSA and Public Agencies whose aim is to provide guidance to public services in the process of disposal records

12. Present situation Ministerial Decree, 25/2/2014, No 44. and GSA
GSA’s active participation in the meetings and and workshops hosted by the Ministry of Administrative Reform and e-Governance
GSA clarify, in the best way possible, the relevant articles of the Decree and especially the definitions of things like the electronic document, how to set up computer files and management rules and mainly to make clear that electronic records either born - digital or after digitizing paper documents - are subject to the relevant law liquidations

13. Present situation GSA and international developments
Cooperation with international archival bodies and institutions, such as the International Council on Archives (ICA) and by participating in scientific bodies such as DLM FORUM
Training of the employees
The Planning, Coordination and Studies Department, which, among other things, is responsible for organising the training of the staff and keeping them informed about meetings, conferences and workshops that will help them expand their knowledge and keep them up to date with the latest trends in the profession

14. Challenges 1/4
Adaptation/Transformation of our work to manage electronic records. GSA need to re-think our approach to archiving records, creating metadata etc.
Build strong institutional foundations in public sector and secure the appropriate infrastructure and capacity for managing records.

15. Challenges 2/4
National Records Management Policy which has to be established and be in place for all Public Agencies to follow
A well developed and implemented legislative framework is required

16. Challenges 3/4
Lack of interoperability between the different systems’ platforms owned by each Ministry:
Plan and work closely with the IT employees from the various Ministries in order to agree on the format and the delivery method of the inactive (third age) records to General State Archives
Set the rules for managing the current records

17. Challenges 4/4
GSA need to be involved in the document lifecycle management as early as their creation and not after the public records have entered their inactivity age. However, the lack of human and financial resources makes it difficult for archivists to play a pro-active role in records management
Substantial cost for the technical infrastructure that is required in order to receive, store and preserve electronic records

18. Conclusions 1/3
Records Management for public administration is a big change
Educating and training people in order to understand clearly what is required from them in a daily basis and how a records’ management system will help them have control over the information that they produce rather than trying to impose it
Liaison Officers in place and the cooperation with Ministry of Administrative Reform and e-governance, GSA have already in place a mechanism or rather, a network of people that can be used to introduce a unified approach in electronic records’ management by making use of the work and the policies already developed and/or applied abroad

19. Conclusions 2/3
Establish best practices for the Agencies to use as a reference
Provide quality services to the public whether this is about access to the records, effective management of information, safety in systems that manage the information and interoperability between systems

20. Conclusions 3/3
Decision makers are presented with and convinced about the benefits of using a records management system, which, among other things, include integrity of data, saving time and cost-effectiveness
Involve record managers in the information management of public agencies
Enhance the role of National Archives Agency
The incorporation and the integration of an Information and Records Management Department in every governmental agency staffed by archivists should be a de facto procedure

21. Ingredients for successful e-records management
Creators of records
National Archives
Funding & Political Support
Records
Management
System

22. Thank you very much for your attention !!!

23. QUESTIONS