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APPRAISAL OF ELECTRONIC RECORDS. Hal Keiner Appalachian State University UNC Records Managers Meeting June 8, 2006. BACKGROUND: Appalachian State University. 14,500 Students 800 Faculty in Five Colleges 91 Undergraduate Majors 81 Graduate Majors. University Archives & Records.
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APPRAISAL OF ELECTRONIC RECORDS Hal Keiner Appalachian State University UNC Records Managers Meeting June 8, 2006
BACKGROUND: Appalachian State University 14,500 Students 800 Faculty in Five Colleges 91 Undergraduate Majors 81 Graduate Majors
University Archives & Records • 3.5 Full Time Employees • One Graduate Assistant • Two Work Study Students • 4,500 cu. ft. of records in Record Center • 1,000 cu. ft. of records in Archives • “Crisis Management”
ELECTRONIC RECORDS • Our Strategy will be tailored to our resources • The Centerpiece of our Strategy will be our participation in the Library’s Institutional Repository (built on D-Space)
APPRAISAL PRINCIPLES • Based on a review of current theories for appraising electronic records • Based on traditional theories of appraisal
FOUR CATEGORIES OF ELECTRONIC RECORDS • Electronic mail • Records produced using desktop software (i.e. Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop) • Records produced from large relational databases • Websites
PRO-ACTIVE ARCHIVISTS • Recent commentators and theorists recommend that Archivists be “present at the creation” of electronic record creating and keeping systems. • Easy to say, difficult to do in the Real World
GOOD OLD RECORD RETENTION SCHEDULES! • Based on the NC Public Records Law and are binding, legal documents • Enumerate many records, REGARDLESS of format, that are to be deposited in the University Archives, or appraised • Shifts the onus of maintaining records for the designated retention period to the records creators
OVERALL APPRAISAL STATEGY MUST recognize that each type of Electronic Record requires a separate appraisal approach
E-MAIL PROBLEM • Tibbo/Pyatt research demonstrates the wide variety of e-mail practices among university faculty • Huge volume of e-mail
E-MAIL SOLUTION • Archivist needs to CAREFULLY select a limited number of faculty and administrators • Education: Managing e-mail • Regular transfer of folders to Archives • The Format Problem: Simpson’s research
DESKTOP DOCUMENTS • Often appear on Retention Schedules • Unorganized mess, but many records also exist in hard copy • Printed versions more authentic, but electronic versions useful for access • Archivist should assist in promoting good electronic record file keeping
DATA BASES AND RECORDS • Electronic Records reside as disconnected data sets only • You cannot (or should not) schedule a data base • Archival records produced from data bases ARE scheduled and should be requested • Data Base maintenance the responsibility of the CREATOR
WEB SITES • Dynamic, complicated, constantly changing • The problem of embedded pages and links to other sites • Sampling as a partial solution • HTTrack Website Copier may help
CONCLUSION For institutions with limited resources, the appraisal of electronic records, based on in-place and approved retention schedules, is a good starting point. Thank you