International Council of Archives

In my role as Recordkeeping Advisory Officer at the State Records Office of WA (SRO), I am always excited and amazed by the dedication of records professionals to this field. From helping agencies solve recordkeeping problems to creating new guidelines and disposal authorities, my colleagues and I are responsible for promoting best practice records management and compliance with standards across government in WA.

I got into the records management field a couple of years after finishing university. After completing a Bachelor of Arts majoring in literature, I spent a year or two not knowing what on earth I should do next or what my professional path should be. I eventually decided to complete a Graduate Diploma in Records Management and Archives at Curtin University. I didn’t even know much about this area at first, but was informed that it was an emerging and interesting field with lots of opportunities.

I then spent a few years in local government, an environment which gave me an understanding of the workings of busy records management departments. When I joined the SRO in 2008, I was thankful for this experience, as I found I could relate to many of the situations faced by our state and local government clients. Providing advice and meeting with clients is one of the favourite aspects of my job, as I enjoy assisting records professionals solve complex everyday challenges. I also attend meetings of metropolitan and regional records managers in WA to represent the SRO and provide updates and assistance in recordkeeping issues.

As part of the Recordkeeping Services Team, one of my recent projects was the revision of the SRO’s General Disposal Authority for Local Government Records (GDALG). I chaired a GDALG Working Group, consisting of eight representatives from WA local governments, which met regularly over several months to develop the revised document. The final result was an up-to-date, activity based (rather than keyword-based) GDA in an easy to follow format, reflecting a wide range of local government functions across Western Australia.

I am also currently involved in the SRO’s Sector Disposal Authority program, which aims to eliminate the need for many individual agencies to develop their own Disposal Authorities. Similar agencies, such as various Western Australian Port Authorities and Redevelopment Authorities will have a single Disposal Authority developed by the SRO, in close consultation with these agencies. The Sector Disposal Authority Program will ultimately reduce time and resource imposts on these agencies and promote a consistent approach to the legal disposal of records in WA.

The SRO as a regulatory body offers a variety of work from creating Standards; archives access and control; problem solving; research; to presentation of training programs.
I look forward to continuing my experience and knowledge alongside my team, and sharing this information with our clients.

Amanda Casselton