Digital Recordkeeping Programme

It is a common place today to say that the evolution from a paper-based environment into e-government or e-business is taking place now in a very rapid pace. This is a major development   for all countries worldwide. However while the methods of doing business are changing, the need for effective recordkeeping and preservation of vital business information has not changed.   In fact the need for integrating effective recordkeeping into the design and operation of digital business operations is even more important now than it was with manual systems.  In a digital context the records managers/archivists should be involved right from the beginning - that is - at the point where business processes are (re-) designed and implemented. In addition, records managers/archivists need to capability to preserve permanently the digital heritage of their organizations.

The ICA cannot be involved in the specific or local developments and projects in the area of recordkeeping that are happening in each country or institution, but at a higher level it has an important role to identify and support the most innovative approaches or important developments initiated by specific members, and subsequently act as a mediator in making them available for other members so they could use them and help in strengthening their position.

This is the purpose of this programme including from before records are created through creation, active maintenance, appraisal, and long term preservation.  Its scope would include trusted digital repositories, electronic recordkeeping (ICA-Req., etc.) and archival processing tools such as AtoM.

Programme activities will include ICA participation in and reporting about the professional conferences of interest, surveys to identify best practices and ongoing projects and share findings and experience with members, and a specific PCOM call for projects in this field.