Federal agencies are increasingly using electronic means to create, exchange, and store information, and in doing so, they frequently create federal records: that is, information, in whatever form, that documents government functions, activities, decisions, and other important transactions. As the volume of electronic information grows, so does…

On Dec. 1, 2006, the once ambiguous role of e-mails in court cases became much more clear. On that day, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP), which govern federal civil litigation, were amended to establish standards for the discovery of electronically stored information, now known as e-discovery. Many corporations began moving quickly to…

Intended for use by data processing installation managers, operating personnel, and technical staff, this publication provides a comprehensive set of care and handling guidelines for the physical/chemical preservation of computer magnetic storage media--principally computer magnetic tapes--and their stored data. Emphasis is placed on media…

Gathering and displaying governance documents and photos online can help educate the public, promote transparency, and preserve historical artifacts. Under the leadership of a board chair with lifelong interest in history and respect for the historical record, the Office of the Board of Regents of the University of Texas System has discovered that…

In this article, the authors describe how a time capsule project helped students at Ridgedale Elementary School in Knoxville, Tennessee understand the nature of events and the relationships of events in a segment of history. The time capsule preparation motivated students to hypothesize about important events and significant artifacts of their…

Over the past several decades, millions of digital objects of significant scientific, economic, cultural, and historic value have been published and distributed to libraries and archives on removable media. Providing long-term access to these documents, media files, and software executables is an increasingly complex task because of dependencies…

This paper presents a summary of the policies and practices that have governed the accessioning and use of artifacts in the National Archives chiefly over the last decade, and it offers recommendations for the prospective relocation and utilization of artifacts at Archives II. The report is organized around three major headings: a treatment of the…

Describes a survey of publishers and database producers that examined their activities regarding the retention and storage of electronic material, and access to that material. The discussion covers the archival life of various electronic media, standards relating to electronic publishing, and initiatives in electronic archiving. The questionnaires…

The facts about microfilm permanence and archival quality are presented in simple terms. The major factors, including the film base material, the film emulsion, processing, and storage conditions are reviewed. The designations on the edge of the film are explained and a list of refernces provided. (14 references) (Author)

Social science data, existing in a format that can be manipulated by computing machinery, can be used for many purposes in addition to those for which they were initially collected. Scholars and government planners should hve ready and equal access to such material and these groups will be best served if they are informed regarding the…

Discusses electronic-document preservation and argues that digital tablets, storing both the documents and the software to use them, should be developed as a more permanent alternative to migration, currently the primary preservation strategy. Discusses technology that could be used to produce a digital tablet, lists life expectancy of digital…

The background of Swedish studies on the preservation of archival microfilm is given, information is given on the technical investigations, and recommendations are made. (PF)

Describes imaging technology, which allows huge numbers of words and illustrations to be reduced to tiny fraction of space required by originals and discusses current applications. Highlights include image processing system at National Archives; use by banks for high-speed check processing; engineering document management systems (EDMS); folder…

The deterioration of printed materials is a problem which is plaguing libraries worldwide. Preservation of these millions of volumes is a daunting task--many of the materials are so brittle that the lightest touch may damage them irrevocably. This paper explores the issues of maintaining preservation efficiency without infringing upon copyright…

This publication introduces electronic document imaging systems and provides guidance for local governments in New York in deciding whether such systems should be adopted for their own records and information management purposes. It advises local governments on how to develop plans for using such technology by discussing its advantages and…