Course Outline

• Introduction to Records Management Introduces records and information management and its core components: examines the importance of good records management in today’s knowledge-based world.
• Records Management Basics Presents the key concepts and definitions about records management that the records practitioner must know. Students master the main definitions, examine the life-cycle of a record and consider the questions that come up in managing that life-cycle, and learn to assess a record for the presence of content, context, and structure.
• Needs Analysis Shows the importance of analyzing user needs as preparation for adopting a records management program or reviewing an existing one. Reviews the objectives and process of a needs analysis study and introduces some methodologies. Students learn to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current system through reference to an assessment tool provided in the course.
• Records Inventory Describes the records inventory process for paper-based and electronic records and demonstrates how to analyze the results of the inventory for further evaluation of the information holdings. Introduces the identification and naming of the record series. Students apply what they learn in a mini-inventory.
• Records Classification Explains the importance of classification for records management and demonstrates that standardizing terminology through classification is required to facilitate access to physical and electronic records. The lesson describes the functional classification system in which business functions of the organization are used as the entry point to a hierarchical scheme. Students will examine record series from the business functional approach.
• Records Retention Describes the Retention and Disposition Schedule and outlines how to develop a retention schedule so that information will be retained and protected through its life-cycle and can be disposed of legally. Students are exposed to the process of researching, negotiating, and finalizing the schedule.
• Records Storage and Protection Consideration of options for storage and protection of records revolves around whether the records are physical or digital, whether they are active or inactive, and the length of time they are to be kept. This session looks at the considerations for choosing a commercial records centre for offsite storage, document imaging projects for converting paper to digital, the challenges of digital preservation of long term records, and vital records program as part of planning for business continuity and disaster recovery.