Records Management Presentation:
Slides of L. Reynolds Calhoon, March 18, 2004
Slide 1
Electronic Records Archives: Philadelphia Federal Executive BoardL. Reynolds Cahoon Assistant Archivist for HR and IT and Chief Information Officer, 18 March 2004
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March 18, 2004Slide 3
- National Archives and Records Administration (The Mission)
- Electronic Records Archives (The System)
- Electronic Records Archives (The Users)
- Electronic Records Archives (The Program)
Slide 4
The National Archives & Records Administration.(The Mission)“The National Archives …. is a public trust on which our democracy depends. It enables people to inspect for themselves the record of what government has done. It enables officials and agencies to review their actions and helps citizens hold them accountable. It ensures continuing access to essential evidence that documents: the rights of American citizens the actions of Federal officials the national experience”
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A Record - Documentary material of any formMade or received in the course of business or under law, and Kept because it provides evidence of organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of their creators, or contains valuable information
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The definition of a record includes electronic records. (a record that requires the use of a computer for access)Therefore, the National Archives is also responsible for preserving electronic records, therein lies the challenge. . .
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The Challenge of Electronic Records Scope – The Entire Federal GovernmentVariety – Different Types of Records
Complexity – Increasingly Sophisticated Formats
Volume – Vast Quantities of Records
Obsolescence – Constantly Changing Technology.
User Expectations – Evolving
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A Tidal Wave is ComingClinton Administration (6 Terabytes)
40 million email messages
State Department (.5 Terabytes)
25 million electronic diplomatic messages
Department of Defense (8 Terabytes)
54 million images from electronic official military personnel files annually
Census Bureau (44 Terabytes)
600 to 800 million image files (2000 census)
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Electronic Records Archives .(The System) ERA’s Vision Statement "ERA will authentically preserve and provide access to any kind of electronic record, free from dependency on any specific hardware or software, enabling NARA to carry out its mission into the future." John W. Carlin, Archivist of the United StatesSlide 10
The Archivist’s Directive:ERA is NARA’s Strategic Response
The Electronic Records Archives (ERA) is a comprehensive, systematic, and dynamic means of preserving and providing continuing access to authentic electronic records over time.
The goal of ERA is to enable NARA to preserve and provide access to any type of electronic record created anywhere in the Federal Government.
ERA’s Vision Statement
"ERA will authentically preserve and provide access to any kind of electronic record, free from dependency on any specific hardware or software, enabling NARA to carry out its mission into the future."
John W. Carlin, Archivist of the United States
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The goal is to create a capability that will:Preserve authentically any type of electronic record,
Created using any type of computer application,
On any computing platform,
From any entity in the Federal Government and any donor.
Provide discovery and delivery to anyone with an interest and legal right of access,
Now and for the life of the republic
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NARA’s Current Electronic Records SystemNARA has 30 years of experience with electronic records
Simple Files
Comma delimited
ASCII
Flat Fixed Length
Does not meet the need
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Current Government and Private Sector PartnersNational Computational Science Alliance
National Institute of Standards & Technology
Army Research Laboratory
National Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure
The Library of Congress
Digital Library Federation
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
InterPARES Project
Global Grid Forum
National Science Foundation
San Diego Super Computer Center
Georgia Tech Research Institute
IEEE
NASA
University of Maryland
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ERA RequirementsPersistent
To manage and access the records over time.
Authentic
To ensure that these are the original records
Records that are created with attached documentary information
Scalable
To grow and adapt to increasing volumes and evolving types of electronic records
To serve a variety of user groups
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How will ERA work?Slide 16
What will the system do? (The System)Support the collection, integration, and sharing of information about records.
Support the workflow associated with business processes.
Interoperate with other systems.
Maintain a complete audit trail.
Accommodate substantial growth in volume & variety.
Protect the system and the records with state-of-the-art security. . .
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Electronic Records Archives .(The Users) Who are the ERA Users? Researchers HistoriansGenealogists
Citizens
Archivists
Librarians
Chief Information Officers
Federal Records Officers
Information Resource Managers
NARA staff
Donors
Attorneys
Sociologists
Economists
Geographers
Federal Program Officials
Businesses . . .
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Originator:Produces documentary materials and transfers them to NARA
Appraiser:
Handles requests for transfer of documentary materials to NARA or their disposal
Accession Processor:
Accessions and processes transfers of documentary materials
Preserver:
Ensures long-term access
Access Reviewer:
Reviews materials for access restrictions
Record User:
Accesses documentary materials
Administrator:
Enables others to use the system
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What will the system do for NARA’s customers?Process electronic records of all types, formats, and media.
Manage unscheduled, permanent, and temporary electronic records.
Maintain relationships among records.
Store records reliably.
Make electronic records independent of specific hardware and software.
Manage records according to their sensitivity.
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What will the system do for NARA’s customers?Provide access in NARA facilities and from other locations.
Provide for registration of system users.
Provide user interfaces appropriate to the skill level and research interests of users.
Provide tutorials, training, help screens, and other state-of-the-art user assistance.
Enable NARA staff to respond to user comments and requests.
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What will the system do for Originators?Implement record schedule functionality.
Support appraisal of electronic records.
Support disposition of electronic records.
Support transfer of electronic records to NARA.
Provide for accessioning of electronic records.
Provide for review and redaction of sensitive information by authorized personnel.
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What will the system do for Record Users?Find records based on searches of descriptions of records
Search the electronic records themselves.
Accurately reproduce and output electronic records.
Provide certified copies of electronic records.
Manage requests for review of restricted materials.
Implement the results of electronic records reviews.
Enable users to request and receive assistance from NARA staff.
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The Electronic Records Archives.(The Program)The Archivist established the ERA Program as an official division of NARA
Research partnerships are formed to find solutions to the electronics archiving challenge
Contractor Team hired to assist with program management
Request for Proposal issued
Bids received (11 Feb 04)
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Where are we now?Release of RFP – 12/03
Award Two Design Contracts – 3rd Qtr. FY04
Select a Single Developer – 3rd Qtr. FY05
Initial Operating Capability – FY 2007
Five Increments w/ Multiple Releases
Full Operating Capability - 2011
Slide 25
Test online public access in the Virtual Archives LaboratoryOfficial Military Personnel Files
Continue Research and Development
Census 2006 (Mountain of Information is coming)
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Program Management InformationERA Main Phone Number:
(301) 837-0740
ERA PMO E-mail:
ERA.Program@nara.gov
ERA Acquisitions E-mail:
ERA.Acquisition@nara.gov
ERA Website:
www.archives.gov/electronic_records_archives
