Links between educational archives and records management...

Archivists are involved in the process of identifying the development of existing patterns of client access to records, as well as appraising, selecting, preserving and disposing of records at the end of the information management cycle. In order to complete these tasks as successfully as possible, the in-house archivist must attempt to become acquainted with the earliest stages of the life of the records produced within the educational institution. Archivists working in small to medium sized educational institutions need to be keenly aware of the circumstances surrounding the creation of records within the organisation, records usage in the early stages of records cycle, as well as any computer hardware and software associated with the early stages of records management.

Links between educational archives and records management...

Changes in information technology have contributed to an increasing tendency amongst administrators as well as information specialists to see strong links between the roles of the archivist and the records manager within an organisation. A global approach to the life of a record places the record in a continuum, and examines the management of records from their creation to their status as non-current or inactive documents. So an educational administration could conceivably be based in part on a close working relationship between senior administrators, a records management section and archivists. If a records manager is not present in a small or medium sized organisation, personnel responsible for the archives may be required to provide advice or feedback linked to the management of active records. Similarly, if a small or medium organisation lacks archive staff, then an administrative staff member responsible for active records may be called upon by senior administrators to provide assistance with the appraisal, storage or disposal of semi-active or inactive records.