bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ONLINE SEARCHING BEHAVIOUR OF PRACTITIONER END USERS
Authors: NICHOLAS DAVID
Published: January 2008

The study set out to determine: (1) what were the searching characteristics of end users in a non‐academic environment and explain this in the light of their information needs; (2) whether these characteristics were those that were ascribed to end users in the professional literature; (3) whether they differed materially from those of information professionals working in the same fields. Searching characteristics were interpreted in their widest sense to include: command utilisation/knowledge; search success and satisfaction; volume of searching; searching style/ approach; duration of searches; file selection; willingness to delegate and levels of training. These issues were explored in relation to two practitioner groups — journalists from The Guardian newspaper, and politicians from The House of Commons. Comparative data were also sought from information professionals in these two organisations. A mixture of social and statistical methods was used to monitor end‐user and professional searching, though transactional log analysis was strongly featured. Altogether the searching behaviour of 170 end users was evaluated in the light of the searching behaviour of seventy librarians. The principal findings were that: in some respects end users did conform to the picture that information professionals have of them: they did search with a limited range of commands; more of their searches produced no results, and search statements were simply constructed. But in other respects they confounded their image — they could be very quick and economical searchers, and they did not display metres of print‐out. However, there were variations between individual end users, and it was often possible to find an end‐user group that matched an information professional group on one aspect of online searching or another. The online behaviour of end users was very much related to their general information seeking behaviour; and to the fact that they were not trained.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC CONTROL OF SOCIO‐ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION IN AFRICA WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO BOTSWANA
Authors: KWAFO‐AKOTO KATE
Published: January 2008

The paper very briefly looks at some efforts in the bibliographic control of social science information generated within Africa by describing the activities of the Pan African Development Information System (PADIS) in Ethiopia; the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC) in Zimbabwe; the South African Bibliographic and Information Network (SABINET) in South Africa and the National Institute of Development Research and Documentation (NIR) at the University of Botswana.
AN UPPERBOUND TO THE PERFORMANCE OF RANKED‐OUTPUT SEARCHING: OPTIMAL WEIGHTING OF QUERY TERMS USING A GENETIC ALGORITHM
Authors: ROBERTSON ALEXANDER M. , WILLETT PETER
Published: January 2008

This paper describes the development of a genetic algorithm (GA) for the assignment of weights to query terms in a ranked‐output document retrieval system. The GA involves a fitness function that is based on full relevance information, and the rankings resulting from the use of these weights are compared with the Robertson‐Sparck Jones F4 retrospective relevance weight. Extended experiments with seven document test collections show that the ga can often find weights that are slightly superior to those produced by the deterministic weighting scheme. That said, there are many cases where the two approaches give the same results, and a few cases where the F4 weights are superior to the ga weights. Since the ga has been designed to identify weights yielding the best possible level of retrospective performance, these results indicate that the F4 weights provide an excellent and practicable alternative. Evidence is presented to suggest that negative weights may play an important role in retrospective relevance weighting.
HEALTH INFORMATICS: AN OVERVIEW
Authors: MACDOUGALL JENNIFER , MICHAEL BRITTAIN J. , GANN ROBERT
Published: January 2008

This paper provides an overview of the range and development of health informatics, with examples from the literature world wide covering the types of information involved, the areas of application, the impact of evidence based medicine and other professional issues, integrated information systems, and the needs of the public, patients and their carers. While medical informatics certainly comprises a major part of health informatics it is not the main focus of this paper. Medical informatics is the older term and involves the use of information technology and computing specifically for medical science research, and the diagnosis and treatment of disease involving, for example, X‐rays, imaging, resonance, and magnetic scanning techniques. Rather, the scope of this review is the literature relating to the wider concept of the management of information through the interdisciplinary application of information science and technology for the benefit of patients, scientists, managers, staff, and carers involved in the whole range of healthcare activity.
DO A FIELD LIST OF INTERNATIONALLY VISIBLE JOURNALS AND THEIR JOURNAL IMPACT FACTORS DEPEND ON THE INITIAL SET OF JOURNALS? A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Authors: ROUSSEAU RONALD , SPINAK ERNESTO
Published: January 2008

A research model is proposed to prove or disprove the dependence of a field list of internationally visible journals on the initial set. Applications of the experiment are outlined. A conjecture is formulated concerning the validity of isi's impact factors.
Records Management and Data Management
Authors: McDonald John
Published: January 2008

The other day I was at a meeting with several government officials to discuss the establishment of a retention, conservation and disposition schedule for a large, complex, automated information system. Around the table were users, systems people, the head of data administration and the departmental records manager. The first thing that intrigued me about this meeting was that the records manager and the systems people (including the data administrator) had never met each other, even though all had worked in the department for at least 2 years. For someone who was concerned with launching an initiative that would depend on the cooperation of these areas I was more than a little shaken.
Patterns of Information Systems in Nigeria
Authors: Alegbeleye G.O.
Published: January 2008

An important reason for the wide gap between developed countries such as the USA, Japan, the Federal Republic of Germany and Britain on the one hand and those like Nigeria on the other, which are yet to “take off” economically and technologically, may be found in the quality of information systems designed to meet the needs of the scientific community and public authorities, especially decision‐makers. Whereas the former have established fairly sophisticated information‐systems, sometime employing the latest technological gadgets, e.g. computers for information storage and retrieval, the latter, particularly those in Africa, are yet to achieve this.
‘Loose Leaves’
Authors: Davies Veronica
Published: January 2008

To be asked to write a column for the Records Management Journal is an exciting prospect. I intend to pick up and air relevant and pertinent changes and developments in the Records and Information world which will in one way or another affect all of us working within the environment sooner or later. I do not intend to be restricted by the traditional boundaries which distinguish and isolate one from another, librarians, information scientists and archivists. This column will rove across these hitherto fixed boundaries and link issues that are going to impinge upon all involved in the information industry. These issues will have common themes such as: technology; strategic and tactical planning, information manipulation; the Records and Information Manager. It is my intention within this column to place all these activities within the widest organisational context, whether it be public or private sector, profit‐making or charitable. I am particularly keen to erode the self‐imposed dichotomy between the business and public sectors. After all, the Records and Information Manager on both sides of this divide applies the same principles and techniques. It is as absurd to believe that the public sector possesses a monopoly on integrity as it is to suggest that the private sector has a monopoly on resources and cash.
Managing the Information on IT
Authors: Cornes Ralph
Published: January 2008

One difficulty in planning IT applications is the speed with which new technology invalidates the plans. Planning would be difficult enough if it were possible to visualise the future, but it is almost impossible to predict where technology is going.
Establishing a Vital Records Programme
Authors: Kenny Angela
Published: January 2008

The Records or Information Manager has two basic types of records for which he is responsible. These are operational and vital corporate records. Only a small number of records fall into the latter group, probably less than 20% of a company's total documentation. It is therefore very easy for a Records Manager to become so concerned with the sheer volume of operational records and the problem of managing these that the special requirements of the vital records are neglected. He does so at the peril of his organisation which may never recover from a disaster if proper steps have not been taken to adequately protect these records. In areas of the world where disasters such as wars and earthquakes are not a part of daily life there is a tendency to become complacent. However, business premises are regularly experiencing floods and fires which can easily destroy a company to such an extent that it is never able to recover.
The Personal Computer as an Information Medium
Authors: Sarasin Philipp
Published: January 2008

Computers have long been used in the administration work of large companies and public authorities for handling vast quantities of generally standardised data. Personal details, financial information and stock levels are all suitable ‘number‐cruncher’ material, no longer being paid much attention. For some time now, personal computers have slowly been infiltrating those areas which were until recently the preserve of mainframes, and a quiet change of attitude has been observed in people who still have to process by hand the comparatively large volumes of varied data that land on their desks. New, extremely flexible and powerful user programs are now making it possible for individual data banks and full text retrievals to be installed on desk tops.
Managing the Information on IT
Authors: Cornes Ralph
Published: January 2008

Sometime in late 1987 I asked a colleague for specialist advice in text management software and commented that he ought to write down the overview of text management systems which emerged. It seems that other people were telling him the same thing and he took us at our word. Text Retrieval & Document Databases by J Ashford & P Willett (Chartwell‐Bratt £6.95) is the result, a review of the history and present status of text management and a description of the logical basis of current products. And it sparked this article.
Training Programmes in Records Management at the School of Librarianship and Information Sciences of the University of Montreal
Authors: Couture Carol
Published: January 2008

Based for more than fifteen years at the School of Librarianship and Information Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the EBSI) records management training has firm roots at the University of Montreal. Even when relations between librarianship and records management were at their lowest — I am thinking here of the “battle of the manuscripts” in 1973 — the EBSI continued to offer records management training. A tradition has been established and this is not to be sneezed at because, like Rome, university courses cannot be built in a day. Maurice Lebel, the famous Quebec academic, once said, “It takes 25 years of hard work to build up a quality department.” The EBSI celebrated its twenty fifth anniversary in 1987, and records management courses have now been running in the department for some fifteen years. We can therefore rightly claim that at the University of Montreal records management is able to develop within the framework of a well‐established school.
Records Management and Local Government in the United Kingdom: The Way Forward?
Authors: Wright Christine
Published: January 2008

In the six months that I have lived and worked in Western Australia I have been forcibly struck by the differences and the similarities in records management here in comparison with the United Kingdom. It is inevitable, although not desirable, to go through this process of comparison. When I chose to emigrate I attempted to maintain an open mind about my new life and the working environment I was likely to encounter. I have been pleasantly surprised to discover that my experiences and perceptions of records management are generally in accord with those of Western Australian colleagues, despite differences in background and situation.
‘Loose Leaves’
Authors: Davies Veronica
Published: January 2008

The cost of ‘Fax’ machines gets lower every year. These machines are advertised as the technological solution to fast communication between different organisations and, indeed, it is now unusual to find a business without such a machine. Facsimile machines allow important documents to be transmitted and received instantaneously in hard copy without the delays and vagaries of the postal system or courier. Although hardly much more than ‘communicating photocopiers’ faxes are of vital interest to the Records Manager, who should establish a set of procedures for their handling. The reason for this is twofold.
The National Archives and Office Systems
Authors: McDonald John
Published: January 2008

How can an archivist appraise the electronic records of the personal directories of the over 200 (or 2000) linked computer workstations that might exist across the program areas of a given organization? With some difficulty, no doubt! Even if an appraisal decision can be rendered, how does the archivist acquire the records? In what form and format should they be conserved and how should they be made available to an increasingly sophisticated computer literate research community? Without information technology standards the job is challenging! In the absence of a corporate framework that permits users to generate, transmit, store, retrieve, use and dispose of (what they will claim to be their) information, but in a manner that respects the corporate interests of the institution, the job becomes nearly impossible!
Managing Information on IT
Authors: Cornes Ralph
Published: January 2008

A press announcement that the Sybase database management system (DBMS) is available on the latest SUN workstation with 40 MIPS (million instructions per second) is the latest of many over the last few months to help sketch the shape of computing for the '90s. The picture is one of open systems software operating new client‐server DBMS's which refine the basic relational database (RDB), and which provide structured data and images and free text from one source via local area networks or integrated service data networks on normal telephone circuits.
Information Retrieval: A Practical Approach
Authors: Williams Bill
Published: January 2008

Melbourne City Council was established on the 1st December, 1842. Local government was the first form of Australian locally based government formed in this country. The State and Federal Governments followed at much later dates. Over the years due to economic climate, budgetary control or change in legislation, Local Government responsibility has increased dramatically via movement away from State/and Federal Government.
Finding the right candidate
Authors: Raymond Gould G.
Published: January 2008

It could be argued that of all the resources available to any enterprise — people, money, equipment, property, information — it is people, the human resource, that is the most important. Of course, raw materials — in records management, the documents, the fiche, the tapes, the disks — are essential. But it is only by the efforts of people that the other resources and the raw materials can be transformed into achievement, and that the enterprise can succeed. Therefore, the effective management of people, their deployment, motivation, development and reward, becomes a critical activity in every organisation.
‘Loose Leaves’
Authors: Davies Veronica
Published: January 2008

It is a frequent lament among the new technocracy that British culture seems irretrievably locked into a system of values deriving from the pre‐industrial age. Business activity is thus still scorned as in some way grubby; arcadian and gentry values are extolled; and the old professions still enjoy a monopoly of prestige and esteem. The new director of the Institute of Directors hammered out this theme at his inaugural address, singling out for especial criticism the influence of the church and the Oxbridge colleges. It is not my purpose to go through the old arguments all over again. They have, after all, been a commonplace since the 1950s and acquired wide circulation with the publication a few years ago of Martin Wiener's British Culture and the Decline of the Industrial Spirit. What I would like to suggest, however, is that the arguments presented by Dahrendorf, Wiener, et al. do have a certain relevance to the world of the library and of information management which has not yet been entirely appreciated.
Managing Information On Technology
Authors: Comes Ralph
Published: January 2008

It's great fun for journalists to write about state of the art technology, rather than about payrolls and invoicing, especially ‘gee whizz’ technology in artificial intelligence, neural networking, voice input, and so on. Unfortunately, there's not much correspondence between state of the art computing and what goes on in working installations.
The Future of Information Management
Authors: Best David P.
Published: January 2008

Information Management (IM) can be defined as: ‘The economic, efficient and effective coordination of the production, control, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information from external and internal sources, in order to improve the performance of the organisation’ (modified after White, 1985).
Count Joseph Kemeny: the Virus and the Beetle
Authors: Rady Martyn
Published: January 2008

Computer viruses presuppose computers. Viruses which feed upon and corrupt information do not. All that these need are individuals of sufficiently malign intent and a medium of transmission. To be most effective, the medium of transmission must be capable of replicating infinitely the corrupted cell.
Document Image Processing Systems—Where they are and where they are going
Authors: Pritchard John A.T.
Published: January 2008

Introduction During the last year many document imaging systems, which are based on the storage of compressed digitised images on optical disk and of various sizes and configurations, have been installed in Europe for a variety of applications. These include records management, correspondence management, transaction processing, litigation management and others. Some are single function, filing and retrieval systems; others involve the integration of many technologies, systems, and products from many vendors to give complex configurations that are tying together many business functions within an organisation's operations.
Interests of Third Parties: the extent to which government should keep information secret for the sake of third parties
Authors: Michael James
Published: January 2008

We are all third parties, at least in the sense that government rarely justifies keeping information secret for reasons other than our sake. Although most of the third parties to be considered in this session are those who have supplied information to government, it should be remembered that there are other third parties with interests to be considered. Some of these are people (and companies) about whom information is held, rather than from whom information is received.
Guest Column
Authors: Middleburgh Gill
Published: January 2008

Perhaps you feel that worrying what you wear to work is a waste of time. ‘As long as I'm clean and tidy’ you think, ‘no one will be upset’. Well, indeed they won't, but you will be missing a valuable opportunity to project yourself in a positive way to those in a position to further your career. Dressing for success is not just something hyped by the clothes manufacturers. It is something that each of you can positively apply to yourselves.
Records Management at the TUC: Challenge and Change
Authors: Jones Mike , Stone Rosemary , Hudson Malcolm
Published: January 2008

A recent editorial in this journal highlighted an emerging problem for records managers. Traditionally, registries were regarded as dumping grounds for the unwanted and out of date records of organisations. Records managers and supervisors could be safely left to get on with the tedious and painstaking tasks of cataloguing, weeding, filing etc. material that everyone else had long ago finished with. Those at the sharp end of the organisation were too concerned with today's issues and anticipating those of tomorrow to worry about the records of yesterday.
Controlled Decentralised Filing: the Alternative to the Registry
Authors: Garland Sue
Published: January 2008

Is there an alternative to the registry? Yes, of course — just look inside virtually every office. In the majority of organisations, outside those areas where the specialist nature and high volume of the records necessitates special filing units and dedicated staff, it is very much a matter of D.I.Y. and each man/woman for themselves. How many of you reading this use a registry to look after your own files? Alright then, how do you manage them? Do you have a logically developed, function‐based, hierarchically organised subject classification scheme linked, of course, to a regularly implemented retention schedule? If not, why not — after all, if charity begins at home, so should records management.
Loose Leaves
Authors: Davies Veronica
Published: January 2008

The 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act emphasises that all line managers are responsible for the safety of staff within the workplace. Those failing in their duties may be prosecuted under the act. Recent examples of successful court actions include the ‘Herald of Free Enterprise’ and ‘Piper Alpha’. Emphasis in safety guidelines is generally placed on avoiding slips, trips and falls, on lifting and handling, on fire prevention, on using approved equipment, and on the immediate reporting of faults. As far as information technology is concerned, however, there remains an insufficiency of expertise when it comes to the purchase of equipment. The early optimism over the paperless office which entranced records managers, has turned to a nightmare of tangled electronic communicators and replicators, fax machines, photocopiers and workstations. These present unforseen hazards to the workforce. Electromagnetic radiation is emitted by many electronic products. The majority of photocopiers give out ozone that is certainly not good to breathe. Backache is a continuing problem. There has been a dramatic increase in upper limb disorders, particularly RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) among keyboard operators, whilst the growing list of office induced ailments also includes hormonal imbalances caused by dull fluorescent lighting and nausea — the symptoms of sick building syndrome.
Planning and Evaluation in the Australian Archives: A Case Study
Authors: Skrzypek Sam , Holmes Malcolm , Helgeby Stein
Published: January 2008

Australia was only one of the many countries to embark on a major program of management reform during the 1980s. A particular feature of the Australian approach was the attention given to the balance between aggregate budgetary control and performance at the organisational and program level. This emphasis reflected a perception that many overseas reform efforts had failed because they emphasised one of these elements, often at the expense of the other. Creating and maintaining an aggregate control framework which encourages improved organisational and program performance remains an ongoing challenge.
Getting the Records Straight: Creating, Retaining, and Disclosing Archives
Authors: Michael James
Published: January 2008

The problems associated with archives clarify many of the practical, political, and legal issues associated with any sort of public records system. The views of historians are naturally relevant, although there is no unanimity among them about what the law and practice in Britain should be. Many have what amount to conflicting interests in both the fullest possible record‐keeping and in the earliest possible disclosure (to themselves at least). Their views about legislation depend to some extent on how recent their period of specialisation is and how successful they are at obtaining discretionary disclosure of the records they want.
Information and Common Law
Authors: Michael James
Published: January 2008

Discussions about ‘data,’ ‘information’, and ‘communication’ have a tendency to become discussions about the world in general, and it is notoriously difficult to establish clear boundaries. I think there are two reasons for this. The first is that ‘information’ is an abstraction, although it often is expressed in concrete forms. The second, expressed as simply as possible, is this: the subject of the discussion is also the medium of discourse.
The West African Working Workshops
Authors: Mnjama Nathan M.
Published: January 2008

Perhaps some of the most exciting features in the development of archival services in Africa are the regional workshops on the management of current and semi‐current records which have now become a regular event in West Africa. The workshops, which are normally organised under the umbrella of the Association of Commonwealth Archivists and Records Managers (ACARM), have taken us away from the idea of closed‐door conferences and seminars to practical problem‐solving workshops. The Association of Commonwealth Archivists and Records Managers is an organisation which aims to link archivists, archival institutions and records managers whose governments are within the Commonwealth system. Although the association has been in existence for a fairly short period its activities have already begun to be felt among Commonwealth member states and especially in West Africa.
Records management renaissance: the U.K. local government perspective
Authors: JONES PHILIP
Published: January 2008

This paper provides a definition of records management from the point of view of those working within local government in the UK. The development of records management in this sector is over‐viewed and placed in the context of changing financial and managerial requirements The author suggests that a ‘renaissance’ is taking place in local government records management, due partly to the development of the quasi commercial organisation, compulsory competitive tendering, total quality management and the potential of I.T. He concludes by stating that there is a need, within local government, for controlled and managed information structures, and that the records manager is well placed to oversee the fulfilment of this need.
Records Management Society comes of age
Authors: STEEMSON MIKE
Published: January 2008

The Chairman of the UK Records Management Society describes how the Society is developing to meet the challenges of a new millennium. He outlines how two alternative plans for growth had been produced — the ‘base case’ and ‘leading edge’ proposals — and how the members of the Society decided to proceed with the ‘leading edge’, which is intended to reach deeper into the development of the profession. The changes that are taking place include the instigation of a full‐time secretariat; adopting a pro‐active role in promoting higher professional and academic standards; lobbying government and other agencies and encouraging substantial growth in membership figures. The paper is appended with the Society's mission statement.
Report on a survey of records management practice and training needs in North‐East England
Authors: TOMLIN JANE
Published: January 2008

In the Spring of 1993, the Department of Information and Library Management at the University of Northumbria wished both to collect information on current Records Management practice in the North East of England, and simultaneously to draw the attention of local organisations to their new Postgraduate Diploma in Information and Records Management. By use of a questionnaire, they elicited a response, which, although not amenable to rigorous statistical analysis, does perhaps begin to identify some of the main problems that may be encountered in any subsequent attempt to access this sector, for either the conducting of research or for training purposes.
Managing electronic records
Authors: SHEPHERD ELIZABETH
Published: January 2008

This paper aims to examine some of the issues associated with managing electronic records, identify some problems, and suggest some solutions, from the perspective of a professional records manager and archivist. Three main issues are considered that need to be addressed by managers of electronic records — management and organisational, technical and legal. The overarching theme of standards is woven into these three main areas of concern. The paper concludes by highlighting the need for attention to be paid, in the UK, to discussing and framing a professional approach to electronic records management.
Forms under control
Authors: SOUTHWOOD GRAHAM
Published: January 2008

This paper provides an informative guide to the design and control of forms. Some statistics on the volume of records produced and hence, the nature of the forms control problem, are given. The author goes on to examine the performance of forms, and various forms design considerations, including language, typography, layout and form building. The paper concludes by stating that once the form is designed it needs to be managed.
Proactive records management: analysis and lessons of a survey of the Northern Ireland Civil Service
Authors: HOUSTON PETER
Published: January 2008

In 1989 the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, suspecting that records in the departments of the Northern Ireland Civil Service could be more effectively managed, undertook a survey of records management. This was completed in early 1994 and the findings of the survey have confirmed the Record Office's suspicions. This article considers why this should be so and suggests possible action to remedy the situation. The author expresses his belief that this scenario will be familiar to many records managers and argues that the profession needs to be more proactive in stressing the value of information as a resource, and in selling the concepts of records management to senior executives. He concludes by arguing that recent developments in technology may provide an opportunity for records managers to enhance their profiles.
Records: a neglected information resource in Africa
Authors: MURUNGA WAMUKOYA JUSTUS
Published: January 2008

The author describes the current condition of records management as an emerging professional discipline in Africa, which itself is undergoing extensive economic, political and social changes. He suggests that lack of awareness of records management is widespread in many public and private sector organisations. This manifests itself through inadequate policies, standards and guidelines, as well as inefficiency and lack of management continuity. He argues that each organisation in Africa should integrate their record and information systems, developing records management strategies as well as participating in co‐operative networks to exchange ideas. In Rwanda and Bosnia ethnic killing has so far gone unpunished. But Ethiopia will try ‘Butcher’ Mengistu for his war crimes. Mengistu's totalitarian regime was not alone in perpetrating grotesque abuses of human rights to keep itself in power. But it may be unique in one respect — it kept a detailed record of every abuse. Orders for mass arrests, tortures, even summary executions were all put down on paper and authorised by the people empowered to authorise them. When Mengistu wondered aloud whether no one would rid him of a turbulent priest, there was someone on hand to note it down. Thousands died, more thousands were imprisoned and tortured. The documentation for the killings is voluminous. These records were preserved when the rebel tanks rolled into Addis Ababa, and form the core of what will be the biggest international trial for the crimes against humanity since the Nuremberg trials nearly 50 years ago.
Marketing for the Records Manager
Authors: ELLIOTT DE SAEZ EILEEN
Published: January 2008

Records management is a nascent discipline encompassing those who do not recognise themselves as records managers, a diversity of information managers and archivists and an increasing number of professional organisations, including the International Records Management Council, the International Council on Archives, the Association of Records Managers and Administrators, the Institute of Certified Record Managers and the Records Management Society of Great Britain. This paper aims to show that the Records Manager can define and exploit a positive role within the organisation through the use of marketing concepts and techniques. The elements of a marketing plan are discussed and marketing strategies relevant to Records Managers are defined. The fundamental role and formidable potential of the Records Manager is underscored throughout.
The Internet and you
Authors: RYAN DAVID , MURDOCK ALAN
Published: January 2008

The Internet features more and more frequently in the media as the impact of the information society grows and the traffic on the information highway expands. In this article the authors explore the ways in which the Internet is affecting the field of records management. They describe the Internet, the three methods of connecting to the Net and discuss the growth of e‐mail with particular reference to its status and retention. The Internet also provides, via list servers, a forum for exchange of information amongst records managers and the most active lists are identified with their addresses given in an Appendix. The authors conclude by arguing that, although, at the present time, the idea of managing or controlling the Net runs counter to the freedom of expression which is its principal characteristic, in time the records manager will take on a greater role in preparing users to use the NET by good record‐keeping practices within business as well as encouraging fellow professionals to tap into a valuable resource for their own professional development.
A framework for identifying the business benefits of electronic document management
Authors: WILSON JOHN
Published: January 2008

This paper proposes a framework for determining the potential benefits to be obtained from electronic document management systems as part of an integrated records management strategy.
Outsourcing your information resources
Authors: SOUTHWOOD GRAHAM
Published: January 2008

The author examines the business practice of outsourcing. He explores the reasons for adopting this approach and the range of types of outsourcing arrangements. The whole process is examined from evaluation of the service to be outsourced to consolidation. The author concludes by discussing how the records manager should deal with this potential threat by seeing it as an opportunity.
Filing systems
Authors: WALKER HEATHER
Published: January 2008

This study guide should start with an explanation of what I mean by filing systems. Whether one is referring to the filing of records on a shelf or the filing order of papers within a record, both are filing systems and both are organised differently. To cover filing systems in a comprehensive way, therefore, we not only have to discuss both of these systems but also the numbering and organisation of records or papers that allow them to be filed and retrieved. Drawing on examples from the health service, this study guide will cover the following topics: • numbering systems • filing within a record • methods of filing • filing of a record within a filing system • tracing records within the filing system It is important to emphasise the importance of a well organised and maintained filing systems without which many businesses and organisations could not function efficiently.
A user interpretation of the Code of Practice for legal admissibility of information stored on electronic document management systems (PD 0008)
Authors: WHIFFIN HAYLEY
Published: January 2008

The author examines the recently issued Code of Practice for Legal Admissibility of Information Stored on Electronic Document Management Systems — PD 0008 — from the perspective of an end user organisation with an electronic document management (EDM) system already installed. The author was in no way involved in the preparation of this code and gives a frank and honest discussion from the viewpoint of a manager responsible for the management and operation of the EDM system.
The future of records management is not what it used to be
Authors: NEWTON CARL
Published: January 2008

A penalty for longevity, personal or institutional, is the necessity to re‐think basic tenets every so often, least they become outworn shibboleths, a block to progress. Records managers are so accustomed to thinking of themselves as belonging to a ‘new’ discipline whose value is only just coming to be recognised, that they forget just how long it has, in fact, been in existence. The classic texts on records management — Schellenberg, Leahy and Cameron, Benedon are now sorely dated although all, especially Schellenberg, contain valuable ideas and insights. One makes no reference to computers, a second deals only with physical protection and back up, and the third, listing them under ‘non‐conventional filing systems,’ dismisses them as not being ‘a practical means of information retrieval’. Such statements are by their very nature hostages to fortune, as indeed this article, in its way, also. Yet its author is comforted by re‐reading his own contribution to Peter Emmerson's How To Manage Your Records (1989) and noting that most of the issues he raised there are still pertinent.
The Business Information Process in ASEAN
Authors: BAILEY ROBERT L.
Published: January 2008

This article looks at how the Far Eastern countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) practise records management. It outlines early and current influences from Britain, America and Australia and describes the different stages of records management development which each of the various nations has reached. Although changes in the laws and increased cost of rent have had an impact on current records management practice, technology seems set to play a significant role in the future, particularly with Singapore, the world's largest producers of disc drives and a major computer manufacturing country, amongst the ASEAN members. To date it has been IT and MIS personnel who have taken control of implementing the latest technology and not always in an appropriate manner. This article predicts that there will be great competition for leadership positions in the information industry over the next few years and that personnel in the three disciplines of librarian, archivist and records manager, need to position themselves near enough to fill these positions at the first opportunity.
Records Management in Africa: Old Problems, Dynamic New Solutions
Authors: THURSTON ANNE
Published: January 2008

Records management in Africa is increasingly influenced by two global developments: public service reform initiatives and computerisation. The national archival organisations, which have statutory responsibility for records management in the public sector, have been severely under‐resourced for many years but now have new opportunities to develop a much higher profile. The situation presents a range of new challenges, and not all are agreed on the best way forward. However, professionals and educators across the continent are re‐evaluating their role and many are taking a holistic view encompassing the needs of users at all stages of the records lifecycle or continuum. This attitude is earning the respect of senior public officials who are increasingly recognising records management as an important aspect of public sector reform.
All at C or What's in a name?
Authors: SOUTHWOOD GRAHAM
Published: January 2008

This article begins by charting some of the key phases in the development of records management practice in central government in the United Kingdom in the last two decades. The parallel developments of closely related disciplines, such as information resource management, document management, archives administration and information and library management in a wider context, has resulted in fragmentation in the way information in organisations is managed. This in turn has reduced the impact of records management in particular not least, the author believes, because the term itself is not widely understood nor the practice of the discipline highly regarded. He proposes ways to change this concluding with the proposal to rename it ‘information logistics’.
Records management as a strategic business function
Authors: KING LESLEY A.
Published: January 2008

After having read Julie McLeod's opinion piece on the lifecycle of records concept, I felt compelled to commit my own opinions to paper. Strange really, I never thought of myself as being a strongly opinionated person, which just goes to show that you do indeed learn something new everyday, even if it is about yourself!
What price information?
Authors: LINDESAY CHRIS
Published: January 2008

Many people are trying to tackle the cost and value issues arising from the information age in which we now live, including the profession of information and records managers, who have been wrestling with the problem for longer than most. They are now being joined by publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, creative artists, abstractors, research organisations, financial institutions and computer hardware and software suppliers. All have an urgent need to find ways of storing, valuing, trading and invoicing products and services that comprise no physical content but are pure information. In this article the author explores ways of valuing information two of which are based on its availability or proximity and the effect that having the information has. He concludes that whilst putting a price or value on information is very difficult there must be a value to it, as the effect of not having information can readily be observed.
Introducing charges for records management: the Cumbrian system
Authors: GRISENTHWAITE JIM
Published: January 2008

This article outlines the process leading to the introduction of a charging system for records management services in a local authority context. It examines the circumstances which caused the Cumbria Archive Services to consider charging in 1993/94, the research that was undertaken to support the introduction of charging and the difficulties that were encountered in the run‐up to implementation in 1996.
More than diplomatic: functional requirements for evidence in recordkeeping
Authors: COX RICHARD J
Published: January 2008

In the 1990s, North American archivists and records managers shifted some of their concern with electronic records and record keeping systems to conducting research about the nature of these records and systems. This essay describes one of the major research projects at the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences, supported with funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Specifically, the essay focuses on the project's four main products: recordkeeping functional requirements, production rules to support the requirements, metadata specifications for record keeping, and the warrant reflecting the professional and societal endorsement of the concept of the recordkeeping functional requirements.
Records managers and archivists need to work together
Authors: CAMPBELL JESSIE
Published: January 2008

I am moved to write because I am disappointed to notice increasing divisions between records managers and archivists. When I came into this profession I thought of myself as practising archives and records management. The growth in the number of posts in the records field, and divergent interests of the practitioners has led to people specialising in particular areas, but I think it is important to state as a principle, that managing records is an end‐to‐end process which involves the full range of skills from advising on suitable filing systems (electronic or manual) through managing a record centre, to the care of records designated as worthy of permanent preservation.
The role of records management in ‘business information’ services
Authors: DAY IAN
Published: January 2008

Traditionally, the information profession has been compartmentalised into groups of people called records managers, archivists, librarians and IT specialists, each group having some similar and some distinctive knowledge and skills and offering some similar and other specialist information services. Information users, however, do not necessarily identify these different compartments when they need to find and access information, and it is unreasonable to expect them to know who to go to. Since all of the groups of information specialists are what might be described as ‘business’ or corporate information providers then there would seem to be an opportunity for them to integrate their services and improve the service they provide to their customers. This article discusses the potential for integrating information services, the reasons for doing so, the benefits to be gained and the challenges such a strategy presents for all of the information specialist involved. It suggests that whilst records managers will need to maintain and develop their core skills they are in pole position to lead the integration process.
Functional appraisal of records: a methodology
Authors: SCOTT MONICA
Published: January 2008

Functional appraisal of records is an idea which has been around for a long time but it is only relatively recently that it has actually been implemented in various organisations and countries. The aim is to ensure that archives capture the right records but avoid the huge workloads and backlogs of the past by identifying these records before they arrive in the archives, so that only archival records arrive there. This can be done by appraising functions instead of appraising documents, because records exist to document functions, so if a function is archival, then the records which support it will also be archival. Retention schedules can then be developed based on those functions, and classification schemes based on the schedules so that there is a seamless system governing the records from creation to final disposition.
Continuing vocational education and archives and records management: a project progress report from University College London
Authors: SHEPHERD ELIZABETH
Published: January 2008

This article examines the HEFCE‐CVE funded project undertaken at the School of Library, Archive and Information Studies, University College London to investigate distance education as a mechanism for delivering continuing professional development in the field of archives and records management. The first part of the project focused on determining the training and educational needs of the sector in the UK, by means of a survey of members of the profession. The results of this survey form the main part of this article, but other conclusions of the project to date are also reported.