NARA Records Management Requirements
All federal agency records are managed by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The NARA records management division came up with data that showed how most federal agencies are at a moderate to high risk of not having properly archived records and that they need to change the methods they use to archive their data and records. The division received response from 93% of the 270 government agencies it approached with the intention of reviewing their records management policies.
Based on the evaluation of the NARA records management division survey results, the risk of not having effective record archiving methods was high in some cases. Justice, Education, Agriculture and Transportation were some of the lowest performing departments according to the survey. A score below 90 indicates moderate risk of inadequate recordkeeping and as many as 90% survey respondents fell in this category.
The recordkeeping policies of most agencies failed when it came to electronic data. The reason for this is absence of a compliant system for archiving electronic records or inability of the systems in use to capture email messages. NARA insists on electronic record keeping and believes that printing and filing of email messages is an inadequate retention method. When it comes to making records easily accessible to NARA and other regulating organizations, a majority of federal departments believe that the storage of all electronic data on a computer is as good as archival software.
The involvement of record management personnel in data retention planning process is important, but this is not the case in many departments. Neither can the record management staff recommend the most efficient way of archiving records, nor do they have a say in the software to be used for archiving and record saving process. These decisions are made higher up and by people who do not have anything to do with records management, leading to an inefficient system that is just not working. 16% survey respondents claimed occasional involvement of record management staff in the decision making process, while further 19% claimed regular involvement.
This indicates that in over 65% of the agencies, decision are made without consulting records management division. While these agencies do have a records program in place, it is a bare minimum program and no longer complies with the regulations that NARA has set out. For keeping up with new developments in the field of data management, the record staff requires effective training.
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