IMS5040

Managing the records continuum

Offered subject to approval

S McKemmish

12 points - 8 hours per week in participation in interactive discussion tasks/seminars, 16 hours per week will be spent in directed reading, private study, accessing items via the internet and preparing assignment items - First, second semester - Distance education - Prerequisites: IMS9023 or equivalent, and IMS9049 or equivalent - Prohibition: LAR5530

Objectives At the completion of this subject, students will be able to (i) analyse organisational and individual needs in relation to their obligation to maintain records; (ii) demonstrate an understanding of the legislative environment in which particular recordkeeping activities take place, with particular emphasis on evidence acts, privacy and disclosure legislation and industry best practice; (iii) analyse particular functions, activities and transactions in order to define and articulate recordkeeping requirements; (iv) analyse metadata required for the management of records over time and space; (v) articulate various technical and policy options for the management of records over time and space.

Synopsis The course covers the socio-legal and technical environments of recordkeeping, the technical environments and the specific roles of recordkeeping at the document creation, records systems, organisational and social dimensions. The records continuum explores traditional recordkeeping principles and electronic information/document creation; business acceptable communications in the form of authentic and reliable evidence of transactions; requirements to maintain evidence of transactions over time and space in the form of corporate memory in order to meet individual and organisational accountability requirements; wider social and cultural demands on recordkeeping to maintain a continuing collective memory over time and space. Specific techniques, innovative practice and research findings are taught in an environment aiming at defining best practices for the profession. Attention is paid to the concept of virtual archives as it is being proposed in research models and best practice, including issues relating to the custody of records.

Assessment Project report: 60% - Practical assignment: 40%

Prescribed texts

McKemmish S and Piggott M (eds) The records continuum Ancora Press, 1994
Upward F The records continuum, a model Monash U, 1998

Recommended texts

Bearman D Electronic evidence Archives and Museum Informatics, 1995

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