Electronic Records Archive

The federal government generates and increasingly saves a large and growing fraction of its records in electronic form. In 1998, the National Archives and Record Administration (NARA) launched its Electronic Archives (ERA) program to create a system to preserve and provide access to federal electronic records. To assist in this project, NARA asked the NRC to conduct a two-phase study to provide advice as it develops the ERA program. The first two reports (phase one) provided recommendations on design, engineering, and related issues facing the program. This report (phase two) focuses on longer term, more strategic issues including technology trends that will shape the ERA system, archival processes of the ERA, and future evolution of the system. It also provides an assessment of technical and design issues associated with record integrity and authenticity.

Like its constituent agencies and other organizations, the federal government generates and increasingly saves a large and growing fraction of its records in electronic form. Recognizing the greater and greater importance of these electronic records for its mission of preserving "essential evidence," the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) launched a major new initiative, the Electronic Records Archives (ERA). NARA plans to commence the initial procurement for a production-quality ERA in 2003 and has started a process of defining the desired capabilities and requirements for the system. As part of its preparations for an initial ERA procurement, NARA asked the National Academies' Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB) to provide independent technical advice on the design of an electronic records archive, including an assessment of how work sponsored by NARA at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) helps inform the ERA design and what key issues should be considered in ERA's design and operation."Building an Electronic Records Archie at the National Archives and Records Administration" provides preliminary feedback to NARA on lessons it should take from the SDSC work and identifies key ERA design issues that should be addressed as the ERA procurement process proceeds in 2003.

This is a book of fresh insights, perspectives, strategies, and approaches for managing electronic records and for addressing the implications for archival programs operating in a digital environment. The authors draw on first-hand experience to present practical solutions, including recommendations for building and sustaining strong electronic records programs. The book addresses several themes: ·Historical development of digital technologies and their impact on records creation and recordkeeping practices ·Definition and concept of "electronic record" ·Institutional and legal contexts for development of electronic records policies ·Roles for archival and records management programs in broader digital initiatives of their parent institutions ·Moving from theory to practice ·Strategies for developing and sustaining successful programs, including leadership approaches, partnering with records creators, fostering development of new knowledge, skills, and abilities for information professionals, and adapting and customizing programs.

Government agencies are increasingly moving to an operational environment in which electronic -- rather than paper -- records provide comprehensive documentation of their activities and business processes. Overall responsibility for the government's electronic records lies with the Nat. Archives and Records Admin. (NARA). This report reviews electronic records mgmt. and preservation activities at NARA, with the objectives to: determine the status of NARA's efforts to respond to governmentwide electronic records mgmt. problems and the adequacy of its planned actions; and assesses NARA's efforts to acquire an archival system for electronic records. Identifies alternative technologies for the long-term preservation of electronic records. Tables.

The retention and archiving of study materials and process records, raw data and source data, is a critical part of compliance with both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and Good Clinical Practice (GCP). The maintenance and retention of such records provides the means by which a study, trial, process or procedure can be reconstructed and thus enabling the information and results generated to be verified. Requirements for the operation of an archive and the archiving process for electronic records are no different to the requirement of physical records which are required to be retained for regulatory or business requirements. However, due to the variety and fragility of electronic records some additional features are required. The purpose of this document is to identify and discuss these features and provide guidance on how these challenges can be met.

In this collection of essays, twelve contributors, each of whom has been involved in NARA's development, discuss the application of archival theory and practice in the National Archives and Records Administration's development of these functions and trace how they evolved over time.