July 29, 1999 Number 1874
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Office of the Provost		Campus Box 3000,104 South Building                     Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3000                     (919) 962-2198 FAX: (919) 962-1593

The staff of the Records Management Program and the members of the University Records Committee often are asked why the Records Management Program is focused so heavily on paper records. After all, this is the age of computers, the World Wide Web, and digital imaging why isn't Records Management working in the arena of electronic records instead of doddedly pursuing paper? Good question, and the brief piece on the back of this page explains why.

I hope you will read the piece and that you will finish it better informed about two things: first, why Records Management must pay attention to paper; and, second, why Records Management is pursuing electronic records of all types just as fast as is prudently a appropriate. Popular opinion to the contrary, paper records will be a part of university life for years to come. But, at the same time, electronic records - - e-mail, paging are more and more to the way we teach, do research, perform public service, and keep the University 'running.   The Records Management Program is committed to helping the University manage its records as dictated by state law, as necessary to make day-to-day operations run smoothly, and as needed to preserve the rich history of Carolina. Remember that the histories yet to be written for our tricentennial depend upon how well we preserve our records today.

If you have any comments or questions about records management, please call Frank Holt or Susan Blalock at 962-6402.

In this digital day and age where everything seems so oriented to computers and electronic records, one might wonder why the Records Management Program at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill seems so wedded to paper. In a nutshell, here are the reasons.

1) Mountains of paper still exist and more is being generated every day that must be dealt with according to State Law. Despite the growth of computer and electronic records, the University will continue to use produce paper far into the next millenium.

2) The State of North Carolina currently permits only the use of paper or microform (fiche or film) for the archival preservation of important public records. Hence, despite the appeal of electronic imagery, the University simply cannot shift totally to that medium.

3) Converting paper to microform (or digital images) is expensive and rivals the cost of long- term storage of paper.

4) Electronic records seem better suited for current, day-to-day use by various offices on campus. Most of those records are of limited shortterm value and archival preservation is not an issue. Where the historical record is important, electronic records are problematic for two reasons: first, the medium of electronic records is unproven past a couple of years. Will we be able to use that disk or CD in 10, 25, or 100 years? Even if the medium lasts that long, will we have the hardware and software necessary to read the disk or CD? Second, persons 'browsing' the past tend to appreciate the "hands on" nature of actual, real paper records. For example, if you have ever read a diary from the Civil War on microfilm, it just does not give the same sense of appreciation of those times as does holding the actual document in hand.

5) Finally, while the main impetus for now of the Records Management Program is paper, the Program is not ignoring electronic records. Just like paper, electronic records must be managed under State law, and the Records Management Program is actively pursuing the best way to do that. An e-mail policy is set for approval by the University Records Committee this fall and discussions are on-going regarding the Program's involvement in any purchase on campus of imaging or microform equipment or service contracts. Additionally, all Records Retention and Disposition Schedules for campus units are being rewritten to include the retention and disposition of electronic records. The goal of the Records Management Program in this regard is to preserve properly the paper record of the University while cautiously moving into the electronic world.

July 15, 1999