Defining Electronic Records
Electronic Records
Langemo (1995) describe records as the memory of the organization, the raw material for decision making, and the basic for legal defensibility. Meanwhile Gagnon (1987) defines records from the functional standpoint when he says all recorded information regardless of media or characteristic, made or received and maintained by an organization or institution in pursuance of its legal obligations or in the transaction of business.
However, Clubb (1991) admits that it was relatively easy to provide a definition of a record a generation ago. With advances in technology, the definition of the term needs to be reviewed. This is supported by Skupsky (1995) – with the widespread use of information management technology, it has become more difficult to determine exactly what record is.
Thus, in order to satisfies current situation which referring to technology advancement, more comprehensive definition has been made by The Australian Archives Act 1983 in which they define records as physical object - a document (including any written or printed material) or object (including sound recording, coded storage device, magnetic tape or disc, microform, photograph, film, map or graphic work) that is, or has been, kept by reason of any information or matter that is contains or can be obtained from it or by reason of its connection with any event, person, circumstance or thing.
O’Shea (1996) explains further that ‘traditionally and practically records have been viewed as physical objects such as paper files, tapes, disks etc. Such description presents a major problem with electronic records since in the electronic systems: records are neither purely documents nor objects. They are dependent on the medium on which they were originally or currently held. Individual records and their component part are not necessarily physically located in a logical sequence.
A more specific definition about electronic record is then given by International Records Management
Langemo (1995) describe records as the memory of the organization, the raw material for decision making, and the basic for legal defensibility. Meanwhile Gagnon (1987) defines records from the functional standpoint when he says all recorded information regardless of media or characteristic, made or received and maintained by an organization or institution in pursuance of its legal obligations or in the transaction of business.
However, Clubb (1991) admits that it was relatively easy to provide a definition of a record a generation ago. With advances in technology, the definition of the term needs to be reviewed. This is supported by Skupsky (1995) – with the widespread use of information management technology, it has become more difficult to determine exactly what record is.
Thus, in order to satisfies current situation which referring to technology advancement, more comprehensive definition has been made by The Australian Archives Act 1983 in which they define records as physical object - a document (including any written or printed material) or object (including sound recording, coded storage device, magnetic tape or disc, microform, photograph, film, map or graphic work) that is, or has been, kept by reason of any information or matter that is contains or can be obtained from it or by reason of its connection with any event, person, circumstance or thing.
O’Shea (1996) explains further that ‘traditionally and practically records have been viewed as physical objects such as paper files, tapes, disks etc. Such description presents a major problem with electronic records since in the electronic systems: records are neither purely documents nor objects. They are dependent on the medium on which they were originally or currently held. Individual records and their component part are not necessarily physically located in a logical sequence.
A more specific definition about electronic record is then given by International Records Management
Bibliography: Clubb, C. (1991). Records management: the theory. In: Gregson (ed.). Introducing records management. Proceedings of one-day conference entitled Introduction to Records Management, at the Shakespeare Memorial Room, Paradise Circus Complex, Birmingham 24th May 1990. : Records Management Group of the Society of Archivists. Duff, W. (1994). Defining transaction: to identify records and assess risk: In: Richard J. Cox (ed.). University of Pittsburgh record-keeping functional requirements project: reports and working papers – progress report two. (LS057/LS95001). Pittsburgh: School of Library and Information Science University of Pittsburgh. Gagnon, M. (1987). Glossary of technical terms. In: Carol Couture and Jean-Yves Rousseau. The life of the document: a global approach to archive and records management/ translated by David Hamel. Montreal: Vehicule Press. Langemo, M. (1995). Successful strategies for establishing or strengthenin a records management program. In: Proceeding your highway in information management: ARMA International Annual 40th Year Conference, October 22-25, Nashville. Prairie Village, KS:ARMA International. O’Shea, Greg. (1996). The medium is not the message: appraisal of electronic records by Australian archives. Archives and Manuscripts: the Journal of the Australian Society of Archivists, 22 (1) May: 68-93. Saffady, William. (1992). Managing electronic records. Prairie Village, K.S.: ARMA International. Shepherd, Elizabeth. (1994). Managing electronic records. Records management Journal, 4 (1) June: 39-49. Skupsky, Donald, S. (1995). Legal requirements for records management programs: advanced issues. In: proceeding your highway to information management. ARMA International Annual 40th Year Conference, October 22-25, Nashville, Prairie Village, K.S.: ARMA International. International Records Management Trust. (1999). Retrieved January 9, 2011, from www.rimt.org: http://www.irmt.org/educationtrainmaterial.php