Monday, May 28, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
NARA Report Shows Little Progress In Protecting Government Records From Improper Destruction | CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
NARA Report Shows Little Progress In Protecting Government Records From Improper Destruction | CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
The federal government made little progress last year in improving records management, according to a new report from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) based on yearly agency self-assessments. In 2011, the records at 90 percent of federal agencies were at high or moderate risk of being improperly destroyed, down slightly from the 95 percent in the 2010 report. Federal government records are backbone of transparency and accountability, but the vast majority of them remain at risk.
May 02, 2012
The federal government made little progress last year in improving records management, according to a new report from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) based on yearly agency self-assessments. In 2011, the records at 90 percent of federal agencies were at high or moderate risk of being improperly destroyed, down slightly from the 95 percent in the 2010 report. Federal government records are backbone of transparency and accountability, but the vast majority of them remain at risk.Some agencies are simply abysmal at records management. The worst two, with a score of only 3 out of 100 possible points, were the Postal Regulatory Commission and the Marine Mammal Commission. On the other hand, the Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement was the top agency with a score of 99, followed by a 98 score for two other Interior agencies, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Office fo the Special Trustee for American Indians.
Managing email and other electronic records continues to be a serious problem, including a lack of understanding of electronic records by agency officials. Over 80 percent of agencies still use "print and file" as one of their methods for preserving email, with another 49 percent using backup tapes. Only 19 percent used using an electronic records management system or records management application to capture email. In addition, many agency respondents did not know or understand key terms related to electronic records. Agencies also increasingly use social media and cloud computing, but most have not developed policies for managing records in these environments.
The new report comes in the middle of a push by the White House to institute better records management throughout the federal government. Last November, President Obama issued a presidential memo on managing government records requiring all agencies to provide NARA reports describing their plans improving their records management programs, especially electronic records. Those reports were submitted in March, and NARA and OMB are now working on a Records Management Directive that will direct agencies to take specific steps to reform and improve records management policies and practices.
CREW again applauds the White House for taking this important step, and NARA for its continued commitment to records management. At this point, however, the bottom line remains the same. The government’s continued failure to comply with its record keeping obligations leaves the public with a massive gap in our historical record and jeopardizes public accountability. The new report again shows this shameful neglect and underscores the need for focused attention on this critical issue.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
How Document Scanning and Records Management Help Organizations
In the age of information technology, it is now very easy for business organizations to store and secure their records and docmumetns in the form of digital and electronic files. However, since there is a significant amoutn of documents that need filing, storing, and securing, it can be very overwhelming and time consuming for organizations to properly manage this amoutn of information and data. As a result, there may be some records that will be lost and in worst cases, some information is leaked and stolen. It is definitely alarming that sensitive and private information regarding the company are disclosed to competitors and other organizations. For this reason, it is vital for every company to have a proper recorods and document scanning and management process.
Records management procedure is a very critical part of any business organization process. This process keeps track of relevant and essential information that can smooth operations in a company. If an organization does not have this procedure they might suffer from data loss and other severe consequences. For example, data can easily arise form situations wherein the file is accidentally deleted, or when a wrong folder is shredded, or if someone steals sensitive data and information. Having a proper record management system and procedure can help manage the classification, archiving, storage, and destruction of company documents and records thus it can prevent costly and damaging consequences.
However, if the company cannot afford to focus on their record management process, they will need to seek the services of a record management company. Record management companies can offer excellent services such as document storage, scanning, and secure shredding.. With the help of a reputable and credible record management company, the company can easily store, collect, retrieve, and destroy documents. They can also organize, file, and manage their electronic files since a record management company can offer them with a reliable record management system.
Effective document scanning and management can help the company in their road to success. This is possible since it allows the company to easily collect business statistics and information that can lead to better decision making. This process can also enhance the security of the company’s records and documents thus it prevents the data from getting into the wrong hands. Proper record management procedure can also prevent data loss thus avoiding disastrous situations. This process can definitely improve the performance of the business estabishment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)