Tune in monthly for a curated collection of articles we found interesting on a broad range of topics; some which are directly related to records management and others which might share common themes.

No, we didn’t write these articles —hence the name of this series, “Off the Record”— , but fortunately we didn’t need to in order to share the knowledge with our subscribers.

Let us know in the comments below what topics you are interested in learning more about!

FOIA turns 50! – The Washington Post

As FOIA marks a milestone birthday, read about the impact this law, which helps keep government accountable, has secured and the changes it has undergone in its lifetime, including more recently.

Using Social Media as a Data-Smart Governance Tool – Government Technology

Social media can be used for more than just communicating with the public. Using the four phases of social analytics maturity, organizations are able to leverage the information gained through social media to predict future behavior in beneficial ways.

The Challenges of Cloud-based Public Records – American Bar Association

Communication and storage techniques, which are supposed to enable quick and easy access to information, have created barriers to citizens’ ability to wield the public government records and information. Read to find out:  (1) if e-mails and texts housed on nongovernmental servers or devices discussing public business are subject to disclosure under open records laws; 2) what obligation government employees have to retain electronic information; and (3) if citizens are entitled to inspect and obtain copies of digital records in their “native format,” including database files and “metadata”.

Lighten Up: It’s OK to Have a Little Fun on Social Media – Government Technology

Sometimes in order to really benefit from the use of social media an organization has to be comfortable venturing into the unknown, which could mean being a little risqué and humorous.

Office of the Secretary: Evaluation of Email Records Management and Cybersecurity Requirements – Office of Inspector General

An evaluative report on the Office of the Secretary regarding email records management and cybersecurity requirements. How does your organization compare and are there some improvements to be made?