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Know Your Program – SWOT Analysis

Records and information management programs are at the heart of every organization. Records contain information that staff need to continue operations, complete daily tasks, and provide reasoning for an organization’s actions. Good records and information management ensures that stakeholders are satisfied that they have proper access to the information they need. Additionally, protecting records ensures…

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Obtaining Buy-In: Record Creators and Users

When entering the records management world, it doesn’t take long to figure out that it is generally difficult for records leaders to obtain buy-in from others in their office. We’ve heard from many records leaders that staff don’t feel records management is pertinent to their job’s responsibilities, the term “records management” sounds too dated to…

How Does Records Management Benefit Us, Anyway?

by Brianna Cochran By now, you’re probably aware your government is legally required to comply with records management laws. Though it is often difficult to motivate yourself, colleagues, or supervisors to implement something just because it’s required. It’s human nature to resist things we perceive as difficult, time-consuming, or obligatory. The records management assistance (RMA)…

Building the Relationship Between RM and IT

Whether it’s creating and securing electronic records or establishing a process to capture records from social media sites, records managers often find themselves working closely with their Information Technology (IT) Departments. The initial meeting to discuss such issues can be uncomfortable for some, so we’ve solicited the help of three Records Management Officers (RMO) who’ve…

Selling Records Management to Your Supervisor

Whether you are new to records management or an experienced records management officer, you all face or have faced the following question: “How do I make records management relevant in my office?” Depending on your office environment, knowing when and how to talk to your office leadership about records management can be challenging. Your peers…

Presenting Records Management to Archivists (using The Force)

By Angela Ossar, Government Information Analyst Last month, I had the huge pleasure of traveling to New Orleans, LA to present a session at the Society of Southwest Archivists (SSA) annual conference. The Society is the regional archives association for 6 member states: Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. The theme of the…