A vinyl record on a blue background with the words Off the Record and the TSLAC logo in white.

Off the Record: Fire

Welcome back to our occasional series “Off the Record,” 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…

Person scared to watch movie.

RIM-Brain: The Horror

By: Anne Poulos, Rebecca Hanna It is that time of year to get ready for the anticipation of terror and dust off the horror features. From movies to television, we in the records management field begin to see records and information management (RIM) applications in our entertainment. Below are two examples: (Warning: Some spoilers ahead!)…

Information Disaster Plan

Creation and maintenance of an information management disaster plan is a never-ending task. While it can be cumbersome, hard to obtain buy-in, and require an upfront cost, it is one of the most important documents that your office can create. Protecting your information is protecting your assets. You will be able to continue operations and…

Creating Records At Home, Part III: Various Devices

Previously, we discussed Creating Records at Home, Part I: Microsoft Teams and Part 2: Zoom. In this article, we’re going to discuss the hypothetical situation of a records manager’s worst nightmare come true: employees creating records outside of the office’s network. A best practice for efficient managers is to analyze hypothetical risk to know how…

COVID-19 Records and How Long to Keep Them

by Erica Rice [Updated 7/6/2020]: On July 2, 2020, the U.S. Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued guidance requiring that all Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act grant documentation be retained for 5 years. Visit the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s website for more information about CARES funds. The analysts here at TSLAC…

History of the State Records Center

Author: Michael Shea The history of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission began in the 1830s when Texas was still a Republic. In 1909, the Texas Library and Historical Commission was created to direct the State Library, aid and encourage public libraries, and collect materials related to Texas history. In 1947, the Texas Legislature…