Spring Cleaning

It’s April, and that means spring is here! With spring, comes spring cleaning! Out with the old and in with the new. In the Records Management (RM) world that means it’s time to tidy up our records management systems, make sure the team is involved, make sure retention periods are up to date, or start…

TSLAC Guidance for Records Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic

(Author: Rebecca Hanna, Coauthor: Erica Siegrist) In April 2020, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) released answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Records Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic. This article will answer the same questions to provide Texas-specific guidance for state agencies and local governments. Records Management Related to Teleworking How should Texas…

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)…

The Bucketing Strategy as a Precautionary Solution

Agencies or local governments that are tight on storage space might look forward to speedily carrying out disposition on records that have met their full retention periods, but there are cases when reaching a destruction eligibility date may not put the records manager in the clear to destroy or transfer those records. In those cases,…

Microfilm reel

Microfilm Destruction Tips

Are you looking to streamline your microfilm destruction methods? Do you already have a system in place? In any case, you might find these pointers below helpful to incorporate into your organization’s practices. Step 1: Make sure you have procedures in place. Will the destruction be done in-house, or will you hire an outside vendor?…

Guest Blog: Preparedness Awareness

Contributing Author: Normel ChatmonRecords Analyst Fort Bend ISD Police Department September is National Preparedness Month. However, for some local governments, being prepared may be challenging—especially in the records world and specifically, in ISD police department records. So the question to all of Texas independent school district police departments: is your records management department prepared for…

FAQ: Can I destroy a paper original after scanning?

Of all the FAQs we get, this might be the most FAQiest of them all! Both local governments and state agencies want to know if they ‘go paperless’—if they digitize their essential records—can they get rid of the original paper or film copies? Yes! Records management laws and rules applicable to state agencies and local…