Digital Digital ImageryImagery

Good News and Bad News for Public Documents

Druscilla R. Simpson

N.C. State Archives

The Scene:The Scene:

More efficient methods to create, store, and retrieve public records needed

Government agencies experiencing budget cuts, staff reductions

Results are varied information systems for managing information and records

The Good about Digital ImageryThe Good about Digital Imagery

Multiple users with simultaneous accessRemote access across networksMultiple copies at original qualityMultiple formats availableReproduction enhancements can reduce

effects of aging and use

And More Good News...And More Good News...

Good tool for preserving access to deteriorating materials

Storage is relatively compact and getting cheaper

The Bad...The Bad...

Can impair physical access

– May not be a complete copy of collection

– May be in a different arrangement

– May be a collation of many different collections, perhaps across multiple repositories

On-screen viewing of digital images

– Hard to read• Different screen sizes

• Slow modems

• Phone lines

– Inadequate searching capabilities technologically

Media difficult to copy

– Equipment at home or in library may be insufficient to copy

Copyright issuesNo good cost modelsRelatively short life spanSabotage from new directions

More Bad News...More Bad News...

Bankrupt vendorsMeeting the public’s needs vs. practical

solutions

The Ugly?The Ugly?

Text and images we can’t read in a very short time

Poor cataloging to electronic text and images which actually increases research time instead of decreasing it

Loss of public records through poor planning and the destruction of originals

So What Do We Do?So What Do We Do?

Adopt

– New attitudes

– New partners

– New processes

New AttitudesNew Attitudes

Encourage the development of computer-based archives

Develop clearinghousesAccept conversion as a fact of lifeRedefine preservationEncourage hardware and software

standards

New PartnersNew Partners

Cooperate with hardware and software developers

Cooperate to make digital image documents widely accessible

Think in Terms of Life CyclesThink in Terms of Life Cycles

Permanent storage of digital images is not an end in itself

Reformatting should be a common way of life

Hardware and software must be renewed as well

Choose Projects CarefullyChoose Projects Carefully

Selection should be based on use or potential use of material

Begin with the simpleAdopt an incremental approachAvoid customized approaches or solutions

What Guidelines Are There?What Guidelines Are There?

Performance Guidelines for the Legal Acceptance of Records Produced by Information Technology Systems

Association for Information and Image Management1100 Wayne Avenue, Suite 1100Silver Spring, MD 20910(301) 587-8202

Are Digital Records Admissible in Are Digital Records Admissible in Court?Court?Federal Rules of EvidenceUniform Business Records ActUniform Photographic Copies of Business

and Public Records as Evidence ActUniform Rules of Evidence

Document, Document, Document!Document, Document, Document!

The admissibility of a copied record is based on its legibility, accuracy, and completeness.

The best way to achieve admissibility is with careful documentation of all procedures followed in the creation, transfer, or conversion of the record.

Formal Training ProgramsFormal Training Programs

Presence of formal training program with written materials, attendance records, certifications of training implies that all procedures are correctly followed.

Procedures ManualsProcedures Manuals

Procedures that show a systematic quality control, all audit procedures, and proof of operational oversight by a person with detailed knowledge of the process and system.

AuditsAudits

Audits confirm that all processes or systems are producing accurate results.

They compare the documentation with the actual results.

They can be used to identify the accuracy of the information.

Other Documentation Needed:Other Documentation Needed:

All hardware and software documentation.All reviews of procedures and programs.All previous versions of other

documentation.Documentation reviews, updates, and

replacements.

TimelinessTimeliness

It should be noted that the life expectancy of the actual media the record appears on has no bearing on the admissibility of the record.

The shorter the time between the activity and the production of the record the better.

When There is Digital…What About When There is Digital…What About the Originals?the Originals?North Carolina General Statutes (121-5(b)

and 132-3(a) prohibit the destruction of public records

Records Management Program for the selection and preservation of permanently valuable public records and their copies

The records must be scheduled through current records retention and disposition scheduling procedures

The agency must provide documentation relating to the electronic records

The pertinent retention/disposition schedule must be revised and approved.

North Carolina Guidelines for Managing

Public Records Produced by Information

Technology SystemsSuggests certain methods and procedures in

the preparation of electronic records that are designed to increase their reliability and accuracy

Includes a self-warranty form

Self-warranty FormSelf-warranty Form

Strictly volunteerSelf-evaluation toolBased on guidelines proceduresSigned by agency’s records officerRetained by the originating agencyMade available to records analysts and

auditors

Limited in scope

– Does not authorize the destruction of records

– Does not change the retention/disposition scheduling procedures

– Is simply a checklist to validate the the authenticity and accuracy of the creation of records

A signed and dated self-warranty form is the originating agency’s assurance that a particular series of electronic records is prepared in accordance with the suggested guidelines.

The Archives and Records Section cannot certify authenticity and accuracy of any records, whether originals or reproductions, produced by the originating agency.

The Division of Archives and History recommends against the destruction of original papers constituting permanently valuable documents such as deeds and vital records and will prohibit this practice as it applies to materials currently designated for deposit in the State Archives.

What About Recommendations?What About Recommendations?

The Division of Archives and History, nor its parent department endorses, warrants, certifies, or approves any particular hardware or software product or product combination used to produce digital objects.

Written copies of the guidelines suggested by the Division of Archives and History may be obtained from:

North Carolina Dept. of Cultural ResourcesDivision of Archives and History109 E. Jones StreetRaleigh, NC 27601-2807(919) 733-3952

http://www.spr.dcr.state.nc.us

Always Remember:Always Remember:

– Microfilm is still satisfactory for long-term preservation

– Digital imagery can improve access for modest increase of cost

– Researchers will demand digital access increasingly

– Will need to develop further technological advances such as OCR