Managing and Preserving Electronic Records at McGill University: The digitalpermanence initiative

Managing and Preserving Electronic Records at McGill University:

The digitalpermanence initiative

04/18/23 McGill University Archives :: ICA Seminar 2005

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Objectives

McGill University Archives (MUA) digitalpermanence initiative

Projects Results

Next steps Q & A


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Montreal, Quebec, Canada Established in 1821 Research intensive/graduate programs 32,143 Students - 8,850 Employees Existing IT infrastructure in transition

ERP, document imaging Increasing RM implications

McGill University


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McGill University Archives

Established in 1962 Reports to the Secretary-General of McGill

(corporate head office of the University) First university archives in Canada Campus Archival & RM authority Quebec legislative framework

Access Act (1982) and Archives Act (1983)


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What is digitalpermanence?

Launched in December 2003 “A McGill University Archives initiative,

promoting the collaborative, strategic, long-term management and preservation of McGill University’s electronic records.”


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Why digitalpermanence?

A new records management reality Electronic format

“Born-digital” or converted to digital Manage e-records for business interests

Fragile Not like paper Preserve e-records for research interests


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Phase I - digitalpermanence

January 2004 – October 2004

Goals Projects Results (Oct-Nov 2004)


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Goals - Info Gathering

Determine the extent of electronic records on campus

Examine and select software solutions (e-records management & preservation)

Review and develop new policies


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Project – E-Records Inventory

Extend and types of e-records Results:

Enterprise systems = structured, organized, well-documented

Office Systems, Email = unstructured, at times chaotic

Absence of tools and policies Localized RM “solutions”


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Project – Software Review

DM & Web Archiving Results:

DM software – function-rich – but costly, no univ. clients, IT infrastructure, long-term preservation?

McGill “Gateway” – web presence Web archiving – HTTrack – Static vs.

Dynamic web pages


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Project – Policy Development

Absence of policies in dealing with: Corporate e-records, emails, and

document imaging (paperless initiatives) Results:

Corporate e-records classification schemes

Email Best Practices Document imaging standards


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Phase II - digitalpermanence

On-going Projects as of June 2005


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Phase II

McGill Web System Snapshot Tool To capture McGill “Gateway” web pages Static and Dynamic web pages Joint effort with McGill Web Service

Group XHTML (web pages) and XML

(databases)


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Phase II

Email Conversion (link)

To convert email from proprietary to non-proprietary file format

Email in .PST – batch process to HTML, PDF, XML, etc

ABC Amber Outlook Converter software Good software, good results, but large-

scale email conversion??

http://www.archives.mcgill.ca/dp/assets/email_conversion.pdf


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Phase II

Transfer and Access Protocols Document (link)

To develop e-records’ transfer and access strategies

Themes: transferring, processing, preserving, and accessing e-records

digitalpermanence storage server: centralized or federated

http://www.archives.mcgill.ca/dp/assets/dp_ta_protocols_v1.pdf


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Phase II

Document Management Software To organize office e-records Campus-wide vs. office by office

solutions Joint committee between University

Archives and University IT sector


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Phase II

Outreach to University Offices (link)

To raise awareness on campus Advise on email best practices Advise on document imaging projects Proactive approach = Changes staff

perception on e-records

http://www.archives.mcgill.ca/dp/practices/office.htm


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Phase II

Revision to Terms of Reference Accepted by Board of Governors 2005 New language reflects role of Archives in

governing, and accounting for, campus electronic records


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Next Steps

Retention Rules Enterprise Systems (SIS, FIS, HRIS) Email


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Overall Observations

Collaboration Cannot do e-records project alone Work with experts in other fields (IT,

records creators) Achievable project goals

Complex project but… Proper resources, clear strategy, take

risks, test and try – success!


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Staffing - digitalpermanence

Archivist-Electronic Records David Kemper

Archivist/Records Analyst Aaron Spreng

Senior Archivist-Records Management Alex Richmond (start Oct. 2005)


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Johanne Pelletier,

Associate Secretary-General and University Archivist([email protected])

McGill University Archives website

http://www.archives.mcgill.ca/

David Kemper,

Archivist-Electronic Records([email protected])

digitalpermanence initiative

http://www.archives.mcgill.ca/dp/

Aaron Spreng,

Archivist/Records Analyst([email protected]) Questions ?Questions ?


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References

Outreach to University Offices resources

• Email Best Practices & Office Records Classificationhttp://www.archives.mcgill.ca/dp/practices/office.htm

• Document Imaging (scanning) Standardshttp://www.archives.mcgill.ca/dp/practices/scanning.htm

http://www.archives.mcgill.ca/dp/practices/office.htm

http://www.archives.mcgill.ca/dp/practices/scanning.htm


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References

Terms of Reference• The mission of the McGill University Archives

(MUA) is to promote good governance, and accountability, through the protection of the University’s documentary heritage and records/information assets, in all formats, by combined archives and records management services.


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Why digitalpermanence?

• To take on the challenge of managing electronic records – “born-digital” or converted to digital – for business interests

• To develop strategies to preserve electronic records, in collaboration with the university’s IT sector, for research interests

Documents

Managing and Preserving Electronic Records at McGill University: The digitalpermanence initiative