University Archives Advisory Committee

Minutes - April 24th, 1991

Agenda

1. Tour of the University Archives - Main Library
2. Minutes of Last Meeting (March 27th)
3. Development of a Comprehensive Archival/Information Management Program and Strategy for Implementation
4. Other Business
5. Date of Next Meeting

Tour of the University Archives

The Committee convened in the Special Collections & University Archives Division of the Main Library for a tour of the archival facilities. Following the tour the committee reconvened in the Librarian's Office for the remainder of the meeting.

Minutes of Last Meeting (March 27th)

Approved without revision.

Development of a Comprehensive Archival/Information Management Program and Strategy for Implementation

Chris Hives made a brief presentation describing a comprehensive program of information management for the University of British Columbia (see Presentation). A discussion on the report then ensued.

Ruth Patrick expressed concern that the University Archives Advisory Committee play an on- going role and that once the program were "off the ground" that the committee function in an educational and advisory role. She indicated the importance of proactivity in forging and maintaining lines of communications with record creating units on campus and that we should explore the possibility of establishing a newsletter or regular public meetings. If such an arrangement were not possible then we should develop a vehicle by which to exchange information with Deans and Dept. Heads. It will be important to develop an implementation strategy for the policy.

Other committee members suggested that we develop a consultative process by targeting those people upon whom the policy would have a significant impact and point out to them the benefits of supporting such a policy. It would be necessary to stress that while there will be elements of standardization it will also be possible to customize the information management program to allow for individual requirements. It should also be emphasized that we will provide administrative units with guidance for establishing records management systems that will promote effective information retrieval and ensure that unneeded material is disposed of as soon as possible. By addressing these concerns at the outset we will be able to achieve some level of consensus which will speed up the process.

Implementation of Information/Archival Management Program:

The Committee agreed on the following course of action to implement the policy:

1. Chris draft a policy statement governing the development of a comprehensive information/archival management program - should include the rationale for undertaking the program (i.e. the need to acquire systematically the University's permanently valuable records and also provide efficient access to information at UBC) as well as an indication of the benefits for record creating units on campus.
2. That the draft be circulated to various record creating units on campus (at least to Deans and Dept. Heads) for input on the proposal.
3. That the feedback offered to the draft policy be incorporated.
4. That the President be asked to bring the policy before the Board of Governors for approval.
5. That the necessary resources as outlined in the report to VP Srivastava be made available so that we can initiate the new program.

Other Business

None

Date of Next Meeting

May 29th - Librarian's Office, 10:00 - 11:30

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