MMA webinar reviews guidelines for digitizing municipal records

An MMA webinar today offered tips for building a sustainable document management strategy and digitizing municipal records.

Elizabeth O’Connell and Yolande Bennett, digital archivists from the Massachusetts State Archives, began by reviewing relevant terminology, such as the difference between digitized records and “born-digital records.”

O’Connell explained the pros and cons of digitization, highlighting ease of access as a major benefit.

When choosing what to scan and destroy, O’Connell cautioned municipalities to save records with long retention periods and historical significance.

“We cannot guarantee digital records are going to be permanent,” she said. “We don’t know how technology is going to change in the next 50 years.”

Bennett reviewed best practices for file organization, such as a consistent and descriptive naming practice. She said it’s important to keep file names between 25 and 30 characters.

Christopher McClure, chief information officer in Watertown, discussed his city’s digital transformation experience and explained how to implement strategies to reduce the production of paper records.

“Start by developing plans to reduce the creation of new paper,” he said, “and then determine the best document management software and strategy for your organization.”

Ludlow Town Administrator Marc Strange moderated 10 minutes of questions and answers, which addressed compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, document indexes, and the retention of permanent records.

• Digitizing Municipal Records – Massachusetts State Archives presentation (123K PDF)
• Document Management – City of Watertown presentation (19M PDF)