Begin with the End in Mind: A Records Management & Archives ...

Please visit the Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s website to access this
manual: https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/slrm/recordspubs/rmm.html
4.2 Steps to a Records Management Program
As archivists have discovered, particularly in the case of long-serving legislators whose
records can be quite voluminous, working with records creators at the beginning of the
records life cycle results in better-organized and more accurately described archival records.
Once the Texas State Archives receives your records, it is too late to influence the system, and
archivists must cope as well as they can with the records they receive.
Take a moment to answer the following questions:
Do you and your staff know what a records retention schedule is?
Do you and your staff know where the records retention schedule is filed?
Do you and your staff know the record types that should be transferred to the Texas
State Archives?
Is there a staff member in charge of records management within your office?
Do you have a way to preserve electronic
records, such as e-mail and those created on
the Legislative Management System and
Correspondence Management System?
Do you know the difference between the State
Records Center, the Legislative Reference
Library and the Texas State Archives?
Records Management Objectives:
1. Establish a comprehensive, office-wide
records plan that specifies "where to file
information" and "how to find it."
2. Create discrete and identifiable office file
series that are arranged according to
guidelines listed in the records retention schedule.
Establishing an effective records
management program in your
office requires a commitment from
you!
Tips:
- Make copies of the records
retention schedule widely
available and easily accessible.
- Refer to it on a regular basis,
perhaps at the beginning and end
of the legislative session.
- Compliance is key to success.
3. Establish guidelines and procedures for maintaining and preserving information on
office computers.
4. Identify archival records.
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