10 reasons why electronic records need special attention
In recognition of Electronic Records Day 2015, here is a list of reasons why everyone should be
thinking more about electronic records.
1. Managing electronic records is like caring for a perpetual toddler: they need regular attention
and care in order to remain accessible.
2. Electronic records can become unreadable very quickly. While records on paper have been
read after thousands of years, digital files can be virtually inaccessible after just a few.
3. Scanning paper records is not the end of the preservation process: it is the beginning. Careful
planning for ongoing management expenses must be involved as well.
4. There are no permanent storage media. Hard drives, CDs, Magnetic tape or any other storage
formats will need to be tested and replaced on a regular schedule. Proactive management is
required to avoid catastrophic loss of records.
5. The lack of a “physical” presence can make it very easy to lose track of electronic records.
Special care must be taken to ensure they remain in controlled custody and do not get lost in
masses of other data.
6. It can be easy to create copies of electr