Records Management, SPEC Kit 305 (August 2008)

Center, Jr., Clark E.

20 · Survey Results: Survey Questions and Responses
Are records physically housed within the library or elsewhere?
What are the common records management practices in ARL libraries?
What services are offered to institution clientele?
How many records are typically accessioned in a year?
Who pays the bills for records management?
Background
1. Does your institution have a records management program? N=62
Yes 41 66%
No 18 29%
It used to have a program, but it no longer does 3 5%
If there used to be a program but it has ceased, enter the year in which it began and ended, then
submit the survey.
Began Ended
unknown 1993
1991 1996
1965 2003
2. Which unit in your institution is responsible for administering the records management program?
N=41
Library Unit N=25
Special Collections library or department 12 29%
Archives unit that is part of the library system but not part of
the Special Collections library or department 5 12%
Other unit/department 10 24%
Please name the other unit/department.
“Archives and Rare Books Library (includes special collections).”
“Archives and Special Collections (all one department). Some Records Management also administered by Vice

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SPEC Kit 305: Records Management · 21
President for Administrative Affairs.”
“Archives &Special Collections at the T.J. Dodd Research Center (a unit of the Library). Storage/retrieval/
destruction is available via a contract with Iron Mountain.”
“Archives unit that is part of the library that also includes Special Collections as a sub-unit.”
“Archives unit that is part of the library system, also responsible for Special Collections. Some functions
contracted to Iron Mountain.”
“Budget &Asset Management works with Special Collections and University Archives.”
“Electronic Records Program.”
“Records management functions are distributed across university. There is no central records management
unit or records management officer. The University Archives inside the library system is involved.”
“University Archives unit that is part of the Special Collections and Digital Programs and the Library
Department.”
“[Special Collections and] University Counsel.”
Non-library Unit N=16
Archives unit that is not part of the library system 5 12%
Other unit/department 11 27%
Please name the other unit/department.
“Distribution &Document Management.”
“Academic Affairs.”
“University Business Office.”
“Privacy Office.”
“Records manager reports within the Office of General Counsel.”
“Vice President for Business Services and Treasurer’s Office.”
“Micrographics.”
“Records management used to be in the library (Special Collections/Archives) but is at this moment in
transition to some other unit of the University—we don’t know which one yet.”
“Records Management Services (under Vice President for Finance and Facilities).”
“Office of Procedures, Records, and Forms under Business and Finance.”
“University Secretariat.”

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SPEC Kit 305: Records Management · 19
Survey Questions and Responses
The SPEC survey on Records Management was designed by Clark E. Center, Jr., Curator, W.S. Hoole Special
Collections Library, University of Alabama. These results are based on data submitted by 62 of the 123 ARL
member libraries (50%) by the deadline of February 25, 2008. The survey’s introductory text and questions
are reproduced below, followed by the response data and selected comments from the respondents.
Records management is the field of management responsible for efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt,
maintenance, use, and disposition of the records of a business or organization. There are two reasons for retaining non-current
records. First is to satisfy the legal and fiduciary responsibilities of the organization for specific periods of time second is to
permanently retain those records which document the history of the institution. The benefits of a records management program
include:
• Systematic segregation of records that have significant legal or operational value from those that have permanent value to the
institution.
• Reduction in duplicated efforts from one administrative unit of the organization to another.
• Alleviation of storage space problems throughout the organization.
• Protection of personal information contained in the records.
• Efficient retrieval of records.
• Proper disposal of outdated records.
• Saving money (according to a 1997 estimate by the National Archives of Records Administration, records kept in storage cost
$21.61 less per cubic foot than records kept in office space.)
Not all academic or research institutions have a records management program. In those that do, administration of the program
may be the responsibility of staff in an archives department, a special collections department or library, a remote shelving facility,
or some other unit. There has, as yet, been no inquiry into the state of records management in ARL member institutions. We don’t
know how many ARL libraries are responsible for an institutional records management program, what models they follow, what
practices they follow, or who pays for records management.
This survey seeks to answer the questions:
How widespread is the practice of placing records management in the library rather than somewhere else in the institution?
Where is records management placed in the administrative structure of the library?
What staff administer the records management program?

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