EXAM QUESTION DEC 2018

PART A
QUESTION 1
Define the following term:
a) Commercial Records Centre

A commercial records centre is a document storage facility that allows you to store all
sorts of paper and electronic documents in one location.

b) Eligibility Check
Checking the categories on the transfer list against the retention schedule to decide if
record centre storage is available

c) Processing Area
Providing separate space for documents to be examined and processed

d) Refilling
The filling process for records charged out.

e) Stack area
Stack areas where individuals are exempt, except for access and retrieval
PART B

Question 1

Discuss 5 responsibilities of ICT staff in a records centre.

One of the responsibilities of ICT staff in the records centre is to help the records managers
collect, maintain, ensure better record tracking and distribution, as well as report output by
using the records system and application. By using the records system, all the record
tracking can run smoothly without any disturbance. Next, develop and maintain a new
records system that can simplify the records management task. For instance, several ICT
staff create "automated SF 135" to remove records from the Federal Records Centers.
Besides, ICT staff can provide improved access to information and is one location where a
variety of choices are offered by technology, in looking at the dissemination of schedules for
records. For example, the use of the EPA website has dramatically decreased the need for
paper or diskette used. ICT staff also can generate the program records management can
use for storing and retrieving electronic documents. An "integrated device may use one or
more technologies, such as imaging and workflow. Last but not least, in engaging with
records staff, take the initiative to develop positive ties with other records agencies.
Appreciate and respect the positions of other related support members, and attend and
participate as needed in related meetings.

QUESTION 2
State five (5) example of non--stack area

QUESTION 3
State five (5) example of chargeable services that can be offered by a record centre.

QUESTION 4
State five information that needs to be filled in the records centre transfer list

There is some information that needs to be filled in the records centre transfer list. First,
check the record. Remove the records centre transfer list from the box. Check that the form
has been completed correctly, with an adequate description of the contents, but with the
box number, location and action date columns left blank. Next, determining the action
category which is the approved list of disposal schedules should then be consulted. Look at
 the appropriate schedule(s) and decide what is the correct action category of these records,
and the appropriate action date. After that, preparing the boxes. Each box should be marked
in sequence with the next available box number. To find what this number is, consult the list
at the front of the records centre location register. Last but not least, storing the records.
The next vacant storage location is then found from the records centre location register. As
far as possible, it is best to keep consignments together in one block, because they should
have a common action date. Lastly, distributing the transfer lists. The first copy should go in
the master transfers file. This file contains the transfer list, in a separate file for each
transferring office, in the date order as received. Records office code numbers may be used
to identify the file for the office of origin. The second copy should go in the action dates file.
This file holds the records centre transfer list in a single sequence by the action date,
irrespective of the office of origin. The third copy should go in the records office transfers
file. This file holds forms to be sent back to the transferring records office or agency for
retention as a permanent record for their use. Agencies will consult this form to find out the
box number of any record they require. On receipt of this copy, the record office should
destroy the fourth copy they kept at the time of the transfer.

QUESTION 5
State 5 categories of information that can be used to compile a records centre
performance report

PART C
Answer TWO (2) questions only.

QUESTION 1

Discuss with examples the planning processes of new records centre

The Records Center is intended to serve as a central repository in an organization can store and
manage all of its records, such as legal or financial documents. The Records Center facilitates the
entire process of records management, from the compilation of records through records
management to disposal of records. To develop a new records centre, we must have plans to build
it.
Some of the primary planning is setting up an administrative framework. The records centre is
considered to exist within the framework of the records and records institution of the company, as
an archival facility branch. Therefore the record centre is an integral part of the institution of records
and archives. It provides this administration with a physical base and centre of operations. It enables
the administrative and intellectual control of the records of the company.

The second stage in preparing for a record centre is to gather information of the record system,
what the centre is likely to contain and to measure the effect of this on service planning. For
example, establish guidelines for the removal of non-existing records from current systems, collect
data for the construction and acceptance of disposal schedules, measure implementation costs by
the various agencies of the organization of the new records, and estimate the amount of recovery
required and the connection to records. The optimum size and capacity of the record centre can be
determined based on the information collected.

Following the overall development strategy of the organization, the location of the centre should be
selected. Price, centrality, security and the availability of services are considerations to consider.
Because of the service to be provided locally, the location of branch or regional record centres
should be selected with equal care. The record centre should be a place for high-density low-cost
storage.

Next, the fourth planning is to building or adjusting a construction to use as a records centre. A
standard records centre is a safe, clean and reasonably roomy warehouse, providing an excellent
local standard of economical and easily managed racking or shelving. The goal is to store as much
content in the least amount of space as safely as possible. Typically, this high-density storage is
accomplished by building the shelving stacks as high as possible.

Last but not least, It is often best to carry out a pilot project before venturing on some new method
for keeping records in record centres. This project will test the systems implemented for the whole
company in a limited region. A pilot project will enable the record centre to test equipment or
system before deploying them in the organization. One option is to focus one or a few chosen
organizations on a pilot project. Non-current records from these specified locations should be
assessed, scheduled and moved to the record centre as needed.

Generally, the record centre was best placed inside the record framework and as a branch of the
archival institution, the institution of the archive. In the institution of records and archives, the
records centre was considered an integral aspect, providing a physical foundation and a centre of
operations for that administration. The records centre also supports administrative and intellectual
management of information.

QUESTION 2

Discuss with example how communication and technology can benefit a records centre

QUESTION 3

Discuss with examples the characteristics of records centre

QUESTION 4

Discuss with examples how to manage records in special formats in records centre.

There are several ways to manage records in special formats in the records centre. First, Liaising with
Records Offices, Transferring Records and Accessioning Records. each department or agency will
have a records office, responsible for managing all the current records created and used by action
officers within the office. Records centre staff should be familiar with the records office’s
procedures and situation. Similarly, records office staff should understand the procedures used in
the records centre. Active liaison between the two offices is necessary so that records are removed
from records office and are deposited in the records centre, transferred to the archival institution or
destroyed as required by the schedules. Active communication and co-operation are also needed to
ensure records that are issued to the records office for reference use are returned to the records
centre in a timely fashion.

Next, disposing of records including destruction or transfer of records to the archival institution.
Records offices should be issued with the specific schedule relating to their agency (ministry or
department) as well as with copies of relevant general schedules. They are responsible for seeing
that closed files are transferred to the records centre at the proper time. The records office
supervisor will notify the records centre if there are specific reasons why records should be retained
for periods other than those identified in the schedule. Some records may be scheduled for
destruction within one year or less of their creation. These records should not be transferred to the
records centre. Instead, they should be destroyed by the records office under secure conditions. The
only exception might be if there is no storage available in the office to hold records pending
destruction.
Lastly, measuring and reporting on performance. The records and archives institution must always
be able to account for its operations and their costs. The institution should also be able to identify
measurable benefits to the government. The records centre must therefore take care to quantify its
work. At the beginning of each new financial year, a report may be prepared on the operations of
the records centre. This may be suitable for inclusion in the annual report of the records and
archives institution.

We can say that by managing the records we can ensure that the data will be safe. All forms used in
the records centre should be standardized and controlled. One officer in the records centre should
be responsible for controlling the creation of all forms. This officer should ensure that there are
adequate stocks, that supplies are kept inconvenient places, and that they are filed properly when
completed. If computerization of records centre procedures is possible, many of the actions
recorded by forms can be automated.
REFERENCES

Ahmad, D. (2016, March). Planning and developing a records center. Retrieved from Slideshare:
https://www.slideshare.net/emolagi/planning-and-developing-a-records-center-1

Microsoft. (2010). Introduction to the Records Center. Retrieved from Microsoft:

Musasizi, E. (2014, September ). THE ROLE OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN

Seoul, D. S. (2017, March). Job Description ICT Director. Retrieved from

Sharma, R. K. (2012). Role of ICT for Record Management in the Wake of RTI Act. International

Journal of Managment, IT and Engineering, 2(4), 317-324.

Michael, R. (1999). Managing Public Sector Records: A Study Programme. Managing Records in

Records Centres.