Citation[]
National Archives and Records Administration, The Effects of Electronic Recordkeeping on the Historical Record of the U.S. Government (Jan. 1989).
Overview[]
In February 1987, the National Academy of Public Administration completed a review of the impact of electronic technology on the historical records of the federal government and presented it to the National Archives and Records Administration. The report concluded that although federal agencies currently retain policy documents in paper form that "a number of factors are at work that imperil the historical record." The report noted how electronic technology is increasingly influencing the workplace, the roles and responsibilities of federal employees, and the documentation of the work of government agencies.
The report includes 17 recommendations, which involve additional research, coordination, and training as well as changes in administrative procedures and uses of resources. The report concludes that "the National Archives and Records Administration, as an independent agency, must take the lead and develop a systematic, long-term strategy for electronic records."