Archives of the Future: Archival Strategies for the Treatment of ElectronicDatabases

摘要

The study's primary purpose was to provide the National Archives and RecordsAdministration (NARA) with criteria to assist it in the appraisal of electronic databases for transfer to the National Archives. It resulted in the compilation of an inventory of major program-related databases that in turn informs NARA about the present database environment and identifies issues in building an electronic archive of the nation's history. With respect to recommendations, NARA should adopt a more active stance of pursuing agency data that may not have been scheduled, a strategy that entails an expansion of its present outreach program. NARA should develop guidelines and standards to create more uniform agency behavior and should establish a directory of the Archives' databases. NARA should investigate the possibilities for decentralized archives.