Standards Watch

Information System for Electronic Records Preservation—Another new ISO work item

Note that this item has a very short time window for comments–Sept. 24, 2008.

Cindy Hepfer, ALA Voting representative to NISO, reports to us on a proposed new work item for a standard on Electronic archiving — Specifications concerning the design and the operation of an information system for electronic records preservation. The proposal includes a matrix placing this proposed standard in context with other existing standards and projects, including the TC46 project: ISO/PDTR 26102, Records management — Requirements for long term preservation of electronic records.

Cindy says, “Recommending a “Yes” vote indicates you are in favor of the project. A “No” vote means you think the project should not be pursued. Comments are required for a No vote. While we are not required to nominate an expert for this working group (if the project is approved), we have the option of doing so. If anyone wants to work on this project, please provide the name and contact information in your comments.”

“Please understand that this is not a NISO standard, but is being balloted by ISO’s TC46. ALA is not voting on the standard itself but rather is providing feedback to NISO as to whether to approve or disapprove the standard. NISO will review and consider the feedback that it receives prior to submitting the US vote.”

The scope note in the proposal document is as follows: “This standard applies to records produced by any kind of information systems, office automation software or converted from physical or analogical form. It describes the design and operation of an information management system which store electronically records where integrity, accessibility and trustworthiness is a main concern including legal, business, governmental, public interest, and other purposes.”

“Records may contain any type of data, including digital born or image information, digital audio or video. This standard is for use with any type of electronic storage medium including logical or physical Worm and rewritable based systems.”

More specifically, this standard gives specifications for:

– bodies or companies which wish to implement information systems in which they will be able to store document imaging or digital born documents so as to ensure their conformity and integrity compared with the original documents;

– service companies which are involved in development and integration of electronic records management systems (ERMS);

– companies which design software and/or hardware sub-systems that will be integrated in end-user systems.

This standard does not cover the processes used to evaluate the authenticity of information, to select the records and to organize the repository prior to capture, import or store it into the system.”

As with all ISO documents, access to this one is restricted. If you are an ALA member and wish to see this ISO document, please contact Cindy directly (HSLcindy@buffalo.edu) and confirm that you are an ALA member (I’d appreciate being copied on requests, at metadata.maven@gmail.com).

Diane Hillmann
LITA Standards Coordinator

One comment

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