Begin with the End in Mind: A Records Management & Archives ...

Chapter 4
Begin with the End in Mind: Managing Your Records
Recent literature regarding the archival use of United States congressional records
underscores the importance of establishing a robust records management program within a
member's legislative office prior to transfer to an archival repository. A long lapse between
active record use and transfer to the archives results in record disorder, incompleteness and
possible damage from inadequate environmental conditions.
The benefits of establishing a clearly defined records management program in your legislative
office are:
Records received by Texas State Archives are more complete and exhibit compliance
with the Texas Publication Information Act.
Once records are received, they are more efficiently and cost-effectively arranged,
described and physically stored.
In addition, records management programs provide benefits to the legislative office.
Daily business processes are more efficient because offices know what records exist in
their office and they are easily located.
The creation of duplicate or unnecessary records is minimized.
The tendency to retain unnecessary or obsolete records is minimized.
Recordkeeping practices are more consistent.
4.1 Records Management Concepts
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission, in collaboration with the records
management officers of the Texas House of Representatives and Senate, has created two tools
to aid legislative offices in creating and maintaining their legislative records: the State of
Texas Records Retention Schedule (the Texas House of Representatives and Senate each has
its own records retention schedule) and the State of Texas Records Management Manual.
A records retention schedule lists and defines the type of records created within a
legislative office and the legal requirement for retaining those records. This schedule also
identifies those records that have enduring value and need to be transferred to the Texas
State Archives. It is important for legislative offices to apply this schedule to all of their
records, including committee records and records located in their district office(s).
The State of Texas Records Management Manual outlines commonly used systems for
maintaining records within an office. Topics include inventorying records, establishing filing
and indexing systems, handling electronic records, document imaging, forms management,
records center services and records scheduling.
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