in Mississippi

ecords, electronic messages, 17 and social media, procedures for records storage
(which should include the use of standard letter/legal records storage boxes for
paper records and standardized names for record series), and procedures for
records disposal.
• Employees are trained in basic records procedures. An initial workshop will
familiarize all employees with the new program. Basic records training should be
included in new employees’ orientation, while records liaisons need more indepth
training. The Local Government Records Office periodically holds
workshops on records management topics. A 90-minute interactive course,
“Introduction to Records and Information Management,” developed by the
Council of State Archivists (CoSA), is also available on the MDAH Local
Government Records Web page under Training for Local Government. 18
• The county incorporates essential records into its disaster recovery or Continuity
of Operations (COOP) Plan. Most counties have a COOP Plan through their
Emergency Management office, but few consider records in the plan. Yet certain
records are needed when responding to a disaster, while others are needed to
resume normal business afterward. 19 MDAH also offers workshops based on
CoSA’s Intergovernmental Preparedness for Essential Records course. 20 These
courses will help the county identify which records are essential to its ongoing
operation, and plan for their safety and accessibility in the event of a disaster.
CONCLUSION
A goal frequently quoted by records managers is, “Get the right information to the right
person at the right time.” Implementing and maintaining a records management program
can help a county government achieve that goal. While the initial implementation may
be time-consuming, the money and time saved in properly managing records will pay off.
The MDAH Local Government Records Office is available for advice and assistance in
managing county records. Contact them by phone at 601-576-6894 or by email at
locgov@mdah.state.ms.us.
1 Code, § 9-5-137.
2 Code, § 9-1-33, § 93-1-23, etc.
3 Code, § 9-5-171.
4 Code, § 39-5-9.
5 Code, § 25-60-1. Seventeen members represent state agencies, local government associations and
research organizations.
6 Based on ISO 15489:2001.
7 http://mdah.state.ms.us/new/government-2/records-management/standards-guidance/ “Public Records
Reformatting Policy,” “Standards for Digital Imaging,” and “Recommended Practices for Digitizing Public
Records” (hyperlinks for latter two embedded in first document).
8 Code, § 25-59-25(2).
9 http://mdah.state.ms.us/new/government-2/records-management/standards-guidance/ “Off-site Storage of
Local Government Records” and “Standards for Local Government Archives.”
10 Code, § 25-59-23.
166