Frequently Asked Questions
This page contains information on common queries received by State Records Office staff.
A Glossary of Terms used in State Records Commission and State Records Office publications is available for download.
If you have an information query that is not covered within this section please feel free to contact the staff of the State Records Office on (08) 9427 3360 or via email at sro@sro.wa.gov.au.
Table of Contents
(last revised 6/02/2008)
- What are State records?
- Are State records the same as Public records?
- What are State archives?
- What are intermediate records?
- What is the difference between "disposal" and "destruction"?
- What are ephemeral records?
- What is the State Records Act?
- What are General Disposal Authorities and how can I obtain them?
- What is a Retention and Disposal Schedule and why do I need one?
- What is SRAC?
- When should I transfer records to the State Records Office?
- How do I transfer records to the State Records Office?
- Can I restrict access to my agency's archives?
- Where can I get advice on how to deal with recordkeeping problems?
Electronic Records
- What is an electronic record?
- What is metadata?
- What is migration and why is it important?
- What do I do with electronic records of archival value?
- How do I destroy electronic records?
Keyword AAA
What are State records?
State records are any record of information (in any form) created, received or maintained by a government agency or parliamentary department in the course of conducting its business activities.
Are State records the same as Public records?
Yes.
What are State archives?
State archives are State records that must be retained permanently. They must be retained within the State Records Office or an approved archival repository.
Electronic records designated as having archival value are to remain in the custody of the agency which created or managed them. These records must be managed in accordance with Public Records Policy No.8, which can be found in the State Records Office Policies and Standards Manual.
What are intermediate records?
Intermediate or semi-active records are those with declining current administrative value, that have not yet attained the prescribed age for destruction.
What is the difference between "disposal" and "destruction"?
Disposal refers to the removal of records from an agency once they have reached the inactive phase. This can take the form of destruction (the physical destruction of records that are no longer of value) or archiving (permanent retention of records that have enduring value).
What are ephemeral records?
Ephemeral records are those with only short-term value to an organisation, as they contain little or no ongoing administrative, fiscal, legal, evidential or historical value. They are usually not incorporated into the agency's recordkeeping system.
Government agencies are advised to include ephemeral records as a category in their Retention and Disposal Schedules.
What is the State Records Act?
The State Records Act received the Governor's assent in November 2000. It outlines the requirements of government for the keeping of State records. The Act repeals the recordkeeping provisions in the Library Board of Western Australia Act 1951-1983.
For further details on the State Records Act, and information on other legislation affecting records management in Western Australia, click here.
What are General Disposal Authorities and how can I obtain them?
General Disposal Authorities (GDA's) are documents which specify how to dispose of particular series of records common to most government agencies. At present, the State Records Office publishes GDA's for the financial and accounting records, human resource management records and administrative records of State Government agencies, and the functional and administrative records of local Governments.
Some of the criteria and decisions used in the GDA's may be adopted in developing an Retention and Disposal Schedule and a reference to a GDA included in the R&D but the GDA elements themselves may not be included in the R&D unless there is good reason to do so.
For example, it is acceptable to use the appropriate headings with a statement referring the user to the relevant GDA as outlined below:
-
Administrative records – refer to the GDA Admin
Finance & Accounting records – refer to the GDA for Finance & Accounting records or GDA F&A
Human Resource records – refer to the GDA for Human Resource Management records or GDA HR
Please contact the Recordkeeping Services Team on 9427 3365 if you require assistance or clarification. Copies of these and other State Records Office publications can be obtained by downloading the Publication Order Form.
What is a Retention and Disposal Schedule and why do I need one?
A Retention and Disposal Schedule (R&D) is a systematic and comprehensive listing of categories, or series, of records created by an agency that plans the life of those records from creation to ultimate disposition.
R&D's need only be developed specifically for functional records relating to the core activities of a particular agency, as distinct from General Disposal Authorities (GDA's), which apply to records common to most government agencies such as financial records, human resource management records and administrative records.
Under the terms of the State Records Act 2000, State records can only be destroyed or disposed of via an approved disposal authority, such as a R&D which forms part of the Recordkeeping Plan, or under a GDA, prepared by the State Records Office for agencies to use.
What is SRAC?
The SRAC (State Records Advisory Committee) makes recommendations to the State Records Commission with regard to the retention or destruction of any State records and any other relevant matters. State records cannot be destroyed without this approval.
When should I transfer records to the State Records Office?
The State Records Act 2000 states that Government agencies must transfer archival records to the State Records Office when the records become 25 years old. Archival records may be transferred sooner if not required for current administrative purposes. The age of a record is determined from the date it is created.
How do I transfer records to the State Records Office?
Agencies wishing to transfer archival records to the State Records Office will be required to provide information about the agency and records series (if this has not already been provided). Each consignment, or group of records for transfer, will also need to be registered.
Can I restrict access to my agency's archives?
Agencies may request to restrict public access to their records. If this is desired, the agency must notify the Director: State Records Office in writing, outlining which records are to be restricted and why. Under the terms of the State Records Act 2000, authorisation for such decision-making rests with the State Records Commission.
Any researchers wishing to access restricted records will need to obtain written permission from the appropriate agency to do so.
Where can I get advice on how to deal with recordkeeping problems?
The State Records Office is able to provide free advice, via telephone or email, on all aspects of recordkeeping. For complex queries, an on-site consultancy service is available on request.
For further information on the consultancy service, click here.
Electronic Records
What is an electronic record?
An electronic record is any information that is input onto a computer system, and processed, modified, stored and accessed via that system. Electronic records include word processing files, electronic spreadsheets, databases, electronic mail, internet and intranet systems, and imaged documents. The information within electronic records must be appraised in the same way as paper-based records.
What is metadata?
Metadata is "data about data" - that is, the data that must be captured alongside an electronic record that provides contextual information and supports its management and use. Examples of metadata include: date and time of creation and registration, author, document name, links to records related to the same sequence of business activity, and directory trees.
What is migration and why is it important?
Migration is the conversion of existing data to new hardware, software and/or storage media to maintain its readability. Migration is necessary to preserve the functionality and integrity of electronic records for the entirety of their designated retention period.
What do I do with electronic records of archival value?
Electronic records of archival value must be managed by the agency that created or kept them. This agency is responsible for ensuring that these records are held in secure conditions and that the data is migrated as necessary to maintain readability indefinitely (see previous question). Electronic records of archival value must be managed in accordance with Public Records Policy No.8, which can be found in the SRO Policies and Standards Manual.
How do I destroy electronic records?
Guidance on this issue is currently being developed. For more information, please contact the Recordkeeping Services Team on 9427 3365 or email sro@sro.wa.gov.au.
Keyword AAA
What is Keyword AAA?
Keyword AAA, produced by State Records New South Wales, is a thesaurus of general terms designed for classifying, titling and indexing most types of records. It should be used in conjunction with an agency's unique functional terms.
Who uses Keyword AAA?
Keyword AAA is used by a wide range of State and Local Government agencies and private organisations throughout Western Australia.
How can I obtain a copy of Keyword AAA?
The State Records Office has entered into an agreement with State Records New South Wales to act as distributor for Keyword AAA to State and Local Government agencies. For any queries regarding purchase, please contact the Keyword AAA Administrator on (08) 9427 3435.
