Governments around the world are concerned about the threat posed to official records by automation.

The spread of personal computers has placed unprecedented power to create, control and destroy records in the hands of people who are untrained in records management, and so, through no fault of their own, are unaware of the criteria for preservation or ways to ensure long term access.

State records vital for future administrative, legal or heritage purposes may be irretrievably lost. It would be ironical if our descendants in 200 years were to understand less about our society than we do about our first European settlers.

On the advice of the Minister for the Arts, the Premier set up a Task Force to examine this matter, and to develop recommendations to resolve the problem.

The Task Force wishes to consult with departmental officers having day-to-day involvement with systems and records, who can assist in developing guidelines that will be practical, workable and useful. It has prepared the attached survey to help assess the dimensions of the problem, and to identify likely sources of expertise, advice and comment.

It would be appreciated if you would forward this survey to the appropriate officers within your Department, and to any subdepartment or other authority or office coming within, or associated with, your administration, with a request for their support for, and input to, this important venture by completing the survey. Prompt return of the completed form to the Archives Office of NSW, 2 Globe Street, The Rocks NSW 2000, or fax to 02-237 0142, would be of assistance.

R G Humphry
Director-General