Glossary

(Technological) obsolescence

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

When the format, software or hardware is no longer readable, usable or supported (e.g. VHS tapes, floppy disks).

Note: some formats or hardware may still be readable or usable, but the technology is no longer supported (e.g. cassette tapes can still be read with a tape player, but the technology is no longer supported).

(To) Document

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

Access

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

The right, opportunity, means of finding, using or retrieving information.

Source: Adapted from ISO 15489-1:2016–Information and documentation: Records management, definition 3.1.

Access (to records)

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

The provision of access to public records in accordance with access conditions set under provisions of the Public Records Act 2023.

Access restrictions and permissions

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

Restrictions placed on records so that only certain people or positions within your agency can access them. This may be for legal, security, privacy, preservation, or confidentiality reasons.

Access restrictions also include restricted access periods for records in the custody of QSA.

Accessible records

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

Public records that can be identified, located and used as required.

Accession / Accessioning

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

1. To take legal and physical custody of a group of public records or other materials, regardless of format, and to formally document their receipt.
2. To document the transfer of public records or materials in a register, database, or other log of the archive’s holdings.

Adapted from: Bettington et al, eds. Keeping Archives. 3rd ed. Canberra: Australian Society of Archivists, 2008, p. 633.

Accrual

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

An addition to a public record series already registered (e.g. with QSA), which may accumulate over time, usually at a predictable or anticipated rate and frequency. Accruals are transferred to QSA by public authorities and listed by item.

Accurate records

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

Under section 9 of the Public Records Act 2023 (PRA), a public record:

1. is a Ministerial record of a Minister or an Assistant Minister; or
2. is information recorded on, in or by using any medium
   1. that is made, received or kept in the course of another public authority carrying out activities for a purpose of the authority, including the exercise of its statutory, administrative or other public responsibilities; and
   2. that evidences the activities, affairs or business of the authority.

A public record is also any of the following:

1. any information connected to a public record to identify or contextualise the record;
   Examples for paragraph:
   1. logs, metadata
   2. a copy of a public record;
   3. a part of a public record or a copy of a part of a public record.

However, each of the following is a public record only if the Governor agrees to it being a public record:

1. correspondence between the Governor and the Sovereign;
2. correspondence between the Governor and the Governor-General;
3. correspondence between the Governor and the Governor of another State.

Under section 14 of the PRA,

1. A public authority must ensure its public records are made in a way that accurately shows:
   1. the actions or decisions of the authority; and
   2. the matters that inform or contextualise the actions or decisions of the authority.
2. The public authority must keep the public records made by the authority.
3. Subsection (2) does not prevent disposal of the public record under a disposal authorisation.

Active records

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

Public records in frequent use, regardless of their date of creation, and required for current business.

Source: State Archives & Records NSW Glossary.

Activity

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

The major tasks performed by a public authority to accomplish each of its functions. An activity should be based on a cohesive grouping of transactions producing a singular outcome.

Source: State Archives & Records NSW Glossary.

Adequate records

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

Records for which the content, context and structure can be trusted as a true and accurate representation of the transactions, activities or facts that they document and can be depended upon.

The complete and reliable record must:

• contain not only the content, but also the structural and contextual information necessary to document the transaction and make sense of the content
• be meaningful–the record can be understood because of the information it contains and/or the linkages that ensure the context in which the records were created and used is apparent
• contain only the amount of information or context it needs to be meaningful and does not include extraneous information.
• have context–the record includes metadata and information that shows the business, legal and social context, relationships to other records, record systems and those who create, manage and use records
• be authentic–it can be proven and trusted to be what it says it is and to have been created, used, transmitted in the way and by the person (or agency) that is says it was created, used or transmitted by
• be secure–protected to prevent unauthorised access, alteration and removal
• be accessible–can be located and accessed as required

Administrative records

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

Public records that are made to document and support the operational or administrative activities of the public authority, including finance, human resources, equipment and other facilitative operations. Administrative public records are common to most or all public authorities.

Aesthetic or artistic quality

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

Includes manuscripts, photographs, pencil, ink, or watercolour sketches, maps and architectural drawings, and engraved or printed forms, such as bounty-land warrants.

Consider:

• quality of the craftsmanship
• representative value of a style, design, artistic movement or an artist's work
• originality or innovation
• depiction of a subject, person, place, activity or event of interest or importance
• importance of the artist, writer, designer or creator
• evidence of outstanding artistic, design, innovation or technical accomplishment.

Agency

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

Usually refers to a public authority.

Agency-specific schedule

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

Core retention and disposal schedules are issued to a specific public authority to authorise the disposal of public records unique to that public authority. By application, a public authority may seek permission from the State Archivist to use a schedule issued to another public authority to manage their unique public records.

A core retention and disposal schedule may also include functional schedules or sector schedules issued to more than one public authority for the management of unique public records.

Amalgamation / Merger

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

A type of machinery-of-government change where 2 or more public authorities, or the functions of multiple authorities, are merged into a single public authority.

Analogue records

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

Public records not captured and stored in a digital format. This may include books, papers, photographs and films made with light-sensitive media, video tapes, phonograph records and older magnetic sound recordings.

Source: Adapted from Tasmanian Government Information Strategy Unit Glossary.

Anti-aliasing

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

Improves the appearance of grey scale images by adding grey pixels at the border of black and white areas, smoothing the transition from black to white.

Also used in colour images to smooth transitions between colours.

Appraisal (of records)

Glossary topic: Recordkeeping

The process of looking at your business activities to work out which public records you need to make and capture, and how long you need to keep (retain) them. Appraisal also helps you determine the different needs for public records.