Archives New Zealand has issued a document setting out the basis of its Appraisal Framework. It sets out the future direction for identifying records that should be retained as public archives and records that should be destroyed once business and other requirements have been met.

“The new Statement refocuses appraisal as a core element of records management. It makes explicit that, with the quantity of records and information increasing, the value of retention should be set against the costs. It raises the bar for long-term retention of records as archives and provides criteria and indicators of value to be used in the appraisal process. This is consistent with the Records Management Standard, which positions the appraisal and disposal of records as a core records management principle.”

Archives New Zealand says it wants to refocus appraisal as a core element of the practice of records management. It has provided criteria and indicators of value to be used by participants and contributors in the appraisal process.

Under the new guidelines appraisal has been redefined.

“The previous Policy focussed heavily on the use of appraisal to select records for permanent retention, in the Statement appraisal is focussed more specifically on the process of making decisions about the length of retention and disposal actions as part of the activity of managing records over time.”

Also, appraisal is moved from an end of life activity to one that should be undertaken earlier in the record’s life cycle

According to Archives NZ, “We are of the view that historic retention practices are neither sustainable nor justified, and there is a conscious “lifting of the bar” within this Statement.  It is expected that some records previously identified for long-term or permanent retention will in future be considered only to merit shorter retention.  The underlying principle is that the burden of proof is on the appraiser to justify long-term retention.  Longer term retention recommendations will need to point to genuine longer term benefits – value that will continue to be relevant for the entire life proposed.

“This Statement has been developed in the context of a rapidly changing information environment where the use of technology is altering the ways in which information is created, used and preserved. Appraisal theory and practices need to move out of the paper paradigm.

“Records must also be appraised in the context of the whole of government, rather than on an agency by agency basis.  Records that are significant in the context of single agency or function may not merit retention when considered through the lens of their part in the story of the nation over time.  Similarly, the intention is to seek to retain long-term only a sufficient or best record of those events and actions considered vital.”

Archives NZ has provided this email address  rkadvice@dia.govt.nz if you have any questions about the new Appraisal Statement and accompanying framework.