CMC Records Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a records management program in a municipal government?
- To reduce the number of employees needed in the clerk's office
- To ensure records are created, maintained, and disposed of in a systematic way (Correct answer)
- To digitize all paper records within one year
- To provide free copies of documents to residents
Correct answer: To ensure records are created, maintained, and disposed of in a systematic way
A records management program ensures that records are systematically created, organized, maintained, accessible, and disposed of in accordance with legal and operational requirements.
Question 2: Which organization publishes widely referenced standards for managing electronic records, including ANSI/AIIM standards?
- American Bar Association (ABA)
- Association for Intelligent Information Management (AIIM) (Correct answer)
- National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)
- International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
Correct answer: Association for Intelligent Information Management (AIIM)
AIIM (Association for Intelligent Information Management) publishes ANSI/AIIM standards widely used as benchmarks for electronic records and information management.
Question 3: A clerk is asked to produce records under a litigation hold. What does this require?
- Accelerating destruction of records to reduce liability
- Suspending normal retention schedules and preserving relevant records (Correct answer)
- Transferring records to the city attorney without making copies
- Sealing all records from public access indefinitely
Correct answer: Suspending normal retention schedules and preserving relevant records
A litigation hold requires suspending routine destruction of potentially relevant records to ensure they are preserved for legal proceedings.
Question 4: What is the difference between a record and a non-record in municipal government?
- Records are digital; non-records are paper
- Records document official actions; non-records are convenience copies or transitory items (Correct answer)
- Records are signed; non-records are unsigned
- Records are stored offsite; non-records are kept in the office
Correct answer: Records document official actions; non-records are convenience copies or transitory items
Records document official functions and decisions, while non-records include transitory items like routing slips, duplicates, and personal notes not needed for official business.
Question 5: Which storage environment is recommended for preserving paper records with permanent retention value?
- High humidity and warm temperature to prevent brittleness
- Stable, cool temperature (60-70°F) with low relative humidity (30-50%) (Correct answer)
- Outdoor climate-controlled shipping containers
- Standard office temperature with fluorescent lighting
Correct answer: Stable, cool temperature (60-70°F) with low relative humidity (30-50%)
Archival paper records are best preserved in cool, stable temperatures and low humidity to slow chemical degradation.
Question 6: What does 'chain of custody' mean in the context of public records?
- The sequence of elected officials who signed a record
- A documented chronology of who has possessed or controlled a record (Correct answer)
- The transfer of records from one municipality to another
- A legal chain of title for real property records
Correct answer: A documented chronology of who has possessed or controlled a record
Chain of custody is the documented chronological history showing who has handled, possessed, or controlled a record, supporting its admissibility and authenticity.
Question 7: Which type of software is specifically designed to manage the lifecycle, metadata, and disposition of government records?
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
- Electronic Records Management System (ERMS) (Correct answer)
- Spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel
- Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Correct answer: Electronic Records Management System (ERMS)
An Electronic Records Management System (ERMS) is purpose-built to manage records from creation through final disposition, including retention scheduling and audit trails.
CMC Records Management 3
What is the primary purpose of a records management program in a municipal government?