Records Management & Administration Flashcards
7 cards from real MMC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Records Management & Administration flashcards as text
Under FOIA and state open records laws, which of the following is generally considered a valid exemption from public disclosure?
Answer: Minutes of closed executive sessions discussing pending litigation
Records of closed sessions discussing pending litigation are typically exempt from disclosure to protect attorney-client privilege and litigation strategy.
What is the role of a 'records custodian' as distinct from the municipal clerk?
Answer: The records custodian physically maintains records while the clerk has legal custody
A records custodian is typically a department employee who physically maintains department records, while the clerk holds overall legal custodianship for the municipality.
Which metadata element is MOST critical to include when indexing a scanned electronic document for long-term retrieval?
Answer: The date of the original document
The date of the original document is essential metadata because it anchors the record to its context and drives retention schedule calculations.
A municipal clerk receives a request to inspect records that are part of an ongoing audit. The BEST course of action is to:
Answer: Consult legal counsel and provide non-sensitive records while withholding those relevant to the audit if an exemption applies
The clerk should consult counsel and release non-exempt records while legally withholding only those records for which a specific exemption applies.
What is 'disposition' in the context of municipal records management?
Answer: The action taken on records at the end of their retention period, such as destruction or transfer
Disposition refers to the final action taken on records at the end of their retention period, including destruction, transfer to archives, or permanent retention.
Which of the following best describes the 'legal hold' process in municipal records management?
Answer: Normal destruction of records is suspended when litigation or investigation is anticipated or underway
A legal hold suspends the normal disposition of records relevant to anticipated or active litigation, investigation, or audit to preserve potential evidence.
When migrating records from one electronic document management system (EDMS) to another, what is the MOST critical risk to address?
Answer: Loss of metadata or context that renders records unreadable or untrustworthy
Migration risks primarily involve loss of metadata, formatting, or context that is required to authenticate and interpret records in the new system.