Federal Records Act of 1950

Citation: Federal Records Act of 1950, codified at 44 U.S.C. §33.

Overview
Under the Federal Records Act, agencies are to manage the creation, maintenance, use, and disposition of records in order to achieve adequate and proper documentation of the policies and transactions of the federal government and effective and economical management of agency operations. If records are poorly managed, individuals might lose access to benefits for which they are entitled, the government could be exposed to legal liabilities, and records of historical interest could be lost forever. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is responsible, among other things, for providing records management guidance, assistance, and oversight.

Electronic records
Electronic records are challenging to manage, especially as electronic information is being created in volumes that pose a significant technical challenge to the ability to organize and make it accessible. Further, electronic records range in complexity from simple text files to highly complex formats with embedded computational formulas and dynamic content, and new formats continue to be created. Finally, in a decentralized environment, it is difficult to ensure that records are properly identified and managed by end users on individual desktops (the “user challenge”). E-mail is particularly problematic, because it combines all these challenges and is ubiquitous.

Technology alone cannot solve the problem without commitment from agencies. Electronic recordkeeping systems can be challenging to implement and can require considerable resources for planning and implementation, including establishing a sound records management program as a basis. In addition, the “user problem” is not yet solved, particularly for e-mail messages. Further, automation will not solve the problem of lack of priority, which is of long standing.