Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Records Management and Audits in the Library training

The workshop last Friday gave an overview of what records libraries should be keeping track of and what to do before your public library is audited. The feedback we received overall was that this was a great learning experience. Library staff are better equipped to organize their files and have a systematic method of doing so.

The first presenter, Jed Rogers, works as a Government Information Analyst in the State and Local Records Management Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission in Austin, TX. His presentation was practical and useful for all library staff, at any level, who maintain records in their jobs. Some examples of records covered include emails sent/received and official and general correspondence, plus administrative documents.

The second presenter, Phil Harris, works as an auditor for the City of San Antonio's Finance Department. He shared pertinent information on what a rural public library should be doing to avoid several mistakes before an auditor catches them. His info was practical and helpful. the attendees were very glad to hear this information from the auditor's point of view.