Records Management and Archival Appraisal

Records Classification and Scheduling as tools for Archival Appraisal in the British Columbia Government, 1985-1996

These articles describe the development of British Columbia’s integrated system of records classification and scheduling system as a tool for archival appraisal during the years of my involvement (1985-1996). During 2010, a request from a UBC archival studies student (a visitor from China) prompted me to locate and scan these conference proceedings and presentations. At the outset, the BC system was based upon the Government of Canada’s block numeric system of records classification.

What made the BC system unique is that we were the first jurisdiction in Canada (or even North America?) to integrate the records classification and scheduling components into a single manual. Prior to 1987 when the first edition of British Columbia’s Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS) was distributed, records classification systems and records schedules had been published as two separate manuals. This collection of papers, including the final articles by archivist colleague Susan Hart and former Director Reuben Ware, is being made available here for purpose of historical research.

My thanks to former Director Reuben Ware and archivist colleagues Gary Mitchell, Debra Barr, and others for their review and comments relating to these presentations. In addition, there was a whole legion of records analysts (including several UBC MAS graduates) who participated in the often heated discussions that ultimately resulted in BC’s integrated system.

Walter Meyer zu Erpen, Archives and Records Consultant (January 2011)