The Year 1998 was a period of juggling space requirements at the Records and Archives Center as a result of various departmental moves to new quarters. During the past two years, the Records and Archives Center has seen a significant net increase in hard copy storage, and was in danger of filling up completely within a year.
Compression of paper records through microfilming, electronic scanning, and destruction of records according to the CO-2 Retention schedule have become more important than ever. The Department of RAIMS has spent the year exploring various alternatives in records management to avoid expansion of the Records and Archives Center. One major step forward was made possible through a Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund grant from the NY State Archives. The grant permitted us to appoint an outside consultant for an analysis of electronic records management alternatives. (See http://raims.com/ImagingStudy.html). In addition, a 1998/1999 LGRMIF grant has allowed us to complete the first stage of an integrated electronic scanning system to make non-permanent records available on a server. Once in final operation, the Department of RAIMS will further compress records, yet make them available to departments more quickly and efficiently.
Despite the various planning and implementation projects, the Department of RAIMS continued to handle an ever-increasing workload:
Retrieval of information for both County departments and external research customers increased again from 38,861 in 1997 to 47,476 in 1998. Although departmental confidence in our ability to find records quickly is flattering, the retrieval increase could not be handled except through a reduction of retrieval time by Donna McCormick from 7 minutes to 4 minutes.
Other services continued at a rather brisk pace, as can be seen from the chart below:
Below is a summary of activities, 1991 - 1998, in numerical form:
|
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
||
| Retrievals |
1355 |
3777 |
9358 |
11295 |
22823 |
32027 |
38861 |
47476 |
|
| Research Letters |
170 |
223 |
439 |
365 |
315 |
498 |
657 |
745 |
|
| Researchers |
325 |
342 |
496 |
694 |
769 |
830 |
768 |
734 |
|
| Fax Transmittal |
406 |
442 |
579 |
631 |
852 |
911 |
869 |
946 |
|
| Cft Shredded |
351 |
502 |
574 |
718 |
657 |
1110 |
927 |
727 |
|
| Boxes Received |
1343 |
1309 |
871 |
788 |
1066 |
1078 |
1325 |
1355 |
|
Usage of the Internet Web pages of the Department of RAIMS have steadily increased from 195,116 in 1996 to 218,837 in 1997 and 281,154 in 1998. The raw figures do not show that there has been a significant access increase during the last three months of the year. If the trend continues, there will be well over 360,000 "hits" in 1999. The increased popularity of the Department of RAIMS Website has shifted services somewhat. There were slightly fewer researchers who came to the facility. However, mail requests (both e-mail and "snail mail") increased significantly.
Microfilming: The microfilming staff produced a total of 984,600 images of documents during 1998. These included files from DSS, FLCC, the Treasurer's Office and the County Clerk. Numerous exisiting films, especially Deeds, were duplicated for use at the County Clerk's Office. The staff also continued to microfilm records of historical value to the County. In addition, Microfilmer Kris Martin scanned, indexed and burned to CD ROM 37,000 images for Human Resources.
The Department of RAIMS conducts a continuing survey of external customers:
(1=LOW; 5=HIGH)
1) Did the staff treat you with courtesy? 1=0 2=0 3=0 4=1 5=426
2) Was the staff knowledgeable? 1=0 2=0 3=1 4=3 5=423
3) Was the staff helpful with your research needs? 1=0 2=0 3=0 4=2 5=425
OUTREACH:
Dr. Finke is Chairman of the State Archives' Regional Advisory Committee, and a member of the Board of NYALGRO (New York Association of Local Government Records Officers). He was a grant application reviewer for New York State Archives and Records Administration. Mary Jo Barone, Assistant RMO, was a member of the Archives Week Programming Committee. She also gave a presentation at the Phelps Historical Society and was involved in organizing the Archives Week Workshop for historians, town clerks and teachers. The Department of RAIMS hosted two Open Houses for County staff and external visitors. The purpose was to publicize the holdings and functions of the Records and Archives Center.
| Dr. Hans-J. Finke finkeh@nysnet.net | Department Head and RMO |
| Mary Jo Barone mjbarone@nysnet.net | Assistant Records Management Officer |
| Delores Furnum | Typist |
| Donna McCormick | Clerk |
| Robin Cuppernell | Microfilmer |
| Kristine Martin | Microfilmer |
| Michael Ritter | Microfilmer |
| O. Annie Raims | Rodent Control Officer |