Tip of the Month: April is Records and Information Management Month (20-MAR-2009)

"Records and Information Management Month," originally promoted by the professional records management organization, ARMA International, and endorsed by EPA's Document and Records Management Task Force, is a great opportunity to focus special attention on our records management responsibilities.

Here are some ideas used by EPA records management staff in the past:

• Provide demonstrations of how to use records management software (e.g., the enterprise content management system (ECMS)).
• Invite staff to an open house, with tours and handouts, for your records center or file room.
• Offer training sessions and briefings tailored to specific groups of people.
• Introduce staff to their records contact(s).
• Distribute flyers reminding staff to take the mandatory online records training.
• Recognize special records management accomplishments with awards.
• Hold a "brown bag" luncheon and show a records management video.
• Send informational bulletins or messages on special topics, such as identifying records, vital records, or other records management issues in your office.
• Display posters available from ARMA or the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

Several good examples of products from your EPA records colleagues are available as Best Practices on the Records intranet site. We also provide links to several sites developed by EPA programs and regions (found on the right sidebar on the Records intranet).