Sharing common goals with Librarians

CONGRATULATIONS TO the Library and Information Association of Jamaica (LIAJA) on the 70th year celebration. Thank you for continuing to provide leadership in the development, promotion and mobilisation of personnel, institutions and resources in the information field to encourage learning and facilitate access to information.

The Jamaica Archives and Records Department joins the sector in this celebration, where archivists and records managers share common goals with librarians, documentalists and other information professionals; that of preservation, organisation, access and use of information.

Central to the administration of institutions within government is the function of records and information management (RIM), which documents the planning and implementation of policies, programmes and services and allows for the proper monitoring of such activities. The etymology of the word ‘record’ indicates from its Latin origin recordari, “remember, call to mind, records of events”. With years of repeatedly executing this function, there now exist international best practices which when adopted presents a consistent standard of planning and implementing this function.

Best practices are the systematically developed practices in an area of proficiency which are evidence-based and are designed to provide guidance and direction to practitioners and managers in service delivery and decision-making. The GoJ Records and Information Management Policy of 2018 is that best practice tool, which is a cornerstone of effective management of records and information within ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) with that bold vision of establishing,

“An integrated, standardised and secure RIM system which facilitates access to government information and archival material; preserves and leverages Jamaica’s historical, information and cultural assets; as well as enables efficient service delivery, enhanced decision making and overall attainment of national development goals.”

It serves as a guide for effective and efficient record-keeping activities and provides a framework for the development of RIM Programme of GoJ supported by procedures manuals, administrative rules, classification schemes, retention and disposition schedules and others. The implementation of this programme within all MDAs shall rest with the Head of Entities, e.g., Permanent Secretaries or Chief Executive Officers/Managing Directors of the institutions as may be applicable.

JARD has started the implementation of this programme in MDAs. Is your organisation on board?

If not, you may wish to send your letter of interest for inclusion in the implementation process to grc@jard.gov.jm or zlthomas@jard.gov.jm.