April is Records and Information Management Month

Service NL and the Office of the Chief Information Officer are recognizing April as Records and Information Management Month in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“Information professionals play an increasingly valuable role in organizations, and government is no exception,” said the Honourable Paul Davis, Minister Responsible for the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). “Through the OCIO, our government is rising to the challenge of managing information in such a large and complex organization.”

Since 1995, April has been recognized internationally as Records and Information Management Month. And today, with the advent of social media and mobile technologies, information has become even more dispersed and challenging to manage. Information management professionals have important roles to play in advising governments, corporations, associations, hospitals, universities and any other organizations that create records. They are part of the teams that build IT systems, create websites, write blogs, engage with the public in various venues including social media, and ensure compliance where it is needed to protect information.

Records and Information Management Month is a great time to learn more about the management of information. Below are some important considerations:

In general

• Understand the legal or regulatory requirements that may impact how long to keep records.
• At a minimum, set up a basic “filing system” for both paper and electronic records.
• Try to avoid keeping duplicate records.
• Complete regular back-ups of electronic records and computer applications.
• When it is appropriate to destroy records, ensure that they are destroyed securely either through deletion and emptying of recycle bins on computers or through secure shredding of paper records.

When using a computer

• Never reveal usernames and/or passwords.
• Treat e-mail as a postcard; avoid sending confidential information where possible.
• Be suspicious when viewing unsolicited e-mail. This may be an attempt to “phish” for personal information for fraudulent purposes. Do not click on links in e-mail or open attachments unless certain of their origin.
• Lock computers when away for a period of time.
• Ensure that security software is installed and that it is up-to-date.

“The protection of personal information is so important in today’s digital age,” said Minister Davis. “Records and Information Management Month is a great time to take a look at how we are handling information at home and at work, to ensure that we protect ourselves from fraud, viruses and other potential issues.”

- 30 -

Media contact:
Hugh Donnan
Director of Communications
Service NL
709-729-4860, 725-6511
hughdonnan@gov.nl.ca 

2012 04 05                         3:40 p.m.