Digital Records

Born Digital at Creation

Definition: Records that are created digitally (electronically) and are able to stay in their original digital (electronic) formats the entire time they are in existence.

Records that are born digital: These records should follow the same basic retention and destruction rules and guidelines as their paper-record counterparts. Currently, neither the Arizona State Library nor University Records & Archives specifically mandate how born digital records are to be created, processed, or stored other than to recommend the following:

1. Born digital records should be created or processed using University-approved technologies that are monitored for serviceability and compatibility. 
2. Born digital records should be maintained/retained in an organized and indexed manner (based on record series type, function, creation date, retention end date, etc.) within a secure and backed-up digital environment controlled by the University.
3. The Unit that creates or initially receives a born-digital record is the Unit responsible for following the retention guidance of the record.
4. Born digital records that become eligible for destruction (once all retention guidelines have been met and they no longer have any additional administrative, legal, research, or historical value) should have a reliable way of being identified, located, and segregated so they can be purged on a regular basis.
5. Born digital records that need to be maintained/retained for long periods of time should have a digital migration plan that ensures they remain accessible and readable in the event technologies change over time. 
6. When a record is born digital, the born-digital version should be treated as the official record version and any copies created (either paper or digital) should be treated as non-records given the copy version fits the definition of a non-record.

See the Arizona State Library’s full list of system design considerations that pertain to setting up and maintaining a digital recordkeeping system meant to facilitate the usage and storage of official records.

Note: Contact the University Information Technology Services office or your local Information Technology office with all your technology-related questions.

Digitized after Creation

Definition: Records that are originally created in a non-digital format (usually paper) and then at some point in time after creation are converted into digital images (digital record scans).

When working with digital records, there are two basic categories:

• Records with less than 10 years retention
• Records with 10 years retention or more (excluding permanent records)

To determine which guidance to follow, consult the Retention Schedules used by the University to find the retention period of the records to be digitized.

Records with less than 10 years retention (approval not required): Units that wish to convert qualifying official paper records to digital record scans (where the newly created digital record scan becomes the official version of the record [or the version that must adhere to all retention and destruction guidelines] and the original paper record can be destroyed once the digital record scan is created and an audit is completed) may do so at their own discretion without obtaining approval from the Arizona State Library or Records & Archives.

Prior to undertaking a paper record to digital record conversion project of this nature, Units should be prepared to adhere to the following provisions in order to protect the integrity of the information found on the original paper record and ensure the conversion project is a worthwhile endeavor with respect to cost and utility.

1. The file format and scan resolution used to create the digital record scans need to be of a common variety to ensure readability. Common formats include TIFF, PDF, JPG, etc., and an acceptable minimum scan resolution is 200 dots per inch in grayscale. The goal is to ensure the digital record scans can be easily read during the entire time these records are in existence using technologies typically possessed and approved by University Units.
2. An imaging audit of at least 20% of the digital record scans needs to take place to ensure these newly created digital record scans are readable prior to the destruction of the original paper records (a higher level of audit is better, however, when feasible). It is recommended that the audit level match the importance or value of the record and that the original paper records be retained for a minimum of 90 days after the digital record scans are created before they are destroyed. Once the 90 days have passed and all audits are completed, the original paper records may be destroyed using a proper destruction method at the Unit’s sole discretion.
3. The digital record scans should be maintained/retained in an organized and indexed manner (based on Record Series type, function, date, etc.) within a secure and backed-up digital environment controlled by the University.
4. Unit leadership has approved the conversion of the records, and the cost of the conversion has been considered and deemed acceptable.
5. Since the intent of the newly created digital record scans is to serve as the official version of the record, the digital record scans need to follow all the record retention and destruction guidelines found on the Retention Schedules used by the University for their corresponding Record Series type.

Records with 10 years retention or more (approval is required): Units that wish to convert qualifying official paper records to digital record scans (where the newly created digital record scan becomes the official version of the record [or the version that must adhere to all retention and destruction guidelines] and the original paper record can be destroyed once the digital record scan is created and an audit is completed) may do so once approval from the Arizona State Library has been obtained.

Note: Records Series types that are designated as permanent records (records with an indefinite retention period) are not eligible for this type of digital record scan conversion authorization.

To obtain Arizona State Library approval, submit an Imaging Request Form for Non-Permanent Ten Years or More application to Records & Archives for processing. Completed applications should be emailed to FNSV-RECORDS-ARCHIVES@arizona.edu. Use “Imaging Request Form submission” in the email subject line.

As part of the submission, the applicant must confirm the Arizona State Library’s Minimum Standards for Digital Imaging or Scanning Textual Documents information was reviewed as well as confirm that the digital scans will meet the minimum standards indicated on the application.

Contact Records & Archives to request more information about the digital record scanning process or for assistance with completing the imaging request application.

Destruction Guidance

Note: Even though the destruction of the original paper records that are converted to digital record scans does not need to be reported to Records & Archives, an approved record destruction method should still be utilized. See the DESTRUCTION page on the Records & Archives website for more information about approved destruction methods.