The Innovation and Strategic Projects Office (DSIPE) from the General Head Office of Archives (DGARQ) as a key element to the Administrative Modernization of the Public Services in Portugal (part 2)

By Luis Corujo, from Portugal, Archivist at the General Head Office of Archives (DGARQ), Portugal.

(Portuguese version available by clicking “Read More” ; Versão Portuguesa disponível em “Read More”)

• DGARQ, under the aegis of administrative modernization policy, supports the project Electronic Store or Real Conference in Virtual Environment (CRAV), integrated in the SIMPLEX and the National Technological Plan, in order to update and simplify the interaction with customers and provide new services in the field of electronic documents. The CRAV comprehends the integration of an information system for archival management (DIGITARQ). This project aims to offer the user the ease of a single access point for exchanges with DGARQ and its regional archives. This access point includes the searching and viewing of documents, the request for consultation (at the archive office), the reservation of documents for consultation, the request for the research and duplication of documents, the request for a quote for services and its acceptance, the checking of the state of the research or duplication request, the demand of further information on the research subject, the use of electronic payment systems, the reception of certified digital copies through the Internet, the enablement of access for disabled persons, and the purchase of products from the shops of DGARQ. The “virtual” features of the reference service will allow the management of applications, which throughout the process will enable greater control, the flowing of information between the archive services under the same environment and simultaneous support to different participants of the process, and provide clearer, shorter and more accurate indicators of the institution and respective staff performance, the satisfaction of the remote user, the sending of copies, with or without digital certificate, a secure Internet connection and the availability of other services, such as “scan on demand”, a more detailed profile of the users and of the consulted archives. This project should begin in 2010. However, there is already an electronic desk operating at the Porto Regional Archive.

• The public service and all its organizations must depend on information produced, processed and maintained in digital format throughout its life cycle. However, in spite of the enormous technological development, there is not a common concern for the long-term preservation of the information produced today. DGARQ, aware of the challenge that involves the preservation of documents digitally produced, wishes to address this problem, and has been following three courses of action and/or axis of strategic development:

– The development of a digital archive capable of integrating, managing and distributing digital objects produced inside the Public Administration. The National Digital Archive, or RODA, is an effective response to the necessities of the gathering and management of electronic information. This project is developed by DGARQ, with the technological assistance of University of Minho. The chosen strategy was the gradual development of basic features and the progressive improvement of these features to increase the categories of digital objects and, presently, provide direct response and support to organizations that have digital objects but no resources in this specific area. RODA has been built around the standard OAIS (Open Archival Information System) and on technical documents produced under the project Interpares 2. The RODA repository is based on the FEDORA platform and uses various forms of metadata, including the EAD (Encoded Archival Description), PREMIS (PREservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies), METS (Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard), Z39.87. RODA currently supports the integration of relational databases, structured text, still images, movies and sound. RODA will be associated to the Network of Portuguese Archives (RPA) and, in the context of RPA, should provide a service of digital converters to begin operating in 2009.

– The production of technical documents and standards to help institutions understand, manage and develop tools which allow the preservation of digital objects. With this objective, DGARQ has published the Digital Preservation Plans Development Guide.

– The accomplishment of other tasks through consultants and the production of specific technical documents to assist institutions in the management of their electronic (and conventional) documents, to promote a proper document management at the initial stage of production and allow a more efficient downstream prevention of problems derived from technological obsolescence and lack of management processes able to identify, classify and retrieve digital information. DGARQ offers expert advice, has published the Electronic Archives’ Management Software Budgeting Guide, a simplified version of the technical manual MoReq (Model Requirements for the Management of Electronic Records), and intends to help organizations select application systems for document management that meet the main requirements of MoReq.