Disposition means handing over or handing over to another. Disposition in the language of archives refers to where and how the records are to be transferred to whom or to which organization by performing the current work on the documents. However, in the case of archives, it is used in a different sense.
Public document delivery refers to the process by which the final fate of the document is determined. It refers to where and how the records will be kept after use, i.e., what will happen to the records.
Record fate here means that the record will remain in a secondary records center for a period of time or will be moved to an archive for permanent storage, stored on microfilm to reduce the volume of the record, or destroyed outright.
Many documents are created in government offices that are not required later. They have to be removed directly after a certain period. For this removal, there are various methods. A special procedure is adopted to prepare all kinds of documents and send them directly. Decommissioning is done after a certain interval through a fixed list, and if the removal system is comprehensive, a special officer is to prepare a list of all types and decide who will be destroyed. The entire matter is called a removal plan.
Various steps of document submission:
Please remember the following steps for document submission:
1. There should be a specific policy for handing over or removing documents.
2. Unnecessary documents should be destroyed after one, three, five, or 10 years, as needed, with re-evaluation as required.
3. Notices should be classified by removal or surrender list.
4. There should be a schedule for document transfers.
5. Unnecessary portions of documents should be removed.
6. Secret and old records should be transferred to a secondary records center.
7. Documents should be sorted and microfilmed through a document evaluation process.
8. The removal list should be updated with any changes in the working methods and functions of the document.
Methods of Determining Document Fate:
A. Temporal center
B. Permanent storage
C .Preservation by means of microfilm and
D. Direct destruction
A. Temporal center
The primary stage of disposition is the secondary center. It depends on what happens to a document after it is created. As people have an end, documents also have an end. Just as the end of man is death and the end of documents is destruction. But before that, how many steps the documents have to go through. This is the first of all steps.
There is no set rule for how long documents should be kept in the office after they are created. This duration is not determined by any country. Typically, documents are sent to a record center for preservation. If a particularly important document is not needed, it can also be sent to the record center to prevent it from being damaged while in the office.
Why documents should be temporarily stored:
Documents are sent to temporary storage for the following reasons:
1. Administrative: Documents are needed for administrative work, so they are temporarily stored to save time.
2. Legal: If there are potential legal issues, documents must be stored securely to address future arguments.
3. Financial: Documents may contain sensitive financial information and should be temporarily stored to prevent damage or unauthorized access.
B.Permanent storage:
After the documents are in temporary storage, they will go to permanent storage again. That is, when the demand for temporary stores is exhausted or there is no storage capacity, documents that may be needed in the future are sent there for permanent storage. It can last up to 100, 200, or 300 years. If the document is not used within 100 years then the question of its preservation arises here.
Why send to the permanent archive:
A. Research: If it is thought that the documents may be useful or needed for a researcher’s research in the future, then they are kept in permanent storage.
B. Reference: Archive content is useful for reference. When something needs to be known for a task, it is more efficient to refer to the archives’ permanent storage instead of elsewhere.
C. Preservation with Microfilm :
After keeping it in temporary storage, it has to be removed from there one day because if it is not removed, there will be an accumulation of space. So at that stage of disposition, some documents are kept in small format with the help of microfilm. It is not required in many places. Can be stored for a long time.
It should be placed in such a way that the user can use it easily. With the help of this place, document load and document stability can be ensured. It also has a deadline. Usually stays here for 50 years. Microfilming is based on the following topics:
1. All records of primary and secondary value can be microfilmed.
2. Documents that are completely destroyed should not be microfilmed. Those that are appropriate should be microfilmed.
3. Microfilming is required to reduce stacked records.
D.Direct destruction:
Microfilm also has an expiration date. It usually stays there for up to 50 years.
This disposition culminates in the destruction stage. However, the following points should be observed before demolition:.
1. Social reason: Before destroying the records, the decision must be accurate and determined through analysis. The responsible officer who will be there and know the rules of its use should see whether this document will be useful for future social reasons.
2. Political Reasons: Whether the documents being destroyed have political interests involved should also be assessed.
3. Geographic Factors: Consideration should also be given to whether or not the following files have any geographical interests involved, as this often creates problems with maps.
The disposing of documents is a very necessary and important task. Due to a little carelessness in all these tasks, many important and valuable documents can be destroyed. Work should be done very carefully.
