Archival and Retrieval Solution <br>Speeds Records Management
- By Christina Diersing
- 09/26/03
Archiving is a daunting task for record clerks across the board, especially
those working with an antiquated microfilm system. At the University of Cincinnati,
a study conducted with the assistance of an outside consultant pointed to the
need for electronic-based methods that would digitize paper and microfilm images,
archive the converted images in their original formats, and make them available
on demand via internal networks and the Internet.
The University of Cincinnati has more than 300 departments and a total of 12,000
active employees. The Human Resources Department is the official custodian of
records for all historically significant documentation related to current and
past university employees. State law requires the university to provide access
to personnel files. Documents that provide detailed information related to employment
events must be retained for as long as 75 years after employment ends.
The Need for a New System
With more than 2.5 million documented employee records stored in more than 700
microfilm cartridges—each with approximately 3,700 image frames—the
volume increased, delaying responses to inquiries. And the daily workload continued
to increase as staff reductions, budget restraints, and external compliance
issues were imposed.
With the old microfilm-based system, the Human Resources Records Office batched
its daily input until 3,700 pages were accumulated. Then, the batch was sorted
alphabetically and filmed, the microfilm was sent off-site for developing, and
the paper was retained for later film quality control checking and indexing.
A week or two after that, a working copy and the master of each cartridge would
be returned to Human Resources.
The Records Office receives requests for historically significant employment
information from throughout the university community as well as from government
agencies, banks, attorneys, and other authorized sources. These telephone and
mail requests were averaging more than 250 per month. Processing these requests
using the microfilm-based system required considerable time, often taking several
weeks for research and preparation. The university decided to create a new
system built around IMR’s Alchemy Gold, a Windows-based document management
system.
Merging Data
A Wicks and Wilson 4100 scan station was used to digitize the microfilmed images.
Once captured, the images and corresponding index data were QCed and then merged
together into several different databases using DataGrabber. A Kodak 3590 color
scanner was installed to scan new paper documents as they arrive in the department.
Scan2 provides a seamless interface to the paper capture process.
An API application was developed to increase the speed with which the new scanned
images are indexed and to enhance user functionality by drawing on reference
resources both within the Alchemy databases and other University of Cincinnati
computer systems. An IBM server configured with 180GB of RAID 5 storage is used
to contain and manage the current HR system networked to three dedicated workstations.
It provides a platform to support of two concurrent build licenses and unlimited
search clients.
Return on Investment
The university has successfully implemented a state-of-the-art electronic system
that streamlines the Human Resources Records Office while providing an avenue
for future growth and technology innovation throughout the university. The new
system eliminates the constant backlog, and documents can now be scanned and
indexed as they are received. By comparison, 3,700 pages can now be scanned,
indexed, and available to users in only 90 minutes—rather than the minimum
of seven days required previously. There is no need to wait for microfilm to
be developed; electronic images are available immediately. The nine-step process
required to create a document folder was eliminated. Files can now be transmitted
by e-mail in seconds, thereby eliminating the need for paper copies and conventional
mail delivery.
