TEXT A. Records Management

Task: read the text and do the tasks that follow.

Records management is a relatively new discipline whose beginnings can be traced back to¹ the early years of the twentieth century and which only firmly established itself in the post Second World War period. Records management is concerned with the generation, receipt, processing, storage, retrieval, distribution, usage and retirement of records. It encompasses a wide variety of activities and sub-disciplines each of which has arisen to cater for a specific need such as the management of mail, correspondence, reports, copies and forms. Records management is multimedia embracing many types of media from paper to audio tape, video tape, photographs, maps, electronic records.

While records management as a distinct discipline is a twentieth century phenomenon, the generation and handling of records has of course been in existence since records themselves began to be created in ancient times. Records are created in the transactional processes of Government as laws are made, budgets prepared, surveys conducted, statistics compiled and other governmental processes are carried out.

Records exist primarily because of the need to keep a record of transactions carried out. The process by which they are created, the manner of their creation, the way in which they are handled will differ from institution to institution, from country to country and from one geographical region to the next. The methods of handling records have also undergone changes² over time from the days of the registry system in early Modern Europe when all items were entered in registers on being received to today’s situation in which mail can be electronically controlled. Records management practices are closely tied to the peculiarities of Government and institutional processes.

The level of efficiency of the operations of the governmental machinery³ is closely tied to the effectiveness of the records management programme.

Notes:

¹ trace back to – прослеживаться, восходить к (определенному моменту в прошлом)

² undergo (underwent, undergone) changes – претерпеть изменения

³ governmental machinery – правительственный аппарат

EXERCISES

Ex. 1. Pronounce the international words correctly. Mind the stress.

Ex. 2. Analyse the morphological structure of the following words:

N → Adj Adj → Adv

V → N

Ex. 3. Transform as in the models:

Model 1: to generate records – generation of records

to retrieve information; to prepare an annual budget; to handle records; to compile statistics; to describe records management;

Model 2: storage of records – records storage

level of efficiency; arrangement of records; records of court; practices of records management; management of resources.

Ex. 4. Match English and Russian equivalents.

Ex. 5. Choose the right word or word-combination.

1. Records management is a relatively … discipline.

a) old b) contemporary c) new

2. The beginnings of records management can be traced back to the early years of the … century.

a) nineteenth b) twentieth c) twenty first

3. Records management encompasses a wide variety of activities and ….

a) sub-disciplines b) subdivisions c) subsections

4. Records management as a distinct discipline is a twentieth century ….

a) trend b) event c) phenomenon

5. The generation and handling of records has been in existence since records themselves began to be created in … times.

a) ancient b) medieval c) modern

6. Records management practices are closely tied to the … of Government and institutional processes.

a) management b) peculators c) peculiarities

Ex. 6. Complete the sentences.

1. Records management is concerned with …... 2. Records management encompasses a wide variety of activities and sub-disciplines each of which has arisen to cater for a specific need such as …. 3. Records management is multimedia embracing many types of media from …. 4. Records are created in the transactional processes of Government as …. 5. Records exist primarily because …. 6. The level of efficiency of the operations of the governmental machinery is closely tied to ….

Ex. 7. Insert the right word:

(retirement, registers, handling, conducted,
generation, retrieval, compiled, established, record)

1. Records management firmly … itself in the post Second World War period. 2. Records management is concerned with the generation, processing, storage, …, distribution, usage and … of records. 3. The … and handling of records has been in existence since ancient times. 4. Records are created in the transactional processes of Government as laws are made, surveys ….., statistics …... 5. Records exist because of the need to keep a … of transactions carried out. 6. The methods of … records have undergone changes over time. 7. In early Modern Europe all items were entered in … on being received.

Ex. 8. Review the following statements and mark them true (T) or false (F). Correct the statements which are false.

1. Records management is an old discipline whose beginnings can be traced back to ancient times. 2. Records management as a distinct discipline is a nineteenth century phenomenon. 3. Records themselves began to be created in ancient times. 4. Records exist primarily because of the need to keep a record of transactions carried out. 5. The process by which records are created, the manner of their creation, the way in which they are handled will not differ from institution to institution, from country to country and from one geographical region to the next. 6. Today mail can be electronically controlled.

Ex. 9. Answer the questions on the text.

1. Is records management a new or an old discipline? 2. What is records management concerned with? 3. What activities does records management encompass? 4. What transactional processes of Government are records created in? 5. What are the reasons for keeping records? 6. What is the efficiency of the governmental machinery closely tied to?

Ex. 10. Give a brief summary of the text.

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