Just Starting Out in the Field

"Do you have any recommendations for someone just starting out in the field”

In November 2004 I wrote a short article on this subject after talking with new ARMA chapter members or reviewing messages on the ARMA ListServ. In that article I listed three books that could help a newcomer to the profession and directed the reader to the ARMA bookstore website (http://www.arma.org/bookstore/index.cfm) where they could purchase the books. The books represent just three of many excellent books on records management that can be purchased.

‘Professional Records and Information Management’, 2d ed., Author: Jeffrey R. Stewart and Nancy M. Melesco. This is the book is used by a local community college in their Filing and Database Management Class. It provides an excellent overview for those new to records and information management. There are twelve chapters, covering a very broad scope of information management, from basic filing systems through electronic systems and media. It is limited to an overview of the subjects discussed, with the exception of the filing rules. It also includes a 3 ½” disk covering the filing rules.

‘Organize Your Office: A Small Business Survival Guide to Managing Records’, Author: Teri Mark, CRM. Although this book is described as a survival guide in teaching small business owners with fewer than 20 employees, home-based businesses, and the self-employed the principles and information provided on organizing business records may be applied to both public and the private sector. This is an easy read and written in non-technical terms.

‘Sample Forms for Archival and Records Management Programs’, published by ARMA International and Society of American Archivists. For those in public or private sector, this is a great resource that provides some excellent sample forms and polices that may be used and/or customized to meet your requirements. The book comes with camera-ready originals that can be photocopied and a CD with the forms in Microsoft Word and PDF formats.

I included these publications as they are currently in our Chapter’s library. If your ARMA chapter has a library, check out these books; they may help in your quest for knowledge in our field.

What other resources does ARMA offer to someone just entering the profession? The ARMA bookstore is an excellent resource, as well as the for-a-fee on-line training modules found at (http://www.arma.org/learningcenter/onlinecourses/index.cfm). A newcomer may want to check out the on-line RIM 101 course which is specifically designed with the new member in mind. The on-line course and text book provides an introduction to the field of records and information management (RIM).

Another source of training is your local ARMA chapter. My chapter, the Puget Sound Chapter of ARMA, tries to balance our monthly programs and/or workshops to include training in basic records management. Your chapter programs are probably an excellent resource for the newcomer. Take advantage of these relatively inexpensive educational opportunities. You also get to meet and talk with peers who have experienced and/or are experiencing some of the same issues you have. I believe you will find many professionals in your chapter who are more than willing to share their experiences. My editor below is one of my resources when I have a question or seek wisdom from someone more knowledgeable in a specific area of our field. If she doesn’t know, she knows who does, and shares unselfishly this knowledge if asked.

I personally take advantage of the RIM Listserv on the internet that consists of RIM professionals who, if properly asked, provide some quality guidance. You can sit back and follow the threads of the conversation. Be for warmed that you may get a lot of email traffic depending on the subject. To join, send an email message to: listserv@lists.ufl.edu - leave the subject line blank in the body of the message put subscribe RECMGMT-L

Unfortunately, and it may be my personal view, I do not see ARMA Headquarters providing the basic educational opportunities at their annual conferences and are relying on the local chapters or the fee-based training to fill this need. I attended the Chicago conference (which was excellent) and was surprised at the very limited offerings for someone who is just entering into the profession. I also reviewed the list of topics of proposals for presentations that are currently being solicited for the San Antonio ARMA conference in October 2006. Again I found it lacking in basic records and information management educational sessions. Hopefully, the current ARMA RIM Competency Project will address this need.


Bob Dalton, CRM of Dalton Consulting