A trend towards driving out traditional records by the databases: Regulation and practice

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the analysis of stages of “electronic revolution” that takes place in Russian records management and archiving. This e-revolution is closely coupled with the reforms in public administration and widespread adoption of the ICT in the business and government. New trends like increasing role of the government databases in public administration and replacement of unstructured paper-based and digital paper-like records with structured digital records and common work in databases are highlighted. The paper also discusses possible consequences of these changes for records management professionals and archivists.