ABSTRACT
Records management is the information management discipline that addresses the “life cycle” or “birth-to-death” concept of records and the information they contain. It includes the principles and practices that cover the creation, processing, storage, retrieval, protection, and final disposition of records. Records management also evaluates the administrative, financial, legal, operational, and historical need for records. These principles and practices apply to all records, regardless of media, and have been of significant value as business and government transactions have moved from paper, to micrographic, to electronic format. This entry presents an historical overview of the discipline, the factors that brought it into being, the events and individuals that contributed to its development, acceptance, and use as a valuable management tool.
