Survey on authenticity of records

I. Background

This survey is being conducted as part of a doctoral research
project that is exploring how different communities create, use,
manage, and understand the concept of authenticity in records.  This
project examines how people currently consider issues related to
authenticity in record transmission and what "authentic" records
mean in different communities.

This survey is strictly anonymous and your participation is
completely voluntary. IP addresses or any other  information about
identifying the sources will not be recorded.  The results of this
survey will be used only for this research project. Please return
the survey by June 5, 1998.  If you have any questions or comments,
please email to Eun Park (eun [at] ucla__edu).

II. Subject's Background

1. Which of the following describes your profession?
(Check all that apply)
[ ]  Records manager      [ ]  Information resources manager
[ ]  Senior administrator [ ]  Attorney
[ ]  Systems analyst      [ ]  Programmer
[ ]  Archivist            [ ]  Librarian
[ ]  Archives assistant   [ ]  Library assistant
[ ]  Technical assistant  [ ]  Others (Please specify)
                            : ___________________________

2.  Which of the following describes your present employer?
(Check all that apply)
[ ]  Government agency       [ ]  Corporation
[ ]  Educational institution [ ]  Non-profit organization
[ ]  Research institution    [ ]  Non-academic cultural institution
[ ]  Law firm                [ ]  Medical institution
[ ]  Utility                 [ ]  Military
[ ]  Financial services      [ ]  Others (Please specify)
                             : ___________________________

3. To which of the following electronic listgroups do you belong?
[ ]  Archival Cataloging Listserv [ ]  Archives and Archivists Listserv
[ ]  Conservation DistList        [ ]  AMIA
[ ]  Records Management Listserv  [ ]  Electronic Records Listserv
[ ]  SAA Student Chapter Listserv [ ]  Digital Libraries Research list
[ ]  Study of Material Culture    [ ]  Rare Books and Special Collections
[ ]  UCLA DLIS Archives Listserv  [ ]  Visual Communications Discussion
[ ]  Other professional listgroups

III. Electronic Records and Communications

4. Have you used any kind of electronic system that creates records?
(For example, project management systems, compliance systems,
E-mail, personnel management systems, electronic patient records
systems, etc.)
[ ] Yes [ ] No

5.   How long have you used such systems?
[ ] Less than 6 months  [ ] 6 month - 1 year
[ ] 1-2 years           [ ] 2-5 years
[ ] 5-7 years           [ ] 8-10 years
[ ] more than 10 years

6. What sorts of records do these systems create?
(Please specify)

IV. Authenticity of Paper Records
7. Have you ever considered issues related to authenticity in paper
records?
[ ] Yes [ ] No

8. Have you ever been in a situation where you have needed to prove
that the authenticity of paper records is important?
[ ] Yes [ ] No
9. Can you describe the situation? (Please specify)
10. How do you judge whether a paper record is authentic?
(Please specify)

V. Authenticity of Electronic Records
11. Have you ever considered issues related to authenticity in electronic
records?
[ ] Yes [ ] No
12. Have you ever been in a situation where you have needed to prove
that the authenticity of electronic records is important?
[ ] Yes [ ] No
13.  Can you describe the situation? (Please specify)
14.  How do you judge whether an electronic record is authentic?
(Please specify)

VI. Preferred Records Format
15.  When you work with records, which format do you trust most and why?
[ ]  Paper records            [ ]  Electronic records
[ ]  Others (Please specify)
Why:  (Please specify)
16. Please write down how you would define authenticity in the
context of your professional activity.
17. May I contact you again for future information?
[ ] Yes [ ] No

Eun Park
Dept of Information Studies
254 GSEIS Bldg. Box 951520
Univ of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1520
310-206-0070
Fax: 310-206-4460

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:95
                   Distributed: Friday, May 22, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-11-95-018
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