Since territorial days, Arizona’s Public Records law has assured the sun will shine on public documents, historical manuscripts and other materials that contribute to our state’s history by making them readily available to the public.
Without a commitment to the preservation of electronic information in a modern age, the sun will set on important public records forever.
Enacted in 1901, Arizonans have benefited from a law specifically designed to guarantee access to governmental records at every level of government. The State Archives, a division of the Secretary of State’s office, dedicates itself to provide access to government information and ensure Arizona's history is documented and preserved.
Now, access to public records is in jeopardy as many important records are “born digital” and are never printed on paper. Advancements in technology have had an enormous impact on records preservation, and while electronic records can help ensure greater accessibility than ever before, proactive management is required to avoid the catastrophic loss of records through electronic degradation.
Preserving public records goes beyond the documentation of governmental activities. Upgrades to our digital infrastructure will help safeguard student records so that corrupted or obsolete files don't affect their ability to get a job or attend college. Marital records, court cases, water-rights records, and land surveys identifying property boundaries and right of ways also must be protected from deterioration.
Currently, the majority of electronic records in the State Archive collection are kept and stored in their original media and data-storage formats. This means public records are stored on more than a thousand CDs, diskettes and other media, as they were received from government agencies.
These electronic records are increasingly at risk due to format obsolescence and media degradation. Storage formats of every type need to be tested and replaced on regular intervals, and special attention must be taken to ensure records remain in controlled custody and do not get lost amid terabytes of other data.
Experts agree: the best time to prepare for electronic records preservation is at the time records are being created. From 2008 to 2012, Arizona participated in a pilot program tasked to develop a plan to save these materials in such a way to facilitate migration to new platforms.
With work nearly completed, we must invest in the completion of this vital effort.
We must act to ensure the sun continues to shine on Arizona’s public records. It is our sincere hope that Gov. Jan Brewer and the Legislature will consider allocating an increase in the State Archive’s budget to ensure that Arizona’s historical record is preserved.
Ken Bennett is Arizona’s secretary of state.
