Discusses the problems associated with managing semi-current and non-current in many archival institutions in eastern and southern Africa. The article seeks to answer some basic questions such as: Why do archival institutions in the region have backlog accumulations? What is the level of awareness of the problems associated with backlog accumulations? What is the capacity of archives to handle records created by governments? What mechanisms need to be put in place to avoid backlog accumulations ever becoming a problem again in the region? Finally the article proposes a strategy for dealing with backlog accumulations.
Cook, M. (1977) Archives administration: a manual for intermediate and small organizations and for local government. Folkestone: Dawson . p. 99.
2.
Garaba, F. (2005) An investigation into archival appraisal practices in the member states of the East and Southern African Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA). MIS Dissertation, University of KwaZulu-Natal. p.90.
3.
Fakhfakh, M. (1995) Emergency plan for dealing with accumulations of records and archives in government services. Paris: Unesco . CII.95/WS/4 Available at: http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:1lY8vrRBEBwJ:www.unesco.org/webworld/ramp/rtf/books/r9504e.rtf++site:www.unesco.org+backlog+accumulations+in+archives&hl=en, Accessed on 6 September 2005.
4.
Musembi, M. (1986) Development of archives services in East Africa. In Kukubo, R.J. (1996) Historical development of archival services in eastern and southern Africa. Roma, National University of Lesotho . p. 116.
5.
Progress Report to ESARBICA for the Financial Year 2004/2005 . National Archives of Namibia . Report presented to ESARBICA Board of the 18th Bi-Annual General Conference of the Eastern and Southern African Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives, Gaborone, 25th-29th July 2005. pp. 2-3 .
6.
Mazikana, P. (1999) Editors Note . ESARBICA Journal, 19, p. 5 .
7.
Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service . Country Report 2004/2005 . Report submitted to ESARBICA Board Meeting during the 18th Bi-Annual General Conference of the Eastern and Southern African Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives, Gaborone, 25th-29th July 2005. p. 1 .
8.
Progress Report to ESARBICA, op. cit., p. 2.
9.
Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service . 1999Annual Report, unpublished. p. 2.
10.
Simes, J.H.Records management: is it really necessary. Records Management, 7: Proceedings of a one day conference held at the University of Dundee, 6 May 1983. London: Society of Archivists Records Management Group , 1983. p. 9.
11.
Garaba, F., op. cit., p. 46.
12.
Evans, F.B.Development of archival and records management programme: the Republic of Cyprus. Paris: Unesco , 1981. p. 16.
13.
Charman, D.Records surveys and schedules: a RAMP study with guidelines. Paris, Unesco , 1984. (PGI-84/WS/26) p. 5.
14.
Emmerson, P.This is records management: efficiency and security through documentary control , Records Management, 6: Proceedings of a one day conference held at the Unicorn Hotel, Bristol, 3 April 1981.London: Society of Archivists Records Management Group, 1981. p. 3 .
15.
See also: Mnjama, N.M. (2000) The records of the East African Community . African Research and Documentation, 82, 3-12 .
16.
Field training project in Sierra Leone to establish a records management system and develop a training network between four Commonwealth universities. London: Association of Commonwealth Archivists and Records Managers , 1991. p. 3.
17.
Ewing, E.S.Using volunteers for special project staffing at the National Air and Space Museum Archives . American Archivist, 54, 1991. p. 180 .
18.
19.
Ibid. p. 183.
20.
Benedon, W.Records management. California State University , 1969. p. 258.
21.
For a discussion on how some of these factors can be implemented see: Wratten, N.Setting up a records centre: some practical advice . Business Archives Principles and Practice, 53, 1987. p. 39 .
22.
Wilson, D.H.No ivory tower: the administration of a college or university archives. In Maher, W.J. College and university archives: selected readings. Chicago: Society of American Archivists , 1979. p. 155.
23.
Cook, M.Information management and archival data. London, Library Association Publishing , 1993. p. 38.
24.
The development of records retention schedules is beyond the scope of this study.
25.
Hurley, C. and McKemmish, S.First write your disposal schedule . Archives and Manuscripts, 18 (2), 1993, p. 196 .
26.
27.
Dunn, I. and Strickland, J.Security in the management of business archives and records . Business Archives, 65, 1993. p. 49 .
