PROV Annual Report 2010-2011 - Public Record Office Victoria

Transcription

PROV Annual Report 2010-2011 - Public Record Office Victoria
Public Record
Office Victoria
Annual Report
to the Minister
2010–2011
PUBLIC RECORD
OFFICE VICTORIA
Published by Public Record Office Victoria
99 Shiel Street
North Melbourne VIC 3051
T. (03) 9348 5600
Public Record Office Victoria Annual Report
to the Minister 2010–2011
September 2011
© Copyright State of Victoria 2011
This work is copyright. Apart from any use
as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968,
no part may be reproduced through any
process without prior written permission
from the publisher. Enquiries should be
directed to Public Record Office Victoria,
PO Box 2100, North Melbourne, Victoria
3051 or email ask.prov@prov.vic.gov.au.
Also published on www.prov.vic.gov.au.
ISSN: 1320-8225
Printed on 55% recycled paper
Public Record
Office Victoria
Annual Report
to the Minister
2010–2011
A report from the Keeper of Public Records
as required under section 21(1) of the Public
Records Act 1973
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Ted Baillieu MLA
Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Hon Ted Baillieu MLA
Premier and Minister for the Arts
Parliament House
Melbourne VIC 3002
Dear Minister
I am pleased to present a report on the carrying out of my functions under section
21(1) of the Public Records Act 1973 for the year ending 30 June 2011.
Yours sincerely
Justine Heazlewood
Director and Keeper of Public Records
CONTENTS
5 Public Record Office Victoria
8
Purpose and Objectives
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Message from the Director
10 Public Records Advisory Council
12 Overview
17 Report on performance
18 Highlights 2010–2011
27 Output measures 2010–2011
28 PROV strategic initiatives 2010-11
28 Remodel the transfer service
28 Refresh VERS
28 Enhance PROV’s Standards (5.3.3 in PROV Corporate Plan)
29 Expand PROV’s Policy Framework (5.3.4 in PROV Corporate Plan)
29 Build Collection Support
30 Promote Collection Usage
34 Foster an IM Culture
35 Embed Sustainability
36 Upgrade PROV’s Infrastructure
37 Build Organisational Capacity
38 2010 Sir Rupert Hamer Records Management Awards
42Appendices
43 Appendix 1: Assets, financial statement and staff profile
45 Appendix 2: Publications
46 Appendix 3: Standards and Advice issued
49 Appendix 4: Approved PROV storage suppliers (APROSS)
49 Appendix 5: Approved Places of Deposit for temporary records
50 Appendix 6: VERS-compliant products
50 Appendix 7: Major VERS consultancy projects completed
51 Glossary
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PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
Our purpose
To support the effective management and use of the public records of the State of Victoria, in order that the
government is accountable to the community and its historical memory is preserved, secure and accessible.
What we do
Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) is established under section 3 of the Public Records Act 1973, ‘for the
better preservation, management and utilisation of the public records of the state’.
The Act provides the legal framework in which PROV operates, and specifies the core functions of PROV and
the Keeper of Public Records with respect to government records. These functions, pursuant to sections 7,
11 and 12 of the Act include:
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establish standards for the efficient management of public records including creation, maintenance,
security, selection of those worthy of preservation, transfer for archiving, and segregation or disposal
of those not worthy of preservation
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assist public officers to apply these standards to records under their control
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take public records into custody, preserve archives and provide security
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classify records and publish indexes and guides to facilitate access
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provide facilities for viewing, and make records in custody accessible
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duplicate or reproduce and authenticate public records
Our objectives
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Increase records usage to enable the community to connect with their history.
Increase government recordkeeping capacity so that a full and accurate record of government
is created, captured, maintained and preserved.
Develop the right people and provide the right tools to deliver PROV’s strategic objectives.
Our values
PROV has developed a set of values which are based on and consistent with the Code of Conduct for
Victorian Public Sector Employees as outlined in the Public Administration Act 2004.
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esponsiveness: We provide accurate and impartial advice to Government. We deliver quality services
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to the Victorian community. We are open to new ideas and different approaches that will achieve the
most effective results.
Integrity: We are open and honest in dealing with our colleagues, clients, stakeholders and the
Victorian community. We strive to provide equal access to all our products and services. We act
responsibly and avoid any real or apparent conflicts of interest.
Impartiality: We make decisions and provide advice that is fair, objective and without self-interest.
We work to serve the public good.
Accountability: We are transparent and take responsibility for our actions. We maintain a sustainable
workplace environment and seek to achieve the best use of resources.
Respect: We respect our colleagues, public officials and members of the Victorian community
and treat them fairly and objectively. We are inclusive. We do not tolerate harassment, bullying
or discrimination.
Leadership: We promote record keeping best practice and innovation. We lead by example. We create
positive and productive working relationships. We support, motivate and strive to develop our staff
to reach their full potential.
Human Rights: We respect and support the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities in all
decisions and advice and abide by all appropriate legislation.
Collaboration: We consult and engage with the Victorian community and our clients and stakeholders.
We seek, encourage and value the contribution and skills of the people we work with. We provide
customer service that most effectively meets the needs of all our clients and stakeholders.
Vision Statement
PROV’s Vision statement for 2010–11 is “Public Records Publicly Available”. This statement outlines our
vision of a perfect world of recordkeeping, one where all public records are publicly available.
This vision statement seeks to inspire staff to keep good records so that PROV can continue to support
the efficient management and use of public records, ensure that the Government is accountable to the
community and the historical memory of the Victorian Government is secure and accessible.
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
It’s been another exciting year at Public Record Office Victoria with many highlights and
a few notable changes. The theme of this year’s Annual Report comes from our award
winning exhibition called Missing the Mark: The Melbourne landmark ideas competition 1978
showing at the Old Treasury Building. The exhibition celebrates the creative public response
to a competition held in the 1970s to build a Melbourne ‘landmark’. The exhibition marks
the second year of our successful partnership with the Old Treasury Building. Our presence
in the CBD is helping us to open our records up to new audiences and during the year a
record 24,840 people visited our exhibitions there.
This year we also continued to progress our move to focus on delivering our services online.
We revamped our website, making it easier to use and find information and added exciting
new information channels like our brand new blog alongside our existing wiki. We’ve
adopted other new social media technologies to help us interact better with our users and you
can now find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. We held a PROV Data Challenge day
where we opened up our data to a group of interested programmers and historians, allowing
them to manipulate it in new ways using a variety of freely available tools. There were some great
ideas generated on the day and we will be exploring some of these in the future to enhance the
way that people use and experience our historical records.
This year we also began the transfer of a large number of historical maps and plans from
the Department of Sustainability and Environment. These plans date back to the early
days of white settlement in Victoria and include significant foundation documents such
as Robert Hoddle’s original survey field books. These are true treasures and we look forward
to bringing them to new audiences both online and in exhibitions in the future.
Organisationally Public Record Office underwent some significant restructuring and I’d like
to take this opportunity to thank the staff at Public Record Office for their professionalism and
support during the change process. We said goodbye to a number of staff during the year
including some very long serving staff whose knowledge and experience will be missed. We
wish them very well in their new endeavours.
I would like to extend my gratitude to the Public Records Advisory Council for their support
and ongoing commitment to the review of the Public Records Act 1973. I would also like to
thank Graeme Davison, Garth Lampe and Sarah Rood for their valuable contributions as
they have all left the Council over the past year.
Finally I would like to thank former Minister for the Arts, Peter Batchelor MP for his support
and welcome our new Minister, the Premier and Minister for the Arts, Ted Baillieu MLA.
I look forward to working with him in the years to come.
Justine Heazlewood
Director and Keeper of Public Records
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PUBLIC RECORDS ADVISORY COUNCIL
Establishment and functions
The Public Records Advisory Council is established under section 4(1) of the Public Records
Act 1973. Under section 5 of the Act, the Council:
(a) in consultation with the Keeper of Public Records, shall promote cooperation
between the Public Record Office and public offices; and
(b) m
ay report and make recommendations to the Minister on any matter relating to the
administration of the Act.
Council membership
Pursuant to section 4 (1A) of the Public Records Act 1973, the Council shall consist of
not more than ten members with knowledge and experience in such areas as public
administration, local government, records management, business administration, historical
research and genealogical research.
Membership of the Council during 2010–2011 comprised:
Mr Peter Harmsworth AO (President), Public administration
Mr Jim Berg, Indigenous heritage
Mr David Brown, Records management (from 5 November 2009)
Prof. Graeme Davison, History (academic)
Mr Garth Lampe, Public administration
Prof. Sue McKemmish, Information and records management
Ms Sarah Rood, History (professional)
Ms Susie Zada, History (from 9 September 2009)
Ms Penny Hutchinson (Departmental nominee), Department of Premier and Cabinet
Secretary: Ms Diane Brodie and Ms Andrea Rae (from February, 2011)
Summary of activities
The Council met on five occasions in 2010–2011:
15 July 2010 01 October 2010 25 November 2010 25 February 2011 6 May 2010 Victorian Archives Centre
Bright
Victorian Archives Centre
Victorian Archives Centre
Bendigo
During the year, the Council was provided with energetic support by the Keeper and
staff of PROV. Support activities included providing assistance to the President with the
appointment of Council members, preparing Council papers, providing assistance to
Council subcommittees and organising regional visits. The Council would like to record its
appreciation of the support provided to it by the Keeper and her staff and to especially thank
Ms Diane Brodie, who has provided many years of professional service as the Secretary to
the Council. During the year, Diane left PROV and Council wished her well for the future.
Advice to Minister
Following the formation of the new Liberal National Coalition Government in December,
2010 the President wrote to the Premier, the Hon. Ted Baillieu, in his role as Minister for
the Arts, to raise a number of issues, particularly the need for the early consideration of
the findings of the review of the Public Records Act 1973 undertaken in 2010 by Ms Barbara
Reed. Discussions are ongoing with the Premier’s office on the next stages of the review.
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Promoting cooperation between PROV and
public agencies
COUNCIL MEETINGS
Each year, two Council meetings are held in regional or outer-metropolitan locations, with
PROV staff presenting information sessions for researchers and local government records
management staff in conjunction with these meetings. In October 2010 the Council held
its meeting in Bright. Prior to the meeting proper, the Council met with Mr Ian Nichols, CEO
Alpine Shire, members of his staff, and representatives from local historical societies to
discuss local issues. In conjunction with the visit by Council, PROV staff conducted a series
of workshops.
In May 2011 the Council met in Bendigo and took the opportunity to visit the Bendigo
Regional Archives Centre (BRAC) and the Bendigo city library, as well as meeting with
representatives of the City of Greater Bendigo and members of the BRAC Advisory
Committee.
DISPOSAL SUBCOMMITTEE
The Disposal Subcommittee of Council provides technical advice to PROV and agencies
on proposed retention and disposal authorities (RDAs). RDAs are the principal way PROV
assists agencies to comply with the standards promulgated by the Keeper of Public
Records in relation to the preservation and disposal of public records. The Council sees
its involvement with the RDA approval process as an integral component of its legislative
charter in promoting cooperation between PROV and public agencies.
During the year the Subcommittee reviewed and provided comment on fourteen RDAs from
a diversity of departments and public offices.
SIR RUPERT HAMER RECORDS MANAGEMENT AWARDS
Since 1998 the Council has hosted the annual Sir Rupert Hamer Records Management
Awards to recognise excellence and innovation in records management across the
Victorian public sector. The awards were held in May 2011 in Queen’s Hall, Parliament
House and attracted a significant number of high quality applications from across Victoria.
Over 120 guests from across Victorian Government, the records management sector and
archival communities attended the Ceremony. Special guests included former premier and
patron of the Awards the Hon. John Cain; the Hon. Bernard Teague AO, former Chair of the
Bushfires Royal Commission; Ron McLeod former Commissioner of the Bushfires Royal
Commission; Jane Brockington, former CEO of the Bushfires Royal Commission;and Des
Pearson, Victorian Auditor-General.
In organising the awards, PROV worked closely with the Records Management Association
of Australasia and the Australian Society of Archivists. PROV has also been able to attract
the involvement of a number of sponsors to make the evening a significant event in the
calendar of Information Awareness Month.
SUPPORT FOR PROV
During the year the Council was able to provide advice and insights to the Keeper of Public
Records about signifi cant activities and issues being dealt with by PROV. Council members
were also involved on judging panels for both the Local History Grants Program and the Sir
Rupert Hamer Records Management Awards.
Peter Harmsworth AO
President, Public Records Advisory Council
Peter Harmsworth AO
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OVERVIEW
Administration
EXECUTIVE
Headed by Justine Heazlewood, Director and Keeper of Public Records, the executive team
is located at 99 Shiel Street, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; phone (03) 9348 5600.
ACT ADMINISTERED – PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1973
PROV’s operations are governed by the Public Records Act 1973, which defines the role of
both the Keeper of Public Records and the organisation. The Act is available for inspection
on the PROV website, www.prov.vic.gov.au and at our North Melbourne and Ballarat offices.
REGULATIONS MADE AND ADMINISTERED
Regulations are made under section 23 of the Public Records Act 1973 and are known as the
Public Records Regulations 2003.
The Regulations prescribe fees for making and supplying copies of public records and set
out conditions for the inspection of public records and use of facilities provided by PROV.
All Regulations are available for inspection on the PROV website at www.prov.vic.gov.au/
about-us and at both of our offices.
PORTFOLIO RESPONSIBILITY
The Department of Premier and Cabinet, through Arts Victoria, has portfolio responsibility
for PROV. PROV is an administrative office under the Public Administration Act 2004.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
Requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 are handled through the
Department of Premier and Cabinet Freedom of Information officer. For information about
categories of documents maintained by PROV, refer to the Department of Premier and
Cabinet website at www.dpc.vic.gov.au.
PROTECTED DISCLOSURE
The Whistleblower’s Protection Act 2001 promotes accountability and transparency in the
public sector, which will in turn increase public confidence in the workings of government.
The procedures implemented by PROV in relation to protected disclosure can be found
in the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s 2010–2011 annual report. In accordance
with section 104 of the Act, PROV reports that no disclosures were made to it during the
reporting year.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA STANDARDS AND AUTHORITIES
PROV issues standards for records management and authorities for retention and disposal
under section 12 of the Public Records Act 1973. A full list of current PROV standards and
authorities is provided on PROV’s website at www.prov.vic.gov.au/government and at both of
our offices.
DEPARTMENT OF PREMIER AND CABINET ANNUAL REPORT
Further information about PROV’s performance during 2010–2011, including financial and
staffing data, is included in the annual report of the Department of Premier and Cabinet,
available at www.dpc.vic.gov.au.
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Contacts
As at 30 June 2011 PROV operated two public reading rooms and had 75 staff members
working in four operational areas.
PUBLIC READING ROOMS
Email: ask.prov@prov.vic.gov.au
Victorian Archives Centre
Harry Nunn Reading Room
99 Shiel Street
North Melbourne VIC 3051
Australia
Phone: (03) 9348 5600
Ballarat Archives Centre
State Government Offices
Corner Mair and Doveton Streets
Ballarat VIC 3350
Australia
Phone: (03) 5333 6611
GOVERNMENT SERVICES
Assistant Director: David Brown
Phone: (03) 9348 5621
Email: david.brown@prov.vic.gov.au=
Agency enquiries: prov.agency.queries@prov.vic.gov.au
ACCESS SERVICES
Assistant Director: Graeme Hairsine
Phone: (03) 9348 5727
Email: graeme.hairsine@prov.vic.gov.au
Public enquiries: ask.prov@prov.vic.gov.au
CORPORATE SERVICES
Assistant Director: Lucy Hastewell
Phone: (03) 9348 5653
Email: lucy.hastewell@prov.vic.gov.au
PEOPLE & CULTURE
Assistant Director: Michael Werle
Phone: (03) 9348 5725
Email: michael.werle@prov.vic.gov.au
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OVERVIEW
Organisational Structure
Premier of Victoria
Minister for the Arts
Parliamentary
Secretary
Secretary
Department of Premier
& Cabinet
Director
Arts Victoria
Director
PROV
Public Records
Advisory Council
Government
Services
Access
Services
Corporate
Services
People
and Culture
Standards
and Policy
Online
Access
Finance and
Risk Management
Organisational
Development
Government
Record Keeping
Collection
Services
Facilities
VERS
Community
Archives
Communication
and Marketing
Technology
Services
Information
Management
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GOVERNMENT SERVICES
Government Services supports best-practice records management across the Victorian
public sector. This is done through:
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utilising and valuing the knowledge and commitment of PROV staff
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developing and supporting the implementation of best-practice records management
processes and policies across the whole of Victorian government
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building partnerships with stakeholders to improve information and records
management identifying and preserving records of permanent value
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making records more visible and accessible through new technology and betteraligned documentation, transfer and disposal practices
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Managing the Victorian Electronic Records Strategy
ACCESS SERVICES
The goal of Access Services is to ensure that our unique collection is widely known and
accessible to the people and government of Victoria. This is achieved through:
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a program of exhibitions, publications, educational resources and outreach activities
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the provision of public reading room services and online access to PROV’s collection
and research tools
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the preservation of archives within their region of origin, ensuring equality of access
for communities in regional Victoria
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culturally appropriate services, procedures and tools that enhance access by the
Koorie community
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the transmission to clients of knowledge about the collection
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the issuing of records in a manner that meets government needs and community
expectations
CORPORATE SERVICES
Corporate Services supports staff across PROV through provision of the following services:
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budgeting and financial management and reporting
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risk management
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facilities management
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environmental planning and reporting
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strategic planning and reporting
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communication and marketing
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information communication technology
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information management
PEOPLE & CULTURE
This section enables PROV to more efficiently manage the human resource needs of staff
across PROV and plan for further development throughout the organisation through the
provision of human resource management and organisational development
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OVERVIEW
Corporate Plan 2010–2013
PROV’s three-year Corporate Plan provides the strategic direction for the period 2010–11
to 2012–13.
It articulates our mission; operating environment and values as well as listing our
objectives and the initiatives we will pursue to achieve these objectives. It also details
the guiding principles we will use when implementing our initiatives.
OUTCOMES
reservation: The records of government are preserved so that they are available and
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accessible for as long as they are required.
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Management: The records of government are managed to enable accountability,
efficiency and innovation.
•Utilisation: The records of government are used by communities to connect to their
history and culture.
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INITIATIVES
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emodel the Transfer Service: Re-engineering the transfer service and associated
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business processes to provide improved client services and developing internal skills
and capacity
Refresh VERS: Leading the new VERS strategy to reflect a range of enhancements
across Government Services programs and provide increased public service efficiency
and accountability
Enhance PROV’s Standards: Developing a revised Standards program and
implementation schedule that will build internal capacity and responsiveness and
confirm PROV’s strategic leadership in recordkeeping within the Public Service and
across the broader community
Expand PROV’s Policy Framework: Developing PROV’s policy strategy to provide a
structure that supports and progresses key PROV activities
Build Collection Support: Building awareness of cultural collections in the community
and developing the capacity for communities to care for them in the most appropriate way
Promote Collection Usage: Increasing access to and usage of PROV’s unique
collection. Nurturing a greater knowledge of the collection both internally and
externally and promoting PROV as an organisation actively pursuing innovative
solutions to collection utilisation
Foster an IM Culture: Building a culture where information is valued as an asset
and its use maximised to deliver financial efficiencies and position PROV as an
information management leader within the Victorian public sector and beyond
Embed Sustainability: Placing the VAC at the forefront of the government’s
commitment to environmental sustainability, to showcase how the public service is
leading by example and to reduce our carbon footprint
Upgrade PROV’s Infrastructure: Establishing an integrated approach to the planning,
management and renewal of PROV’s physical and technical infrastructure, deliver
improved organisational efficiencies and best-practice storage facilities for the State’s
archival collection
Build Organisational Capacity: Establishing PROV as an employer of choice to attract
and retain people who are passionate about and committed to the effective utilisation,
management and preservation of Victoria’s archives. Develop the right people and
provide the right tools to deliver PROV’s strategic objectives
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
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Aligning our internal skills, capabilities & capacity to our outcomes and objectives
eeking & taking advantage of partnerships & funding opportunities & collaborative
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approaches to meeting our outcomes & objectives
Ensuring that our work improves Public Sector efficiency & accountability
Providing sector leadership & a best practice approach
Consulting with stakeholders and clients and using their feedback to inform & improve
our programs & services
Detailed information about our activities can be found under these headings in the next
section of this report.
Public Record
Office Victoria
Report on
Performance
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HIGHLIGHTS 2010–2011
Opening of the Nolan St Storage Facility
A new storage facility was opened in Bendigo in 2010–11, part of the Bendigo Regional
Archive Centre (BRAC). This marked a significant milestone in the partnership between
PROV and the Goldfields Library Corporation. The new facility features extensive climate
controlled, secure areas that will be used to house government and community records.
The Bendigo Regional Archives
Centre Launch, from left to right,
Carolyn Mcvean, Cr Alec Sandner,
Michael Smyth, Marg Allan,
Graeme Hairsine
PROV Exhibitions at the Old Treasury Building
PROV in partnership with the Old Treasury Building (OTB) provides exhibitions that
complement the historic nature of the OTB and provide material of interest to a
range of groups who visit the building. 2011, the second year of this partnership,
saw the delivery of 2 exhibitions at OTB – The West Gate Bridge Collapse:
40 years on and Missing the Mark: The Melbourne landmark ideas competition 1978.
PROV’s exhibitions at the Old Treasury Building received a commendation at the
Arts Portfolio Leadership Awards 2010. These exhibitions have helped to raise the
organisation’s profile as well as knowledge of the state archive among students,
tourists and the public at large. More than 9000 visitors including school groups have
visited PROV exhibitions at OTB since April 2010. For the first time, PROV has been
able to develop a profile in both the tourist market and the schools market as the exhibitions
have a central city location, an education focus and offer online support resource materials.
All the exhibitions have an online component on the PROV website which has helped to
increase visitation.
PROV’s exhibitions at Old Treasury Building also contribute to the organisational vision
‘Public records publicly available’. This exciting initiative at Old Treasury links to the
corporate plan by displaying a fascinating array of documents that would not normally be
available for public viewing. The exhibitions have greatly increased public awareness of the
breadth and depth of the archive.
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THE WEST GATE BRIDGE COLLAPSE: 40 YEARS ON
The collapse of one span of the half-built West Gate
Bridge on the morning of 15 October 1970 was Victoria’s
worst-ever industrial accident, causing the deaths of
35 people and seriously injuring many others.
In October 2010 PROV held an exhibition at OTB to mark
the 40th anniversary of this tragedy. The exhibition
included photographs, press cuttings, Royal Commission
transcripts and other records from the PROV archives
and was complemented by loans from the National
Gallery and State Library of Victoria.
The exhibition had a strong audio-visual component,
comprising a recording of the ABC television news
of the night of the tragedy; specially-commissioned
oral histories of individuals associated with the project
and affected by the tragedy; and an excerpt of Ms Edna
Davis performing the song ‘The Mighty West Gate Bridge’
which she composed for the eventual opening of the
bridge in November 1978.
Shortly after the Westgate Bridge
collapse, fire still burning
MISSING THE MARK: THE MELBOURNE LANDMARK
IDEAS COMPETITION 1978
In 1978, the Victorian Government opened its competition for
a design for a ‘landmark’ \to be situated above the Jolimont
railway lines, part of which is now buried beneath Federation
Square.
The submissions for the Melbourne landmark competition are
now in PROV custody – as VPRS 2869: Landmark Competition
Drawings. There were more than 1500 submissions, received
from throughout Australia as well as England, Europe, North
America, Asia, and North Africa (Morocco).
The plans were indexed by volunteers in 2008/2009 for easy
online searching. The competition had earlier been the subject
of a Proactive article in 2003 by Tony Styant-Brown, ‘Missing the
mark: The Melbourne landmark competition 1978–79’ (Proactive:
The Magazine of Public Record Office Victoria, issue 28, May 2003,
pp. 11–15) and a university thesis, and this research was useful
in curating the exhibition.
The exhibition occupied one room, a corridor and part of the
foyer space (beneath the staircase) on the main ground floor
of OTB. It comprised a selection of original designs displayed
in polyester sleeves suspended from aluminium poster bars,
a ‘wallpaper’ created from images of many other entries,
wall texts and labels, and two large, specially commissioned
models based on two competition entries: one of a crocodile
and the other of a large mirrored letter ‘M’.
The exhibition was launched on the evening of Wednesday 1
3 April 2011, with guest speaker John Denton, former
State Architect.
An example of one to the
submissions the Victorian
Government received through
it’s Melbourne Landmark
competition
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HIGHLIGHTS 2010–2011
The Great PROV Data Challenge
In March 2011 PROV hosted ‘The Great PROV Data Challenge’ at the Victorian Archives
Centre as part of the inaugural THATCamp Melbourne, the Humanities and Technology
Camp (http://www.thatcampmelbourne.org/). The Data Challenge was a day of creative
ideas generation where three teams – made up of archivists, humanities researchers and
computer enthusiasts – were formed to hack and mash-up datasets and digitised records
provided by PROV:
‘The Grave Diggers’ plotted a digitised plan of the Old Melbourne Cemetery in Google Earth
to show how the old cemetery was displaced by the Queen Victoria Market car park.
‘The Kelly Gang’ took a timeline of Kelly Gang sightings and robberies from a Royal
Commission report and plotted these in space and time in Google Earth, giving a visual
portrayal of the gang’s movements. The third team, ‘The Otway Rangers’ overlayed georeferenced parish maps onto Google Earth and created an interactive database of Otway
land selection data.
The judges of the competition, Justine Heazlewood (PROV), Amanda Finnis (Department of
Business Innovation), and Jason Hutchinson (Deloitte Digital) gave feedback on each entry
and awarded prizes. The Great PROV Data Challenge demonstrated how visualisations and
interpretations of history can be created with access to archival datasets and knowledge of
web tools and platforms.
Participants at the Great PROV Data
Challenge wrestling with data
Enabling local government sector records
management transformation
PROV is participating in an initiative led by the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) to
enable Local Government Councils to transform themselves from a paper-based records
management environment to a fully digital one. A tender was run to select a storage and
digitisation service provider (Grace Records Management) on behalf of 47 Local Councils.
A Project Executive Committee has been established, with members from MAV, Local
Councils, Grace RM and PROV, to drive and promote records management improvement,
digitisation innovation and efficiencies across the sector. As part of this, PROV is working to
build Victorian Electronic Record Strategy (VERS) capacity across Local Government.
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One Place, Many Stories
PROV, in partnership with the History Council of Victoria and
Spatial Vision, successfully partnered with the Department
of Education and Early Childhood Development to create
a mapping website for schools. ‘One Place, Many Stories’
gives students and teachers the tools to overlay digitised historical
maps over Google maps, and to ‘pin’ stories and images
to the overlaid maps.
While the site is for use by schools, the stories created on the
site can be shared and seen by anyone. This gives schools
a platform to undertake projects with their local communities.
Jeff Jackson, a primary teacher involved in the development
of the site, later commented: “One Place, Many Stories engaged
and enabled students to explore historical changes in their
local community. Within minutes they had confidently mastered
a range of skills such as mapping, historical research and
collaborative investigations. They are still asking to explore
the site further.”
VPRS 8168/P2 unit 6166 Sydney M8 1837 early
Melbourne – Survey Robert Hoddle
Transfer of records:
2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission
The Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission was established to investigate the causes
and responses to bushfires which swept through parts of Victoria in January and February
of 2009.
Over its lifetime the Commission generated over 300,000 permanent records, the vast
majority being in digital format. These are now in the process of being transferred to
permanent storage in the PROV digital archive.
Planning commenced almost from the beginning of the Commission’s operations in early
2009 as it was anticipated that the transfer of such a large volume of records in digital
format from a complex legal case management system would pose many challenges. Once
completed, the key records of the Commission, including the interim and final reports,
transcripts of proceedings and exhibits, will be available in digital format on a permanent
basis via the PROV online catalogue.
22
HIGHLIGHTS 2010–2011
Transfer of records: Department of Sustainability
and Environment parish and township record plans
Volunteers handle Environment Parish
and Township Record Plans
This collection comprises over 25,000 plans tracing the history of European settlement in
Victoria. The plans constituted the official, legal record of the status of land in Victoria in
terms of its alienation from the Crown, from the first official land sales in 1837 through
to the early 2000s (when they were replaced by digital mapping practices). This is one of the
largest and logistically most complex transfers that PROV has been engaged in. Processing
is expected to be completed in October 2011.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment Survey Field Books are the original field
books used by the surveyors who undertook the first official surveys of land throughout
Victoria, including the notable surveyor Robert Hoddle. These books were used to compile
the parish and township record plans.
In addition to their technical content, the books contain a wealth of detail about soil and
vegetation, landmarks, early structures and other features of the landscape. There are
sketches and incidental details such as a list of rations to be provided to surveyors, even
pages of idle doodling. The bulk of the collection relates to the first 40 years of European
settlement, the earliest books dating from 1837. Overall the collection extends to the 1920s.
23
Footprints: the Journey of Lucy
and Pepper
One of the major highlights for PROV in the year 2010–11 was
the launch of the touring exhibition ‘Footprints: the Journey of
Lucy and Pepper’ by the Hon. Jeanette Powell, Minister for
Aboriginal Affairs.
Footprints focuses on the lives of an Aboriginal family and their
struggles for survival in late 19th century and early 20th century
Victoria. Based on records available at PROV, the exhibition also
showcases material from other Victorian collections as well as
contributions from Pepper family descendents.
To find out more about the exhibition,
visit http://prov.vic.gov.au/footprints.
Footprints launch
From L-R, Keeper of the Records
Justine Heazlewood & the Hon.
Jeanette Powell, Minister for Aboriginal
Affairs at the Footprints Launch
Digitising partnership with the R E Ross
Trust and the La Trobe Society
PROV was successful this year in obtaining a grant from the R E Ross Trust to digitise
an important early series of its records. VPRS19 “Inward Registered Correspondence”
contains documents received by Charles Joseph La Trobe, who between 1839 and 1854
was first the Superintendent of the Port Phillip District and subsequently the LieutenantGovernor of the colony of Victoria.
The conservation and digitisation of these records will make available to researchers
a rich trove of historical information relating to the early years of Victoria. This 18-month
project is being undertaken with the collaboration of volunteers from the CJ La Trobe
Society, who have been assisting with the conservation and digitising of the records.
Volunteers digitising PROV
records
24
HIGHLIGHTS 2010–2011
Achievements of staff
AWARDS
The work of PROV staff and volunteers was recognised with several awards in 2010–2011:
PROV was awarded in two categories in this year’s Mander Jones Awards:
PROV’s Water Stories online exhibition is the winner in Category 2A: ‘Best publication that
uses features or interprets Australian archives, written by or on behalf of a corporate body’
and
in Category 3A, ‘Best finding aid to an archival collection (1) held by an Australian
institution, or (2) about Australia; produced by an organisation deemed eligible for Category
4 (5) (a) institutional membership’, the Lands Guide: A guide to finding records of Crown land
at Public Record Office Victoria received a High Commendation
The PROV exhibition at OTB, The West Gate Bridge Collapse: 40 Years On received an
‘honourable mention’ in the Victorian Museums Awards announced at a function at the
National Gallery of Victoria in the category for small museums
Allison Hunter won the RMAA Objective Article of the Year 2009-2010 (awarded in
September 2010 at the RMAA International Convention) for her article - Walking the
Tightrope: Some simple solutions to capturing instant messages as corporate records
Michael Zhou was a finalist for the 2011 Lawyers’ Weekly Icon Awards for the category of
Law Student of the Year. Michael has been working to establish joint venture agreements
between PROV and the Genealogical Society of Utah so we can work collaboratively on
digitisation projects.
(L-R) Sir Laurence Street, Chief Justice of NSW and PROV
employee Michael Zhou at the Lawyers Weekly Icon
Awards 2011
25
PROFESSIONAL COMMITTEES
Aside from their roles at PROV, a number of staff make a significant contribution to their
professions through membership of committees:
Lauren Bourke: member, Ballarat Heritage Advisory Committee; member, Victorian
Community Heritage Collections Network; member, Ballarat Collections Network
Kevin Chin: administrator, Australasian Digital Recordkeeping Initiative
Charlie Farrugia: member, Victorian Association of Family History Organisations; member
Geographic Place Names Advisory Panel; member ANZAC Commemorative Naming Pilot
Project; member, Arts Agency Collections Working Group
Sebastian Gurciullo: editor, Archives and Manuscripts; chair, the Editorial Board refereed
journal of the Australian Society of Archivists; member, committee of the Section on Literary
and Artistic Archives of the International Council on Archives.
Graeme Hairsine: member, Bendigo Regional Archives Centre Committee of Management;
member, Standards for Public Access Working Group of the Council of Australasian
Archives and Recordkeeping Authorities (Council of Australasian Archives and Records
Authorities); member, Reference, Access and Public Programs Special Interest Group of the
Australian Society of Archivists
Lucy Hastewell: member, DPC Procurement Review Reference Group; member, IPAA
Internal Communications Community of Practice
Justine Heazlewood: member, Council of Australasian Archives and Records Authorities;
chair, Australasian Digital Recordkeeping Initiative; member, Collections Committee, State
Library of Victoria; member, Australia Society of Archivists Conference Committee 2010;
member, International Council of Archives Congress Committee 2012; member, Standards
Australia, Records and Document Management Systems Committee (IT-21); member,
Monash University, Centre for Organisational and Social Informatics Advisory Board
Allison Hunter: secretary for the Victorian Branch of Records and Information Management
Professionals Australasia
Asa Letourneau: member, UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Committee as a State
Liaison Officer for Victoria; member, Cloud Information Community (CLIC)
Tracey Manallack: member Victorian Community Heritage Collections Network; member,
Geelong Heritage Centre Committee of Management; member, Bendigo Regional Archives
Centre Operations Committee
Julie McCormack: member, Council of Australasian Archives and Records Authorities;
AHPRA Working Group; member, Australasian Digital Recordkeeping Initiative Disposal
Project Working Group
Alison McNulty: chair, Council of Australasian Archives and Records Authorities; AHPRA
Working Group; member, Municipal Association of Victoria Storage and Digitisation Project
Executive Committee; member, Who Am I? Advisory Group
Andrew Waugh: member Standards Australia, Records and Document Management
Systems Committee (IT-21) Subcommittee on Recordkeeping Metadata
Michael Werle: member, Occupational Health and Safety National Project Reference
Group at Innovation Business Skills Australia; member, Business Services Sector Advisory
Committee at Innovation Business Skills Australia; member Equal Employment Opportunity
Network; State President Victorian / Tasmanian Council at Australian Institute of Training &
Development
Daniel Wilksch: President of the Branch Committee of Museums Australia (Victoria)
26
HIGHLIGHTS 2010–2011
CONFERENCE AND SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS
In addition to PROV’s formal seminar programs, noted in the operations section of
this report, staff expertise and knowledge are shared through presentations at various
conferences and seminars. In 2010–2011, these included:
Second Annual National Records and Information Officers Forum 23 February 2011
Matt Gardiner: ‘Securing Records for the Long Run’
Reference, Access and Public Programs Special Interest Group, Australian Society of
Archivists annual conference, November 2010
Graeme Hairsine: ‘The 21st Century Archive: equity and innovation’
Privacy Victoria Network meeting, November 2010
Graeme Hairsine: ‘Cloud Computing and Privacy.’
International Association of Privacy Professionals Australia & New Zealand annual
conference, November 2010
Graeme Hairsine: ‘Cloud Computing, Recordkeeping Systems and Privacy’
Privacy Awareness Week, May 2011
Graeme Hairsine: ‘Cloud Computing, Recordkeeping Systems and Privacy’
Australian Society of Archivists Conference - October 2011
Justine Heazlewood: ‘Joint Readings Rooms: The success of the PROV/NAA partnership’
(joint presentation with Ross Latham, Director, Archives Office of Tasmania)
Second Annual National Records and Information Officers Forum 23 February 2011
David Fowler: ‘Securing Records for the Long Run’
Digital Preservation ARC Group 8 December 2010
Andrew Waugh: ‘Digital Preservation Now’
TRIM User Forum 2011 (TUF24) 8 May 2011
Andrew Waugh: ‘Digital Preservation’
International Women’s Day Conference 10 March 2011
Daniel Wilksch: ‘Women in Public Records’
Public Sector Digital Media Officers Forum, Melbourne, 2011
Greg Wilson: ‘Public Sector Information Relief Framework (PSIRF) Project’
Institute of Information Management (IIM) National Conference, Canberra, 2011
Greg Wilson: ‘Public Sector Information Relief Framework (PSIRF) Project’
PUBLISHED WORKS
Marcus Dowd: ‘Public Record Office Victoria Update’ (RIMPA Journal - Around the Rim)
March 2011
Sebastian Gurciullo: ‘Footprints: An exhibition about Lucy and Percy Pepper’, in Ancestor,
vol. 30, issue 6, June-August 2011, pp. 7-9.
‘Looking for Footprints’, in Inside History, March-April 2011, pp. 42-43.
Allison Hunter: Informaa Newsletter (RMAA Vic Branch Newsletter) December 2010
- Planning for Storage, Around the RIM (RIMPA Vic Branch Newsletter), June 2011 Capturing Business Records, Archives and Manuscripts (Australian Society of Archivists
Journal) November 2010 (News Notes section) - Public Record Office Victoria, Archives and
Manuscripts (Australian Society of Archivists Journal) May 2011 (News Notes section) Public Record Office Victoria
OUTPUT MEASURES 2010–11
27
Output: Records
Quantity
2010–11
Target
2010–11
Actual
Retention and disposal authorities issued 7
7
PROV records transferred1
1,200
2,274
Digital records preserved2
100,000
113,840
Participants in records management education and training programs
1,500
1,463
VERS departmental consultations
100
96
Additional VERS software products certified 10
27
% Collection stored to industry standard
100
100
% Client satisfaction
90
86
Quantity
2010–11
Target
2010–11
Actual
Records issued 55,000
49,222
Visitors
90,000
104,126
3
600,000
896,497
Volunteer hours
15,500
15,124
Participants in public education, training and outreach programs
7,250
6,939
90
92
95
95
Quality
Output: Access
Online visitors
Quality
% Visitors satisfied with visit
Timeliness
% Records issued within specific timeframes
1. Departments finalised a larger number of multi-year transfers than originally scheduled.
2. P
rocess and technology have been improved, increasing capacity to process a larger number of records in the same
amount of time
3. A
new methodology for measurement of visitation to website has been implemented, consistent with revised whole
of government guidelines
28
PROV STRATEGIC INITIATIVES 2010–11
Remodel the Transfer Service
In 2010–11 a review of PROV’s transfer approach and processes was carried out.
The review aimed to:
•
streamline transfer processes and provide solutions to system problems
•
increase awareness of transfer requirements and processes across the Victorian
public sector
•
ensure that the most significant permanent records are transferred to PROV.
It is hoped that this will result in improved internal staff skills and increased capacity which
would lead to major improvements in client services.
In December 2010 the Transfer Review Findings and Recommendations were presented
to the PROV Executive with 59 recommendations approved for action. An Implementation
Plan incorporating 10 activity streams was then developed in consultation with stakeholder
groups. The Implementation Plan sets out the Work Program for re-engineering the transfer
service and associated business processes over the next two years. To ensure that the
Implementation Plan is a success PROV has developed a Change Management program
that encompasses active stakeholder engagement and ongoing communications activities.
Refresh VERS
The Victorian Electronic Records Strategy (VERS) is being refreshed and will deliver a new
electronic records and information service model that will better respond to the changed
environment that the Victorian Government and electronic information now exists in.
The refreshed strategy will recognise the changes to structures for information
management, new technologies, variable capabilities and priorities. It is hoped that this will
deliver a model that will ensure the Victorian Government’s electronic records are ‘future
proofed’ and accessible to the community for many years to come. The new strategy will
ensure that Government agencies will be:
•
better able to self assess their level of electronic information maturity and act
appropriately to address any gaps
•
able to access a vast array of good practice case studies, to better identify and
implement innovation in their own records and information management areas
•
meeting international standards on the management and collection of electronic
records and information.
Enhance PROV’s Standards
Recordkeeping standards are critical for ensuring that the public service is able to operate
effectively and be accountable for decisions made and policies implemented. Standards
and their supporting specifications and guidelines set the benchmark for the creation,
management and disposal of records in Victorian agencies.
In 2009 the Victorian Government allocated funding to PROV to redevelop and update its set
of standards governing the management of records across Government. This project is now
nearly complete and includes the following standards:
•
Strategic management
•
Disposal
•
Operations management
•
Storage
The remaining three standards Capture, Control and Access and their supporting
specifications are due to be published by September 2011. In total 32 new documents have
been produced. These standards have been developed following an extensive stakeholder
engagement and consultation process.
29
Expand PROV’s Policy Framework
Over the past decade, government has moved from a paper based work model to an
electronic ‘paperless office’ work model. In the coming decade we anticipate the way
government works to change again to a mobile work model based around the internet.
These changes will create significant policy issues concerning how agencies create,
manage and dispose of records in the new work environment. To resolve these issues PROV
is currently conducting extensive research into this issue as well as consulting with a
wide group of stakeholders and subject matter experts. PROV aims to ensure that any new
or redeveloped recordkeeping policies will satisfy recordkeeping requirements while not
becoming an administrative burden.
During 2010-11 PROV has reviewed and restructured how it manages major policy
initiatives. The new process is significantly more consultative and includes a Guiding
Committee containing representatives from major stakeholder groups.
The major policy initiative carried out by PROV during 2010-11 was the production of draft
specifications which are designed to ensure that business systems effectively create and
manage records. This work was carried out in conjunction with the International Council
on Archives and the Australasian Digital Record Keeping Initiative. PROV also conducted
preliminary research on the recordkeeping implications of the use of social media by public
servants and the environmental impact of recordkeeping.
This new approach will be thoroughly trialled during the development of other major policy
initiatives throughout 2011–12.
Build Collection Support
Vic Floods Charlton Golden Grains Museum PROV Staff
& Volunteers
PROV SUPPORTS MUSEUMS AND HISTORICAL SOCIETIES IN FLOOD
AFFECTED AREAS
In January 2011 Victoria experienced the worst floods in the state’s history, which
themselves came on the back of severe flooding in September 2010. The impact of these
floods created a significant challenge for community collections across the state.
During this difficult time, PROV took on an advisory role in the management of records,
sharing information and responses between Museums Australia (Victoria), Arts Victoria,
State Library of Victoria and the Gold Museum. PROV also took on a practical role visiting
museums, such as Charlton’s Golden Grains Museum as well as several historical societies,
where specially trained staff assisted in salvaging water damaged items and donated
archival supplies.
PROV would like to acknowledge the efforts of Blueshield Australia and Steamatic. Both of
these organisations contributed generously to the flood relief effort, donating free disaster
recovery for affected collections. Atlantis Relocations should also be acknowledged for
transporting records from regional areas for conservation.
30
PROV STRATEGIC INITIATIVES 2010–11
PROV FUNDING FOR 2010–11
PROV remains committed to providing financial support to projects that aim to preserve
and present historical documents to the public. During 2010–11 PROV administered
$642,474 worth of funding to community organisations to carry out 130 projects through the
Vic 175 Grants and round 9 of the Local History Grants program
The Victorian Government has committed a further $1.66 million to be administered over
the next four years to fund the Local History Grants Program and the Victorian Community
History Awards.
PROV WORKING WITH ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES
PROV recognises the importance of promoting awareness
of Aboriginal records within its collection and aims to
improve the accessibility of these records to the Aboriginal
community.
During 2010–11 PROV’s Koorie Records Unit developed
a free workshop for Aboriginal Victorians. The workshops
included a wide range of guest speakers from the Koorie
Records Unit, National Archives Australia, State Library
of Victoria, Museum Victoria, Connecting Home and
Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation. Each speaker
delivered practical advice about researching Aboriginal
family history and caring for collections.
The Koorie Records team responsible for coordinating
and delivering Know Your History, Preserve Your Culture
workshops
Promote Collection Usage
Providing improved data to the collection allows greater understanding and use of our
unique collection. During the year we undertook a series of work which has improved
data and accessibility to over 645 series within our collection. This work will continue into
2011–2012.
During 2010–2011 PROV embarked upon delivering a modest expansion to its digitisation
program and capability. This expansion allowed for a number of internal digitisation projects
to be undertaken. One of the most significant of these is the Historic Plan Collection, which
when completed in 2012 will result in 9166 plans being available online.
READING ROOMS AND RECORD RETRIEVALS
PROV operates two public reading rooms: one at the Victorian Archives Centre in North
Melbourne and another at the Ballarat Archives Centre in Ballarat.
2010–2011 saw the introduction of a number of service model changes within the reading
rooms. These changes consisted of changes to record delivery times to the reading rooms
and increased number of records allowed per researcher per delivery. The introduction of
PROV supplied digital cameras allows researcher to take images and download them to a
memory stick. This initiative has reduced photocopying by approximately 40%.
The layout of the reading room at the Ballarat Archives Centre was redesigned during the
year as part of changes made to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of services for
researchers.
31
The Victorian Archives Centre Reading Room continues to provide researchers with an
effective location for undertaking their research. This year saw the introduction of wireless
internet to the Reading Room, allowing researchers greater access to other institutions to
support their research activities.
Number of records
Number of records
A total of 15,445 people visited the two reading rooms and were issued 37,834 records. An
additional 11,388 records were issued to government agencies outside the reading rooms
and for internal PROV use. There was a slight increase in visitor numbers, but the number
RECORDS
ISSUED
of
records issued
was lower than the previous year.
70,000
Government users
60,000
Public users
50,000
RECORDS
ISSUED
40,000
70,000
30,000
60,000
20,000
50,000
10,000
40,000
30,000
Government users
Public users
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
Year
20,000
10,000
Year
Number of visitors
Number of visitors
VISITORS TO READING ROOMS
25,000
Ballarat Archives Centre
20,000
Victorian Archives Centre
VISITORS TO READING ROOMS
15,000
25,000
Ballarat Archives Centre
10,000
20,000
Victorian Archives Centre
5,000
15,000
10,000
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
Year
5,000
To complement the service model changes made during 2010-11, significant changes were
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
also made to the roles of Access Services Officers (ASO). ASO staff have developed their
skills in the digitisation of records, web publishing, video capture and editing and data
management. Staff are now variously using our web publishing tools to showcase records
and topics of particular interest to them, engaging in online discussions and promotion
through Twitter and other social media, and working to transform our service delivery
models to meet changing expectations of how and when service might be delivered.
We have also transformed the way we are providing the data to support online engagement. New digitisation areas have been set up, and the work rate of internal digitisation projects
significantly stepped up.
We aim to further expand digitisation capacity through pursuing opportunities for volunteer
projects and community partnerships.
Year
32
PROV STRATEGIC INITIATIVES 2010–11
VOLUNTEER PROGRAM REVIEW
During 2010-2011 PROV undertook a wide-ranging review of our volunteer program. This
review has been an in-depth examination of the program and its role in supporting PROV’s
strategic initiatives.
Staff, volunteers and public researchers were surveyed for their views on the current
program and its future. These surveys, combined with one-on-one interviews with
volunteers, discussions with external volunteer program leaders and attendance at
volunteer seminars, provided the necessary information to develop the review’s 27
recommendations. These were submitted to PROV’s executive and fully endorsed.
The recommendations will see the volunteer program better support PROV’s strategic
initiatives and provide volunteers with greater opportunities within the program.
The key areas of recommendations were:
•
Integration and communication – supporting the improved integration of the
volunteers and the Volunteer Program into PROV culture and operations
•
Program support – recommendations focusing upon the administrative structure that
supports the program
•
Program development – recommendations providing a direction for new initiatives
within the volunteer program
•
Program operations – recommendations designed to improve existing operations and
project outcomes
All recommendations are expected to be implemented in 2011–2012.
33
Volunteers Program
PROV’s dedicated volunteers undertake a range of activities that improve access to records
in the collection, support staff, and allow us to offer additional resources and services for
researchers.
This year 109 volunteers contributed a total of 15,124 hours. Projects included processing Land
Selection Files of the Department of Crown Lands and Survey, Criminal Trial Briefs of the Office
of the Victorian Government Solicitor, indexing outward passenger lists and prison registers,
working on the Koorie Index of Names project, and creating and editing record description
lists. Volunteers also conducted ‘behind the scenes’ tours of the Victorian Archives Centre for
members of the public and maintained PROV’s technical library.
Wednesday’s group of PROV Volunteers at work
We are indebted to our volunteers for their efforts during the year:
Anna Rotar
Edna Lowe
Jill Mack
Marcel Gerner
Sue Dawson
Ahnya Chuah
Eileen Porter
John Bolt
Margaret Edmonds Sue Maclellan
Barbara Addie
Elizabeth Buckle
John Drury
Margaret Wright
Sue Rickard
Barbara Minchinton
Fay Beslee
John Killian
Marie Rogers
Susan Maclellan
Bernadette Griffiths Flora Walker
John MacKinnon
Maureen Mcauley
Tanja Brkljaca
Gail Thornthwaite
John Waugh
Beryl Mainon
Maureen Molloy
Tim Marriott
Beth Codling
Gary Courte
Jon Rennison
Maxine Wagerman
Val Connors
Betty Keay
Gavin Faichney
Joseph DeLuca
Millie Marsh
Val Latimer
Brian Dixon
Geoff Currey
Joss Vivian
Neil Morris
Vicki Montgomery
Carole Field
Gisela Eisenmann
Judith Vardy
Neil Robinson
Yvonne Pratt
Catherine Rankin
Gordon Dadswell
Judy Johnston
Noel Logan
Cathy Dodson
Gordon Lee
Judy Purdon
Pam Weller
Cheryl Cox
Graeme Cardillo
Julie Chippindale
Pat Porigneaux
Claudia Guli
Graeme Dawson
Kathleen Goodman Paula Collett
Colleen Wineera
Graham Bence
Kaye Cleary
Richard Hudson
Constance Eastwood Helen Lunt
Keith Thomas
Rosalie Palmer
Dana Watts
Helen Rowe
Ken Walduck
Rosalind Faichney
Daryll Doy
Ian Braybrook
Keng Chong
Rosemary Simpson
David Laurence
Ian Hazewinkel
Laurice Cross
Royden Wineera
Dawn Riddel
Ian Pearson
Leanne Goss
Sandra Marshall
Dawn Walduck
Irene Kearsey
Leonie Marshall
Sara Hardy
Diane Riley
Janine Laity
Liz Brown
Shirley Krumnow
Dianne Carmody
Jason Taylor
Liz Raven
Sonya Cameron
Dianne Hughes
Jean Smith
Lynne Shann
Steven McMillan
Dot Skewes
Jerry Arron
Maggie Robinson
Stevie Brownsea
34
PROV STRATEGIC INITIATIVES 2010–11
Foster an IM Culture
As part of its three-year Corporate Plan, PROV committed to establishing a strategic
approach to managing its information assets.
PROV finalised and implemented its Records Management Policy through a targeted
program of training, education and raising awareness. Records management
responsibilities were tied to staff key performance indicators, file naming conventions and
Business Classification (BCS) were introduced and as a result, the level of recordkeeping
was raised.
A BCS was implemented in 2010/11, across all PROV business units and all electronic
records and files, including legacy data. The mapping of old to new, data cleanup and
migration went well and its use is now embedded in staff behaviour. The use of the BCS
has greatly reduced the time staff spend finding information and in turn has increased
efficiency in our services.
A new-look website was introduced along with a new Web Content Management System,
delivering de-centralised content management. The new website was part of the PROV
Communications and Marketing Strategy Implementation Plan, which was developed in
2010–11. The two year strategy sets the direction for PROV’s promotional and branding
activities, with the first year of activities successfully completed. This saw PROV’s uptake of
a range of Web 2.0 channels including Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. PROV website
35
Embed Sustainability
A key objective of PROV’s three year Corporate Plan is to embed environmental
sustainability into the organisation and, most importantly, the management of its Victorian
Archive Centre (VAC) building. PROV is committed to continually reducing its carbon
footprint by improving our understanding of the impacts of our activities and changing the
way that we operate to minimise and manage these impacts. PROV is also committed to
ensuring that all staff, volunteers and contractors are made aware of this commitment.
PROV is in its second year of a two year Environment Strategy. The key objectives drivers of
our environment program are:
•
support the sustainable management and use
of government records; and
•
reduce greenhouse gas emissions of PROV’s
office-based activities.
In 2010, PROV signed up to City Switch, a program designed
to raise awareness of the need to increase energy efficiency
amongst the community and help improve the environment.
PROV is committed to making this program a success and
will work with the national partner Councils and Sustainability
Victoria to complete our commitments.
In 2011 PROV expanded its water harvesting program for
the collection of water from the roof of the Victorian Archives
Centre. A fifth water tank has been installed through funding
obtained through a grants scheme. The water collected from
this tank will be used for irrigating the vegetated area adjacent
to the visitor car park.
On 22 March PROV received a commendation for its environmental
management approach at the launch of the 2011 Strategic Audit
into Environmental Management Systems by the Commissioner
for Environmental Sustainability.
PROV has installed a fifth water tank on site at the
Victorian Archives Centre, 99 Shiel St North Melbourne
The Commissioner was very complimentary about PROV’s
commitment to sustainability and many of our initiatives, including
our water harvesting and reduced energy usage. This view is
reflected in the PROV case study in the audit report.
2008–2009
2009–2010
2010-2011
Energy (megajoules per m2)
782
701
752
Water1 (kilolitres per FTE2)
28.8
22.8
21.6
Paper (reams per FTE)
13.7
10.29
10.2
Waste (tonnes per FTE)
0.91
0.97
0.96
Greenhouse gas emissions (tonnes CO2)
4005
3819
3510
1. P
lease note last years reported figures were for the whole of the Victorian Archive Centre building.
This year we have amended our figures to show water usage per FTE
2. FTE is 84, this number includes PROV staff and volunteers working at the Victorian Archive Centre.
36
PROV STRATEGIC INITIATIVES 2010–11
Upgrade PROV’s Infrastructure
PROV manages substantial ICT infrastructure, including its collection management
systems, digital repository, website and wiki. As part of the scheduled maintenance
program for this infrastructure, PROV completed a network, systems and architecture
review upgrade project delivering a more robust platform for service delivery.
New ICT services were delivered in 2010/11 including wireless internet in the Victorian
Archives Centre foyer and Reading Room, and a proof of concept for remote access for
regional archives to PROV’s archival management systems.
A three year ICT Roadmap was developed, outlining the strategic plans for supporting
PROV’s services to government and to the public. The first year of the Roadmap activities
were all successfully implemented.
This year saw the replacement of the PROV website with the launch of a site with a whole
new look and content in May 2011. The new website provides superior search facilities and
now links to PROV’s Web 2.0 channels including Facebook, Twitter, Ning and Flickr.
The Victorian Archives Centre, home to the PROV collection underwent an extensive
maintenance and upgrade program during 2010–11. The implementation of a fifth water
tank to capture water from the building’s extensive roof, the implementation of a new
automated Building Management System (BMS) and a new contract was established for
the provision of security services at the building. Planning also continued for the extension
of the VAC to provide government with a further 20 years of capacity to transfer archives.
37
Build Organisational Capacity
PROV has continued to transform as an organisation during 2010–11. Following the
development of the organisation’s corporate and business plans this year we reorganised
some functions, and revised some positions, reporting arrangements and position titles. The
changes reflect an emphasis on the development of recordkeeping policy and standards,
continued innovation in the delivery of services to the public in line with other cultural
collection organisations and the growth in online service demand.
These arrangements are designed to effectively align functions, resources and
responsibilities within PROV to ensure the strategic objectives of records preservation,
management and utilisation are achieved.
Management & leadership development was a key initiative delivered this year by our People
& Culture team to enhance management capability to engage, manage and lead teams.
Twenty three line, middle and senior managers participated in an engaging program
which included managing change, strategic thinking, public value, talent acquisition and
onboarding, team development, interpersonal effectiveness and equity and diversity.
The program was developed with the aim of building the skills, knowledge and capabilities
of employees who manage people and was based in part on the State Services Authority
Great Managers, Great Results Development Framework, which identifies attributes required
for success in a VPS management position.
The program formally concluded in June with individual presentations from participants to
the Executive team and senior managers on what they have learnt about themselves, being
a manager and leader, and how they plan to implement the learning in the next year to
further develop themselves and their teams.
An alumni is being established to assist in the transference of learning and to foster and
build cross functional relationships. Feedback from participants and our corporate and
business plans will inform development of further capability development programs for our
high potential employees and emerging leaders.
A principle underlying PROV’s internal development efforts in 2010–11 was ‘learning by
doing’. We feel it is essential that our staff develop a strong common vision of our role and
importance in an online information environment, and can comfortably navigate in that
environment.
As part of its Online Engagement Strategy, PROV initiated a series of internal seminars,
‘Geeks@PROV’, which aimed to introduce and explore the significance of a wide variety
of web-based products, services and cultures. Topics included online virtual worlds, social
bookmarking sites and Twitter. There has been interest and attendance in these seminars
from across the VPS, partly due to the use of the ‘VPS Hub’, an internal online discussion
forum and document tool.
This year PROV piloted the inclusion of knowledge management goals in all employees’
performance development and progression plans with the aim of increasing the
organisation’s intellectual capital.
Competition for skilled resources is increasing. We will continue to work to enhance the
employment experience of our people and remain a preferred public sector employer.
38
PROV STRATEGIC INITIATIVES 2010–11
2010 Sir Rupert Hamer Records
Management Awards
The annual Sir Rupert Hamer Records Management Awards focus on two key areas within
the Victorian public sector: preservation of records of permanent value and innovations in
records management practices. Categories also recognise the work of Places of Deposit
(community archives approved by the Minister to hold non-permanent public records of
local significance).
The awards are an initiative of the Public Records Advisory Council and are judged by a
panel comprising representatives from Council, the Records Management Association
of Australasia and the Australian Society of Archivists Inc. The awards are named for Sir
Rupert Hamer, who had a longstanding interest in records management and government
accountability, and was Victorian Premier when the Public Records Act 1973 was passed and
when PROV opened its first office and repository in 1975.
PROV would like to thank the sponsors who made this year’s event possible:
Records & Information Management Professionals Australasia, Australian Society of
Archivists Inc., Archival Survival, Archive Security, Commando Storage Systems, Doc-UStore, Enterprise Knowledge, Fort Knox Records Management, FYB Pty Ltd, Grace Records
Management, Iron Mountain Australia, Records Solutions, Royal Historical Society of
Victoria, Steamatic, Victorian Association of Family History Organisations, and Zetta
Florence.
Winners of the 2010 Sir Rupert Hamer Records
Management Awards
(back row from left): Kaye Fox & Rebecca Grant (Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission); Andrew Nankivell
(Mount Alexander Shire Council); Sarah Dugdale (Knox City Council); Tony Morabito (Land Victoria); Justine
Heazlewood (Public Record Office Victoria); Peter Harmsworth (Public Records Advisory Council); Ivan Powell
& Brett Greenland (Land Victoria); Dawn Peel (Colac & District Historical Society); Bev Bell & Australasian
Digital Recordkeeping Initiative an Perna (Greater Shepparton City Council)
(front row from left): Rachel U’Ren & Jane Brockington (Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission); Alison
Woollard (Mount Alexander Shire Council); Ray Peace, Inta Juanzemis, Karin Orpen & Graham Hansen (Knox
Historical Society); Terri Letizia, Assia Hammoud & Kate Wendt (Northern Health)
39
VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT AGENCY AWARDS
Small Agency Category
Winner: Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, ‘The management and transfer of Royal
Commission Digital Records’
The Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission was established to investigate the causes and
responses to bushfires which swept through parts of Victoria in early 2009.
From its beginning, the Commission employed technology and systems to capture
and manage digital and hardcopy records, ensuring immediate access and long-term
preservation.
As a result of the careful planning and execution of the records management program and
with the assistance of e-law, permanent documents were identified and transferred to PROV
at the conclusion of the Commission.
Certificate of Commendation: Legislative Council, Parliament of Victoria, ‘Parliamentary
Committees Records Transfer Project’
This project, which took almost two years to complete, involved the successful transfer of
more than 90 boxes of Legislative Council Committee records dated from 1856 to 1992. The
records included minutes, correspondence, draft reports and transcripts of evidence from
33 Legislative Council Committees.
Medium Agency Category
Winner: Land Victoria, ‘Archiving Paper Records – historical documents from Land Victoria’
Land Victoria’s main objective for their project was to secure the long term preservation of
historical paper records and provide PROV with digital images and indexes for future public
referencing and resourcing.
Three collections of historical paper records were to be deposited to PROV. The first
collection was 3000 Crown field books ranging in date from 1800 to 1920. The second
collection is some 20,000 Put-Away Plans comprising Parish, Township and Crown Survey
Plans, dating from 1800 to 1900. The third set is the current Records Plans or Parish and
Township Plans. There are about 5000 paper and transparency plans ranging in date
from 1890 to 2001. All of these records relate to the early surveying of Victoria, Crown
subdivisions and land development of Victoria.
Certificate of Commendation: City of Boroondara, ‘ECM Business Improvement Project
Stage 1’
After making quality and compliance improvements in their Corporate Information
department in 2009, a proposal was submitted for continuous improvement in records
management. The primary purpose being to further develop the usage of ECM and
improving Council’s hardcopy archive storage facility and processes.
A review found some common opinions and barriers amongst staff, namely a negative
perception of ECM, a belief that ECM registration was a choice not a requirement, and a
lack of understanding of what and how to register.
A training video “Advance to Go” was developed along with other supporting engagement,
education and accountability initiatives. Overall, a more positive acceptance of the use
of ECM has been established, and during the reporting period of July to December 2010,
organisational registrations of documents and emails has increased by an overall 48,000
documents and an average 36% increase in users logged on to ECM.
Large Agency Category
Winner: Northern Health, ‘Journey to a Scanned World’
Northern Health consists of five sites with admissions and attendance at all locations
increasing. As a consequence, management of records storage across all sites had become
an issue. A solution that supported the change model of care and readily being able to
follow the patient as they moved through the health service was required.
40
PROV STRATEGIC INITIATIVES 2010–11
To address these issues, Northern Health implemented a semi-electronic scanned medical
record system known as the Clinical Patient Folder. In the last 12 months the benefits and
outcomes of the implementation of this system include:
•
Increased floor space within Health Information Services at all sites
•
Reduction in courier runs and costs between sites in the delivery of records from three
daily runs to one, saving the organisation $30,000 per year
•
Printing and stationary costs reduced by $47,000
•
Concurrent access to patient information both across sites and within the one site
•
24-hour medical record availability without the need to staff Health Information
Services for 24 hours and after hours retrieval
•
Access to pathology and radiology investigation results in real time
•
Scanned medical records have reduced the rate of misplaced documents, and eased
manual handling demands on staff.
Certificate of Commendation: Victorian Taxi Directorate, ‘Records Management Project’
As the taxi and car hire industry regulator, the Victorian Taxi Directorate is required to
handle large volumes of records, mostly in hardcopy format and often containing personal
or sensitive information. The Taxi Directorate at any given time, manages almost 500 linear
metres of active hardcopy records.
In mid 2008 management recognised a business need to improve the compliance and
efficiency of the Taxi Directorate recordkeeping practices. The project was launched in
early 2009 with the objective of fostering a responsible recordkeeping culture capable of
establishing and maintaining a single records collection through the use of TRIM.
In May 2010 PROV conducted a post implementation review of the Taxi Directorate records
project and found it had made outstanding and significant progress to date.
Regional/Rural Agency category
Winner: Greater Shepparton City Council, ‘Digital Consent Model – Innovation in Local
Government’
Already having an EDMS, Greater Shepparton City Council was looking to better utilise the
system to improve and introduce consistent recordkeeping practises across all functions
of the Council. One major issue that kept arising was that staff wanted to physically sign
documents. This meant that staff were printing out copies in EDMS to sign, retaining the
duplicated paper copy as the official record of Council. After months of research, it was
discovered that paper records do not always need to be physically signed, and in fact using
simple mechanics within the EDMS could introduce streamlined and consistent methods
for managing records.
A Digital Consent Model was developed by the records management team whereby a new
process was implemented. Now, when a document needs to be executed it is work flowed
to the General Manager in the EDMS. Once completed, the electronic document is provided
to the CEO who then completes their part. This results in no hardcopies needing to be
produced.
Community Archives Awards
Preservation of records of significance to the local community and the state
Winner: Mount Alexander Shire Council, ‘Digitisation of Shire of Maldon Minute Books
1858–1995’
The Council became aware that permanent items were incorrectly in the custody of Maldon
Museum and Archives Incorporated. These items had been transferred during the Maldon
Shire amalgamation to Mount Alexander Shire Council in 1995. Not wanting to remove
these significant records from the community, it was determined the museum would
become an official Place of Deposit, the items would be sent to PROV, and information
would be retained for the community by microfilming and converting the records to pdf.
In this stage of the project, records from 1858 to 1900 have been digitised and are now in
PROV’s custody. The second phase of the project will commence in 2012 and will focus
on digitising the remaining records dating from 1900 to 1995.
41
Providing enhanced records access in the local community
Winner: Colac & District Historical Society Inc, ‘Colac Court Register from the other side of
the world’
(Joint Winner)
In July 2010 an item of interest was located in the catalogue of the Duke University in North
Carolina, and copies of a few pages were provided to a Society member. It was found to be a
leather-bound journal with 250 pages of the first Court of Petty Sessions Register for Colac,
dating from 1849–1865. Duke University purchased the register in 1961 from a bookstore in
Sydney to add to their British Colonial special collection.
Duke University, upon being contacted by the Society member, gave priority to digitising the
register. A team of volunteers were assembled to transcribe and index the entire register. In
November 2010 it was made available for free access online, allowing users from around the
world to view the original register, search the database, view the full transcription, and read
background history on the town and people involved with the Colac Court of Petty Sessions.
Winner: Knox Historical Society Inc, ‘Local School Photos Project’
(Joint Winner)
In the 1980s Knox Historical Society decided to seek out copies of photo collections held
by local schools. The area was changing rapidly and preserving the community history that
it encapsulated became a priority. Many schools were celebrating centenaries, creating a
high demand for school history. High quality copies of the photographs in negative form
were acquired by a member of the Society.
An extensive indexing project of student and teacher names was also undertaken to make
the 20,000 school photographs accessible to the community. Photos have been digitised
and indexed into cataloguing software to create a searchable record and an electronic
format that is stored offsite for preservation.
A number of the schools are now closed, or have altered significantly and the Society has
become a central repository for their histories.
An added bonus of this high profile project has been donations of school memorabilia.
Families have also donated material or allowed copies to be scanned so that the collection
is always developing and being enhanced.
Certificate of Commendation: Ballarat Historical Society Inc, ‘Capture the Vision’
The Society holds a significant photographic collection that includes items of regional,
state and national status. Several thousand photographs and images of the city have been
collected over their 75 year history. However, a 50 year gap in the collection was identified as
there has not been an active program for the collecting or taking of photographs since the
1950s.
Capture the Vision aims to collect images of Ballarat’s past, concentrating on those
images from the last 50 years. Volunteer photographers were engaged to capture images
of day to day life according to topics and schedules set by the project organisers. To date,
approximately 15,000 additional images have been added to the collection.
42
Public Record
Office Victoria
Appendices
APPENDIX 1: ASSETS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT & STAFF PROFILE
Assets
The assets include both community and operating assets in the following four categories:
COMMUNITY ASSETS
These assets are the state’s archival collection. The collection is currently valued at $189
million.
BUILDING ASSETS
Records repositories for storage of the state archives and the state government’s noncurrent records are located at North Melbourne and Ballarat. The Victorian Archives Centre
in North Melbourne is currently valued at $42 million.
MOTOR VEHICLES
Public Record Office Victoria operates two vehicles: a sedan and a station wagon.
PLANT AND OPERATING EQUIPMENT
Operating assets are used for the upkeep of the physical and digital repositories so public
records can be stored safely and made available for public inspection.
Financial Statement
2009–2010 2010–2011
Operating $3,041,104
$3,405,968
Salary and on-costs
$5,312,296
$6,042,014
Sub-total $8,353,400
9,447,982
$4,565,156
$1,753,174
$12,918,556
$11,201,156
1
Capital Total expenditure 1 C
apital investment includes payments for the building rectification works at the Victorian Archives
Centre in 2009-10 and investment against the PROV asset management plan.
43
44
APPENDIX 1: ASSETS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT & STAFF PROFILE
Staff profile
The following information relates to substantive roles at PROV only. The information does
not include fixed-term roles that are fully funded from temporary external funding sources
such as grants.
Total
Female
Male
Number of employees At 30 June 2010
75
44
31
At 30 June 2011
75
42
33
Number of staff members, by position type
Executive Professional Administration 1
1
0
71
38
33
3
3
0
Number of staff members, by employment type
Permanent full-time 53
26
27
Permanent part-time 16
12
4
6
4
2
Fixed term Number of male and female directors and managers
Director 1
1
0
Managers 4
1
3
APPENDIX 2: PUBLICATIONS
A full list of current PROV publications is available on the PROV website at
www.prov.vic.gov.au/publications.
Publications are available from:
PROV online shop
www.prov.vic.gov.au/provshop
Publication Sales
Public Record Office Victoria
PO Box 2100
North Melbourne VIC 3051
Publications 2010–11
PROV produced the following publications during 2010–11
NEWSLETTERS AND JOURNALS
Provenance: the Journal of Public Record Office Victoria
An annual online journal presenting research from the records held by PROV.
September 2010, Issue 9
Public Record Office Despatch
Public Record Office Victoria’s monthly enewsletter of events and activities.
POD Newsletter
A quarterly enewsletter for the Places of Deposit (POD) network.
Government Services Record
A monthly enewsletter of information and resources for records management professionals.
Koorie Records Unit Newsletter
A quarterly enewsletter from Public Record Office Victoria’s Koorie Records Unit.
Shaping Up!
A monthly enewsletter providing updates on the PROV Recordkeeping Standards Project.
WEBCASTS
Audio and video recordings of PROV seminars and other events of interest to the Victorian
community, published on www.prov.vic.gov.au/provcasts.
Eight ‘How to’ guides that provide easy to follow information about conducting research in
our collection.
45
46
APPENDIX 3: STANDARDS AND ADVICE ISSUED
Section 12 of the Public Records Act 1973 requires the Keeper of Public Records to establish
standards for the efficient management of public records and to assist public offices in the
application of those standards to records under their control. The Act requires public offices
to implement records management programs in accordance with the standards established
by the Keeper.
For a complete list of standards see www.prov.vic.gov.au/government/standards-and-policy
Standards
PROV’s standards and specifications establish requirements for the creation, management
and use of Victorian public records.
STANDARDS ISSUED IN 2010–2011
PROS
Title of standard
Issue date Expiry date
PROS 10/10 Standard: Strategic Management Standard
19/07/2010
19/07/2015
10/10/G7
Specification: Strategic Management 19/07/2010
19/07/2015
10/13
Standard: Disposal Standard
09/08/2010
09/08/2015
10/13/S1
Specification: Disposal Standard –
Developing Disposal Authorities
09/08/2010
09/08/2015
10/13/S2
Specification: Disposal Standard –
Implementing Disposal Authorities
09/08/2010
09/08/2015
10/17
Standard – Operations Management Standard
23/12/2010
23/12/2015
10/17/S1
Specification – Operations Management
23/12/2010
23/12/2015
11/01
Standard – Storage Standard
25/01/2011
25/01/2016
11/01/S1
Specification – Agency Custody Storage
25/01/2011
25/01/2016
11/01?S2
Specification – State Archives POD Storage
25/01/2011
25/01/2016
47
Advice
These assist Victorian government agencies with applying the standards and provide
guidance on specific issues.
ADVICES ISSUED IN 2010–2011
Number
Title of advice
Issue date Expiry date
10/10
Factsheet – Recordkeeping Responsibilities
for Heads of Departments & CEOs
01/11/2010
N/A
10/10/F1
Factsheet – Recordkeeping Responsibilities
for Public Sector Employees
01/11/2010
N/A
10/10/F2
Factsheet – Recordkeeping Responsibilities
for Volunteers
01/11/2010
N/A
10/10/G1
Guideline – Records Management Policy
19/07/2010
19/07/2015
10/10/G2
Guideline – Managing Records
of Outsourced Activities 19/07/2010
19/07/2015
10/10/G3
Guideline – Key Performance Indicators
19/07/2010
19/07/2015
10/10/G4
Guideline – Writing a Business Case
19/07/2010
19/07/2015
10/10/G5
Guideline – Records Management Strategy
19/07/2010
19/07/2015
10/10/G6
Guideline – Records & Risk Management
19/07/2010
19/07/2015
10/10/G7
Guideline – Stakeholder Engagement 19/07/2010
19/07/2015
10/13/G!
Guideline – Developing an RDA
09/08/2010
09/08/2015
10/13/G2
Guideline – Implementing a Disposal Programme09/08/2010
09/08/2015
10/13/G3
Guideline – Destruction
09/08/2010
09/08/2015
10/17/G1
Guideline – Functional Analysis
14/12/2010
14/12/2015
10/17/G2
Guideline – Appraisal
14/12/2010
14/12/2015
10/17/G4
Guideline – Transfer of Custodianship
30/03/2011
30/03/2016
10/17/G6
Guideline – Continuous Improvement
19/04/2011
19/04/2016
11/01/G2
Guideline – Implementing a Storage Programme 21/04/2011
21/04/2016
Retention and Disposal Authorities
Retention and Disposal Authorities specify mandatory retention periods for Victorian public records.
AUTHORITIES ISSUED IN 2010–2011
PROS
Title of authority
Issue date Expiry date
PROS 10/11 Retention and Disposal Authority for Records
of the Country Fire Authority
29/07/2010
29/07/2020
PROS 10/12 Retention and Disposal Authority for Records
of the Public Record Office Victoria
26/07/2010
26/07/2020
PROS 10/14 Retention and Disposal Authority for Records
of Victoria Police
22/12/2010
22/12/2020
PROS 10/15 Retention and Disposal Authority for Records
of Office of Police Integrity
17/12/2010
1712/2020
PROS 10/16 Retention and Disposal Authority for Records
of the Office of the Victorian Privacy Commissioner 17/12/2010
1712/2020
PROS 11/02 Retention and Disposal Authority for Records
of the Supreme Court
21/03/2010
21/03/2020
PROS 11/03 Retention and Disposal Authority for Records
of the Victims Support Services Function
08/03/2011
08/03/2021
48
APPENDIX 3: STANDARDS AND ADVICE ISSUED
VARIATIONS TO EXISTING AUTHORITIES ISSUED IN 2010–2011
PROS
Title of authority
Issue date Expiry date
PROS 94/02 Police Station General Records Authority
– Variation 11
22/12/2010
22/12/2010
PROS 96/10 General Retention & Disposal Authority for
Prison Records – Variation 7
22/12/2010
30/06/2010
General Retention & Disposal Authority for Prison
Records created prior to 31 August 2006 – Variation 8 15/06/2011
30/06/2021
PROS 96/10
PROS 96/20 Retention and Disposal Authority for Records
of the Public Transport Corporation and the
Victorian Rail Track Corporation – Variation 4
07/03/2010
31/03/2014
PROS 96/21 Apprenticeship & Traineeship Records Function
– Variation 4 29/10/2010
31/12/2012
PROS 97/06 Victorian Arts Centre Trust Records Authority
– Variation 3
19/11/2010
31/12/2011
PROS 97/08 Retention and Disposal Authority for Records
of the Building Commission – Variation 5
13/08/2010
31/05/2013
PROS 97/08 Retention and Disposal Authority for Records
of the Building Commission – Variation 6
03/11/2010
31/05/2014
PROS 99/01 Department of Premier and Cabinet Disposal
Schedule – Variation 3
29/10/2010
31/03/2012
PROS 99/02 Department of Treasury and Finance Records
Disposal Schedule - Variation 4
29/10/2010
31/07/2012
PROS 99/04 Public Health Services Patient Records General
Records Authority – Variation 6
29/10/2010
31/08/2011
PROS 99/05 State Coroner’s Office Coronial Investigations
Records Authority – Variation 2
29/10/2010
31/07/2013
PROS 99/06 Retention and Disposal Authority for records
of the Gas Safety Records Authority – Variation 2 29/10/2010
31/03/2014
PROS 00/02 Department of Infrastructure Records Authority
– Variation 3
01/01/2011
30/11/2012
PROS 01/01 Schools Records Authority – Variation 3
29/10/2010
31/07/2013
PROS 01/03 Victorian Auditor-General’s Office Records
Authority – Variation 1
03/11/2010
31/12/2013
PROS 01/04 State Revenue Office Records Authority
– Variation 2
04/11/2010
31/07/2012
PROS 02/02 Victoria Police Ethical Standards Department
Records Authority – Variation 2
22/12/2010
22/12/2010
PROS 03/01 Retention and Disposal Authority for the Legal
Aid Function – Variation 1
29/10/2010
31/05/2013
PROS 04/05 Victoria Police – Communications Records
– Variation 1
2010-12-22
22/12/2010
PROS 05/01 Retention and Disposal Authority for Records
of Ombudsman Victoria – Variation 1
2010-08-27
2015-12-06
PROS 05/02 General Retention and Disposal Authority for
Victoria Police – Variation 1
22/12/2010
22/12/2010
PROS 06/03 Retention & Disposal Authority for Records of the
Department of Victorian Communities – Variation 1 03/05/2011
23/10/2016
PROS 09/10 Retention and Disposal Authority for Records
of the Aged Care Function – Variation 1
17/06/2020
03/05/2013
APPENDIX 4: APPROVED PROV STORAGE SUPPLIERS (APROSS)
APROSS sites are commercial facilities that have been inspected by PROV and approved for
the storage of temporary and unsentenced public records.
For a complete list of APROSS sites see www.prov.vic.gov.au/government/archival-suppliesand-storage
APROSS FACILITIES APPROVED IN 2010-11
Advance Records Management
Shed 3, 140 Broderick Rd,
Corio, 3214
Phone: (03) 5274 2000
Archive Security
Laverton, 3028
Phone: 1800 464 360
www.archivesecurity.com.au
Iron Mountain
35/9 Ashley Street
West Footscray
Phone: 1800 476 668
The Doc Shop
PO Box 435
Lot 2/4 Rocia Road
Traralgon VIC 3844
Phone: (03) 5175 0228
contact@thedocshop.com.au
APPENDIX 5: APPROVED PLACES OF DEPOSIT FOR TEMPORARY RECORDS
Places of Deposit are community facilities that meet the storage standards required by
PROV to preserve records of significance to local communities.
For a complete list of Places of Deposit see www.prov.vic.gov.au/community-programs/
places-of-deposit.
PLACES OF DEPOSIT APPOINTED 2010–2011
Name of organisation
Date appointed
Location
Keilor Historical Society Inc
7 July 2010
Harricks Cottage, Harrick Rd
Keilor Park 3036
Morwell Historical Society Inc
44 Buckley Street Morwell 3840
7 July 2010
Waranga Regional Tourism 7 July 2010
Association & Goulburn Diggings Research Inc
Rushworth Service Centre
High Street Rushworth 3612
Romsey & Lancefield 7 July 2010
Districts Historical Society Inc
55 Main Road Lancefield 3435
East Loddon & District Historical Society Inc
Corner Haig Street & Francis Lane
Mitiamo 3573
7 July 2010
Elmore Progress Association
7 July 2010 Inc Museum Railway Place Elmore 3558
49
50
APPENDIX 6: VERS-COMPLIANT PRODUCTS
After testing conducted by PROV, the following systems have demonstrated a capability of
meeting either all or part of the requirements for long-term electronic records management
outlined in PROS 99/007: Standard for the Management of Electronic Records (also known
as the VERS standard).
Systems may be certified against some or all of the specifications listed in the standard.
Please see the VERS compliance pages on the PROV website for more information:
www.prov.vic.gov.au/government/vers
Product
Vendor
Standard Spec 1
version
Spec 2
Laserfiche version 8.2
2
Sept 2010
Sept 2010 Feb 2011
Feb 2011* Feb 2011
RecordPoint for
Microsoft SharePoint v2 RecordPoint
2
May 2011
May 2011 Nov 2010
Nov 2010
Technology One ECM
v 4.02
Technology One
2
May 2011
May 2011
May 2011
TRIM v 6.2.5
Hewlett Packard
2
July 2010
July 2010 July 2010
July 2010
TRIM v 7.02
Hewlett Packard
2
May 2011
May 2011
June 2011
TRIM v 7.1
Hewlett Packard
2
May 2011
May 2011
June 2011
Docbureau V 3.0
E-Vis Pty Ltd
2
July 2010
Grace
Grace Records
Management
2
InfoXpert eDRMS/ECM
v8.1.131
InfoXpert
2
Laserfiche
Oct 2010
Spec 3
Spec 4
Spec 5
Nov 2010
July 2010
June 2011
Oct 2010
* Denotes conditions associated with certificate.
APPENDIX 7: MAJOR VERS CONSULTANCY PROJECTS COMPLETED
VERS consultancy services support the implementation of effective and integrated records management in the
Victorian public sector through a range of programs designed to improve their digital records management capability
and achieve VERS compliance.
In 2010–2011 a joint initiative between Government agencies and PROV focussed the consultancy’s activities on a
major review to realign, reposition and refresh the Victorian Electronic Records Strategy. This VERS Refresh, is a
formative review that will release its recommendations later in 2011–2012. These are expected to culminate in the
changing of the operating model and approach of VERS. This exciting new phase of the Electronic Records Strategy
will allow the Victorian Government to continue future proofing our records for generations to come.
A significant focus has been supporting the Public Sector Information Release Framework and general agency
support regarding implementation of the digitisation specification. Other consultancies included:
•
Department of Premier and Cabinet – Bushfire Royal Commission – Advice and preparation in the transfer of
electronic records from the Royal Commission into the Black Saturday Bushfires.
•
Department of Primary Industry – Advice on Electronic Document and Records Management Systems
•
Department of Justice – Advice on regenerating digital certificates
•
Department of Premier and Cabinet – Advice on digitisation of video footage
•
Municipal Association of Victoria – Review of Storage specification and approach
•
Department of Treasury and Finance – Advice on Public Sector Information and metadata model
Public Record
Office Victoria
Glossary
51
52
accessionA group of records from the same transferring agency taken into
PROV custody at the same time. The records may be formally
arranged and described into records series and consignments or
they may be unarranged and undescribed. Accessioning refers to the
process of formally accepting and recording the receipt of records into
custody (Keeping Archives ).
adviceA document issued by PROV providing advice to Victorian agencies
on a recordkeeping issue. (Includes formal advice about standards as
well as forms and other tools to help Victorian government agencies
manage and use public records.)
APROSSApproved Public Record Office Storage Supplier – the PROV program
for the storage of records which the Keeper of Public Records has
approved for eventual destruction or which are awaiting a decision as
to their archival value.
archiveThe whole body of records of continuing value of an organisation or
individual. Sometimes called ‘corporate memory’ (AS 4390.1 -1996).
archivesRecords considered to have continuing or permanent value that have
been, or will be, transferred to the custody of an archival organisation;
also used to refer to the buildings in which archival records are stored
and to organisations that have responsibility for archival records
(Private lives, public records ).
consignment A consignment comprises record items belonging to a single record
series that has been transferred to the custody of PROV as part of the
one accession. A consignment may comprise the whole or only part
of a series. Each consignment is identified by a code (e.g. VPRS 1234/
P1).
digital / electronic record
A record produced, housed or transmitted by electronic means rather
than physical means. A record expressed in an electronic digital format. A record stored in a form that only a computer can process.
digitised record / digital image
An electronic reproduction of a picture, photograph or physical
item (e.g. letter or document) that can be stored on computer or disk, and can be viewed, transmitted, manipulated and/or printed
via computer. A subset of digital records (Private lives, public records).
disposal A range of processes associated with implementing appraisal
decisions. These include the retention, deletion or destruction of
records in or from recordkeeping systems. They may also include the
migration or transmission of records between recordkeeping systems,
and the transfer of custody or ownership of records.
ithin the Victorian public sector, records are appraised to determine
W
their significance (business, legal or historical) and then judged to
be either of temporary or permanent value to the state. Government
bodies are guided by standards or schedules issued by PROV to
regulate the disposal of records.
disposal authorityA legal document that defines the retention periods and consequent
disposal actions authorised for specific classes of records (AS 4390.1
-1996).
permanent recordsRecords which have been appraised as being of permanent value to
the State of Victoria and which must be kept forever.
place of depositA location approved by the Victorian government minister responsible
(POD) for PROV for the storage by community groups of temporary records
of local value.
provenanceA principle that involves establishing the administrative context in
which records were created and used. The provenance of records
includes their original creators and users, and the subsequent
administrators who were responsible for the recordkeeping system in
which the records were kept (Private lives, public records).
public record A record made or received by any person employed in a public office
while carrying out his or her public duties (Public Records Act 1973).
53
public recordsInformation or documents created as part of the activities of state
government departments, agencies and local government (Private
lives, public records).
reading roomArea set aside at PROV centre for public access to records (Private
lives, public records).
recordSomething that documents a particular event or decision, or a
document and its contents that have some evidentiary value.
A record can take many forms:
•
a document in writing
•
a book, map, plan, graph or drawing
•
a photograph
•
a label marking or other writing which identifies or describes anything of which it forms part, or to which it is attached by any means whatsoever
•
a disc, tape, soundtrack or other device in which sounds or other data (not being visual images) are embodied so as to be capable (with or without the aid of some other equipment) of
being reproduced therefrom
•
film, negative, tape or other device in which one or more visual
a
images is embodied so as to be capable (as aforesaid) of being
reproduced therefrom
•
nything whatsoever on which is marked any words, figures,
a
letters or symbols which are capable of carrying a definite
meaning to persons conversant with them (AS ISO 15489.1).
recordkeepingMaking and maintaining complete, accurate and reliable evidence of
business transactions in the form of recorded information.
records managementField of management responsible for the efficient and systematic
control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposal of
records, including processes for capturing and maintaining evidence
of and information about business activities and transactions in the
form of records (AS ISO 15489.1).
repositoryThe building (or part of the building) in which the collection/holdings
are housed.
seriesA group of records which are recorded or maintained by the same
agency or agencies and which:
•
re in the same numerical, alphabetical, chronological or other a
identifiable sequence; or
•
r esult from the same accumulation or filing process, perform
the same function or may be of similar physical shape or
information content.
standardA set of criteria that states a level of requirement for Victorian
agencies. Standards are established by the Keeper of Public Records
under the Public Records Act 1973. Standards can be complianceoriented or oriented towards best practice.
temporary recordsRecords which are appraised as being of value for a bounded time
span and which may be destroyed once they are older than that time
span.
transferThe removal of public records from the offices which have created
or inherited them. Custody, ownership and/or responsibility for the
records is changed (e.g. from the office to PROV) (AS ISO 15489.1).
unsentenced records
Records which have not yet been appraised and whose status is
therefore not yet determined (Public Records Act 1973).
VPRSAn abbreviation for Victorian Public Record Series. A VPRS number is
allocated to each record series when it is transferred to PROV.
Public Record Office Victoria
99 Shiel Street North Melbourne VIC 3051
T. (03) 9348 5600 www.prov.vic.gov.au