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Preserving State Government Digital Information: A Baseline Report

Abstract

Acknowledgments

Executive Summary

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Creating capability for digital preservation partnerships

Chapter 3. Building a Baseline

APPENDIX A. Advisory Committee

Appendix B. Survey Process

Appendix C. Summary of Respondents

Appendix D. Survey Respondents

Appendix E. Survey Responses Organized by Respondent and Question

Appendix F. State Government Digital Information Preservation Survey
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Chapter 3. Building a Baseline

Section 6. Enterprise Architecture

According to a National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) report published in October of 2005, over 95% of the responding states have embraced Enterprise Architecture (EA) as a framework for systematically determining needs and demands and reshaping “government processes, organization, and supporting management systems.”7 During the Library of Congress States Workshops, which included 20 representatives of state IT organizations, there was agreement that EA efforts offers a largely untapped opportunity for LARM units to partner with information technology organizations and others in support of digital preservation. Therefore, Section 6 of the survey was designed to gauge awareness of and involvement of LARM professionals in their state EA efforts.

Overall respondents appear to be aware of their state’s EA efforts (66.7%) while only 37.1% reported any involvement in those efforts. (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Awareness of and Involvement in State Enterprise Architecture (EA)

Figure 1. Awareness of and Involvement in State Enterprise Architecture (EA)

The nature of involvement in EA efforts varies. Many respondents indicated active participation in EA committees and working groups. The majority of specific EA activities in which the respondents were involved focused on standards and policy development. The roles respondents are filling in these committees include influencing elements of the architecture that pertain directly to recordkeeping issues; determining how best to preserve the long-term records needed by the state; and helping to develop the data and electronic records domains of the EA. Several of the respondents indicated a more involved role in their state’s EA efforts including activities such as server and e-mail consolidation; redesign of state portals; content management system testing; and developing a comprehensive statewide strategy for the management of all records created by state agencies.

Several respondents indicated indirect involvement in EA efforts through occasional attendance at EA related meetings, informal or “back-channel” communication with other agencies regarding EA, meeting reporting requirements (e.g., submitting return on investment technology plans to the state CIO every two years), participating in surveys, or simply observing their state’s EA initiatives.
7Thirty seven states and the District of Columbia responded to the NASCIO survey. Download a copy of the NASCIO report The States and Enterprise Architecture: How far have we come? Findings from the NASCIO 2005 EA Assessment, NASCIO, October 2005 at http://www.nascio.org/publications/index.cfm.