Workbook on Digital Private Papers > Glossary
Glossary - R
Records life cycle
Traditionally, the life cycle concept has formed the basis on which records management and archival practice have been based. It is founded on the notion that each record, like a human being, progresses through various stages during its lifetime: creation; active use; semi-current; and non-current, at which stage records are reviewed and those identified as having no long-term value are destroyed, while those with historical value are transferred to an archive, where they are preserved, described and made accessible to researchers. During the creation and active use periods, the record creator is seen as having primary control over the records, sometimes with input from a records manager; during the semi-current period, the records manager takes on responsibility for the records; and in the final, inactive stage the archivist takes over. The concept of the records continuum has been developed as an alternative to the life cycle approach.
