INTRODUCTION
Records--in all formats--support McGill’s ability to pursue its mission, demonstrate accountability, defend its interests, and maintain institutional memory. The increased reliance on electronic media for essential administrative record-keeping provides unprecedented opportunities for rapid response, collaboration, and sharing of corporate data. With these benefits come the challenges of strategically managing and preserving the resulting volume of digital records. How can we ensure McGill’s digital legacy is not vulnerable to quick deletion, media instability, and software/hardware obsolescence?

Responding to these challenges requires the cooperation of records creators, archivists, and information technologists. digitalpermanence is a McGill University Archives (MUA) initiative launched in December 2003 to promote the collaborative, strategic, long-term management and preservation of McGill University’s electronic records.

The digitalpermanence initiative is unique among North American universities, benefiting from the MUA’s strong leadership in information management in collaboration with campus IT professionals and records creators.

The McGill University Archives (MUA) first implemented the McGill University Records Retention Schedule (MURRS) in 1987 in compliance with Quebec legislation. MURRS is a technical guide to campus records, detailing the University’s record keeping obligations for both business and historical/legacy purposes. The continuing review of MURRS is required to ensure its currency with record keeping practices and emerging legislative requirements.

The next critical revision of MURRS, achieved in part by digitalpermanence, is the creation of retention rules applicable to McGill’s electronic records.