Archive Assessment Procedure

Definition: A committee from the National Library and Archives, including an expert and specialists from the government archives

Purpose: 

• To help government entities organize their documents and archive. 
• To assess archive status in the entity and review preservation and classification methods 
• To prepare an archive assessment report

Procedural steps: 

• Issuing an administrative decision that prohibits document destruction within the entity.
• Forming an internal committee to organize the archive within the government entity according to the following conditions:

• The committee chairperson shall be a top management figure in the entity capable of applying policies and organizational procedures.
• One of the members shall be an archive employee in the entity.
• One of the members shall be from the information technology section of the entity.
• The committee members should be permanent appointees in order to avoid excessive turnover.

• Approving the composition of the committee by the president of the entity
• Sending an official letter to the National Library and Archives announcing the formation of the committee.
• Coordinating with the entity to set a meeting for archive status assessment.
• Meeting with the entity officials.
• Reviewing the archive storage location in the governmental entity.
• Issuing an archive assessment report by the National Library and Archives.
• Preparing an official letter attached with an archive assessment report.
• Coordinating with the entity to present the report. 

Note: Applications or requests shall be approved only after review by the appropriate committee of the government entity.

Archives Security, Safety And Preservation Procedures

Definition: It is the implementation of measures taken according to standard specifications to avoid any damages or loss to the preserved archive materials in the National Library and Archives.

Purpose: 

• To provide maximum security and levels of safety at the National Library and Archives storage facility.
• To assure appropriate environmental settings for materials preserved in the National Library and Archives.
• To plan for disaster and recovery.

Providing suitable specifications to the archive rooms and buildings:

• Choosing a suitable location.
• Designing the archive storage location according to safety and security measures while avoiding the misuse of dangerous materials such as electricity and water ducts.
• Securing access and exit points (Doors – Guarding).>
• Choosing and installing appropriate archive arrangement fittings (metal shelves).
• Providing the appropriate climate (temperature and humidity level)
• Installing an air conditioning system.
• Constructing natural aeration openings if required. (windows)
• Installing an early fire prevention system and providing a fire extinguishing system.
• Executing a planned and controlled monitoring of safety equipment in the National Library and Archives facility.
• Installing a rodent and insect eradication program, along with periodic cleaning of the facility.

Setting a preparedness and disaster plan 

• Notifying employees about urgent actions that should be adopted during emergencies.
• Making a list of the people in charge and sensitive locations in the buildings, construction and technical plant plans.
• Determining equipment, tools and human resources (list of technical experts and intervention teams) during emergencies.
• Setting disaster response plan priorities to save damaged archives.
• Introducing training programs for employees in the disaster response plan.

Archives Transfer Procedures

Definition: The transfer of historical documents and files from government entities to the National Library and Archives for permanent storage according to the retention plan.

Purpose:

• To collect historical documents consisting of archival value to build the national Library and Archivesof the United Arab Emirates.
• To organize the transfer process from government entities according to controls and parameters determined by the National Library and Archives.
• To store and preserve government archives under the best conditions.

Procedure Steps:

• Preparing archive materials for transfer to the National Library and Archives
• Preparing a list of files for transferal.
• Filling out the archive transfer form.
• Approval of the transfer form by the Chairman of the relevant entity.
• Sending the archive transfer form to the National Library and Archives.
• National Library and Archives approval on the archives transfer.
• Coordinating with the National Library and Archives on transfer date and conditions.
• Transporting the archive according to the rules determined by the National Library and Archives.
• Receiving the transfer at the National Library and Archives and the revision of the archives upon collection.
• Classifying the transferred files in the storage areas and recording data in the approved systems.
• Signing of archives transfer form and keeping the original within the National Library and Archives.

Consultation Response Procedures

Definition:

It is the response to consultation requests presented by government entities in all aspects concerning archiving as per the archive management system of the entity, regarding any data within the National Library and Archives based on international standards in archive organization and the experience of the Center’s employees in this field. 

Purpose: 

Procedure steps:

• 1.To help government entities in organizing their documents and archive.
• 2.To optimize the consultation services offered by the National Library and Archives in the field of government and electronic archives. 
• 3.To record the consultations offered to government authorities.
• 4.To form an overall view of the problems and obstacles that government entities face in organizing their archives and to assist in implementing appropriate solutions.
• 1.Submission of the consultancy request approved by the head of the committee in the government entities. 
• 2.Transmitting the request to the concerned section in the National Library and Archives. 
• 3.Answering the consultation and providing the required materials.
• Note: no request will not be considered by the NA unless approved beforehand by the chairperson of the relevant archive committee.

Document Digitizing Procedures

Definition: It is a technical process of converting documents from its hard copy to an electronic form..

Purpose:

• 1.To control the conversion of paper documents into digital form to ensure high quality for all scanned documents.
• 2.To secure backup copies of historical documents.
• 3.To promote use of electronic documents in order to safeguard originals from damage due to frequent handling.
• 4.To facilitate access to digital documents through the electronic system of the National Library and Archives.

Procedural steps :

• 1.Preparing document for scanning.
• 2.Setting equipment according to the approved standards of the National Library and Archives.
• 3.Scanning of documents.
• 4.Reviewing the quality of the digital document in comparison to the original paper form.
• 5.Indexing the document by entering data in the approved electronic system.
• 6.Checking the entered data on the electronic system and comparing it with the document.
• 7.Migrating document data into the approved electronic system.
• 8.Reviewing the data migrated to the approved electronic system.

Document Disposal Procedures

Definition: It is the disposal process of invaluable documents subject to law provisions to the preservation and retention policy.

Purpose:

• 1.To apply Federal Law no. 7 of 2008 concerning the National Library and Archives.
• 2.To control the disposal of documents and files produced by government entities which are no longer needed for historical research.
• 3.To minimize the quantity of documents stored by government entities while retaining those of value.
• Procedural steps:
• 1.Determining the documents to be disposed of according to the retention schedule.
• 2.Preparing a list of the documents to be disposed of.
• 3.Preparing an archive disposal request.
• 4.Sending the request to the National Library and Archives to be examined by the document disposal committee.
• 5.Assessing proposed documents by the document destruction committee, which give the approval for the destruction of the submitted documents.
• 6.Setting the destruction date.
• 7.Preparing documents to be disposed.
• 8.Physical checking of the documents before the destruction process.
• 9.Executing of the disposal operation in the presence of the disposal committee.
• 10.Preparing and signing an archive disposal report.

Public Access To Archive Procedures

Definition: It is the process of facilitating access to the historical archives preserved in the National Library and Archives to the researchers via hard copy and electronic searching tools.

Purpose:

• 1. To set controls and tools to enable accessibility of archival documents.
• 2. To respond to the researcher’s request and provide requested materials.
• 3. To support historical research based on documents preserved in the National Library and Archives.

Procedural steps:

• 1. Receiving, registering and determining the researcher’s needs at the National Library and Archives.
• 2. Providing the researcher with research tools and determining the required documents to be viewed.
• 3. Drafting an access request. (attached)
• 4. Approval from the department to provide the researcher with documents.
• 5. Preparing the materials by the archivist.
• 6. Submitting the materials to the researcher.
• 7. Signing the Receipt of the documents form by the researcher.(attached)

Sorting And Indexing Historical Documents Procedures

Definition: facilitate the retrieval and use in historical research of the files and documents collected by the National Library and Archives.

Purpose:

• 1.To assess documents collected by the National Library and Archives with historical value.
• 2.To index files and documents to highlight their content to researchers.
• 3.To apply international standards in archives description.
• 4.To prepare research tools. (manual and electronic)

Procedure steps:

• 1.Identifying materials willing to be permanently preserved according to historical archive standards.
• 2.Preparing lists of files to be permanently preserved.
• 3.Preparing lists of files to be destroyed.
• 4.Indexing files to be preserved according to the approved standards.
• 5.Reviewing the indexing outputs.
• 6.Designing the catalogues and databases.
• 7.Managing the storage of historical archives.