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DOE Office |
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Date of last assessment: October 2001
The Information Management
functional area received an overall "Excellent” rating in the 2001 Annual
Appraisal Performance Report. Archives and Records Management is one facet of
Information Management, and individually received a rating of “Outstanding.”
This report is a narrative summary of the effort made towards achieving the performance measures established and agreed to with DOE/OAK for FY 2001-2002, and are part of the larger IM effort to address customer satisfaction, cost efficiency and contract compliance.
Department Overview
Laboratory Mission
The Stanford Linear Accelerator
Center (SLAC) is dedicated to experimental and theoretical research in
elementary particle physics and in those fields that make use of its synchrotron
radiation facilities, including biology, chemistry, geology, material science
and electrical engineering. This includes the development of new
techniques in 1) particle acceleration and detection and 2) synchrotron
radiation sources and associated instrumentation. The center is operated
as a national user facility for the Department of Energy by Stanford University.
Organizational Mission
The
Information Management functional area at SLAC supports the scientific mission
of the Laboratory by providing a full range of services to the organization and
all of its employees. We are responsible for Archives and Records Management
services to the SLAC community. The Archives area is staffed by a full-time
archivist and part-time assistant archivist; Records Management is a functional
area within an administrative support position within Business Services.
Identification of Self-Assessment Report Staff
Names, titles, affiliations of participants
Jean Deken, SLAC Archivist, Research Division
Karen Kruger, Records Manager, Business Services Division
Scope of Self-Assessment
Status of Open Items from 2001 Review
Specific performance measures cover two aspects of the Archives and History Office program. As in the past, The Archives and History Office and Records Management continue to keep each other informed of their respective activities, and often work in tandem to meet customer needs.
Discussion of Individual
Performance Objectives
Performance Objective/Measure
The Information Management area functions as a resource to improve the quality of its services, to add value to scientific programs and customer services, and as a tool to improve work processes. IM services will be made available rapidly and cost effectively and will be made available to the public, industrial partners and stakeholders as appropriate.
Assumptions: For
the purpose of this self-assessment, the IM functional area elements affected by
this performance objective/measure are Archives and Records Management. Because
many of our functions overlap, we believe it is most efficient and logical to
combine the two areas into one self-appraisal.
Process used to meet objective/measure: Goals in FY02 were to undertake part 1 of the Archives and History Office 2000 Program Review Committee recommended Collection Review (http://www.slac.stanford.edu/history/progrev/APRfinal00.html) and to document SLAC’s early web presence in anticipation of the 10th anniversary of the first U.S Web site (12/12/01). This self-assessment will present progress made during FY02 on these two objectives.
Findings:
Collection Review:
During the past year,
determination of identifiable holes in the documentation of SLAC’s history has
been completed, and methods to fill holes have been identified and ranked.
Current and incoming documentation has been reviewed for completeness and
coverage, and growth rates factoring in past growth patterns have been
calculated. Of the several methods identified for filling holes in existing
documentation, top priority has been assigned (in consultation with the SLAC
Archives and History Office Program Review Committee) to the task of processing
the existing backlog.
Documenting Early Web:
The SLAC Archives and History
Office has successfully identified and collected documentation of the first web
site (1991-1992) from SLAC staff involved in the development, mounting and
maintenance of the site. The collection has been arranged and described, and an
inventory has been prepared (SLAC Accession 00-072). In addition, an online
exhibit about the first U.S. web site has been developed (http://www.slac.stanford.edu/history/earlyweb/index.shtml)
and was mounted in time for the 10th anniversary of the SLAC web site 12/12/01.
The site received 32,000+ hits in December 2001.
Overall Performance
Customer satisfaction: Archives and History and Records
Management continue to work towards meeting the needs of our customers by
responding in a timely manner to address any record concerns. The processing of
the SLAC early web collection, as well as the mounting of an online exhibit on
the first web site, allowed us to increase our visibility, and to provide inside
and outside customers with desired information in a timely and convenient
manner.
Problem Analysis
Root-Cause Analysis
The major barriers remain lack of financial and manpower resources, as well as time. With budgets expected to be tightened, there is most likely no immediate relief in sight. However, we will continue to use the resources available to address records issues as they arise. It is hoped that by continuing to provide the RLs and the lab with information and resources on records issues, the RLs can become more knowledgeable about the schedules and their application, and then check with RM and AHO for concurrence.
Barrier(s) to Improvement
Outside of resource constraints, there are no major barriers.
Improvement Action
Plan/Goals
Goals for FY2003
For Questions or comments, Please contact Ziba Mahdavi, Last Updated 10/30/02