ARMA and the 2015 Legislative Session

This year (and probably next) I took off from work for the day to promote my local ARMA chapter. We set up a booth during the 2015 Legislative Session. The chapter is slowly growing and that’s good to see. We had a recent change in leadership, so we will see how that goes. I was nominated for President and Secretary, but decided I couldn’t swing that right now. At present, I’m the Director of Outreach.

I did a lot of networking (both personal and professional) during the session this year. I got to see my friend Linda who was working for Senator Michael Sanchez of Belen at the time. I visited with an old friend, Representative Jim Trujillo of Santa Fe (and Pojoaque~ my home town). We talked about when he coached baseball back in the day for “the twins” (my brother and sister). I even got to chat with Diane Kinderwater that day. She is the Director of Communications for the State Senate. I knew her from years ago when we both worked for a former gov.

The best person I networked with and who I am still in contact with was Dr. Meredith Machen. She is the current President of the League of Women Voters, founder of the Literacy Volunteers of Santa Fe and former Vice President of the Santa Fe Community College. She invites me to all sorts of events for writers now. I am so glad I met her. She is well connected in the world of writers (including poets). We know many of the same people, but had never met.

Since I was a young girl, I have loved people. Networking is a necessary part of personal and professional development. Even if people tried, they couldn’t take the networker out if me! It comes natural to me and I love that. My sister always teases me because I know people everywhere we go. She always says “you should run for governor lol.” Maybe I should.

An Author Inspired by the “Keeper of the Records”

••∆ Susan McDuffie and Felicia Lujan in Albuquerque, New Mexico ∆••

I just adore Susan McDuffie. This New Mexico lady is an award winning mystery author who has been inspired to write by a connection to her ancestral lands and her family’s role as “Keeper of the Records.” Given my professional history, you know I have to love that right? How can I not adore a women who has an obvious admiration for record keepers and history?

Susan and I met up at a crime writing extravaganza a few weeks back. In 2011, she won the New Mexico Book Award for “Best Historical Novel.” In 2014, she was a finalist in both the Historical Fiction and Mystery categories. I do love me some creative women! What’s kinda funny is that over the last decade, a good handful of people from out-of-state have asked me if I’m Scottish because of my accent. Interesting… I know.

From Susan’s Medieval Mysteries web site…

Susan’s childhood interest in Scotland was fueled by family stories of the McDuffie clan’s ancestral lands on Colonsay and their traditional role as “Keeper of the Records” for the Lords of the Isles. Although Keeper of the Records may in fact have been a tedious position, it all sounded incredibly mysterious and intriguing to Susan. On her first visit to Scotland she hitchhiked her way through the Hebrides. Her initial visit to Colonsay and the Oronsay Priory ruins planted the seeds for her medieval mysteries.

A Visit to Tierra Amarilla

These are photographs from a recent work trip to Tierra Amarilla in Rio Arriba County. It is about a two hour drive from Santa Fe. Four of us went out there last week on a site visit. I was really impressed with their Records Management Program. It was so touching to see the hard work that has been done.

That county is currently building an archive to preserve history. The county had a handle on security of their records and they were using biometric technology. I enjoyed some yummy udon noodle soup for lunch at a cute little coffee shop there. It was a good, informative trip.

Thank God for Good Work Ethic

••Meme by Felicia

I can’t feel anything but sorry for people who insist on reinforcing professional silos. “I can’t help you with this because that is your job!” I’m always shocked when I hear that some people still think that way since we work toward the same goal?! That’s one sentence I have never muttered. True professionals work together for the greater good behind the mission of an agency. We are all under one roof and that is how it should be.

It is the night before my interview. If there are three things that I can thank God for giving me they are: my excellent work ethic; a genuine loyalty to my agency and sister divisions; and my willingness to help other professionals without thinking twice. I believe those are things that my boss has recognized in me after so many years. I believe these things set me apart from others.

I work for the public. I work for other agencies and local government. I admire and respect the role my agency plays in the grand scheme of things. Technically, I work for every person, every bureau, and every division of my agency. That’s because I actually believe we are a team!!

Diplomatics and Its Use in Archives Today

Great read!
~~~F

saa@cua

Guest blog by Rachel James

According to the Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology, diplomatics is “the study of the creation, form, and transmission of records, and their relationship to the facts represented in them and to their creator, in order to identify, evaluate, and communicate their nature and authenticity.”[i] Diplomatics as a study enables archivists to confirm authenticity of archival records, and in turn helps the records to be viewed as reliable sources for users. Luciana Duranti points as that some of the characteristics that are studied include “…the presence of different hands or types of writing in the same document, the correspondence between paragraphs and conceptual sections of the text, type of punctuation, abbreviations, initialisms, ink, erasures, corrections, etc.[ii]

Figure 1. Dom Jean Mabillon (Archives de France)

Dom Jean Mabillon, a French Benedictine monk, wrote De re diplomatica, consequently creating the study of diplomatics…

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Consolidation of legacy in the DO industry. Cintas exits Document Management

Interesting…
~~~F

Rolling Up Your Records Management Sleeves!

Amazing post Rafael! Loved it! So true. Great to see the perspective of a CRM/IG Professional who is well-rounded. I am not afraid to roll up my sleeves and to sweat. I am a bureau chief and I still move boxes. I’m a hard worker and it’s great to read the story of another like me! I added your site to my follows. I am a CDIM who qualified to sit for the CRM recently. Sadly…I failed my first test with almost two decades of experience in records and archives. At the ARMA Live Conference in San Diego last week, I attended the ICRM Business Meeting and Reception. I was glad I went. I met so many smart people who have failed tests. It made me feel better. If you have a chance, check out “San Diego” in my category cloud. This was a great read!! Smart, tough people rock!!! Roll those sleeves up!! 🙂
~~~F

The Bastards Blog

We all know that labor intense records management projects, those in which repetitive, mundane grunt work is required, are avoided like the plague by employees and management alike.

Even when a project does happen to spark interest and garner support, once it moves past the planning stages it can begin to feel like nobody on the team wants to be bothered with the actual logistics. Suddenly everybody is a “thought leader” and “focused on strategy” and that’s okay… but maybe that’s also where some of our productivity issues originate. 

 

Nonetheless, what can emerge from these situations, albeit rarely, are new leaders, because these are also opportunities for individuals willing to actually roll up their sleeves. These are people who drive initiatives and projects forward because they’re more interested in getting the job done and learning something than getting (or taking) the credit.

It’s amazing what you can accomplish with…

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A New Archival Storage Medium

ARMA Live Conference
San Diego Convention Center

Best piece of information I received today was in a records management/digital preservation session this afternoon. It was new information to me. The storage medium is said to endure the toughest conditions, lasting hundreds and hundreds of years. It has been tested. Do you know what this is??

ICRM Business Meeting and Reception: ARMA Live 2014

Institute of Certified Records Managers- Annual Business Meeting and Reception at the Hilton Bayfront in San Diego, CA

The first woman I met before the ICRM business was a blonde, beautiful Asian woman named Angeline Tan. She is a private consultant and CRM. Tan had a wonderful personality and is also a CH-SPRM (Certificate Holder- SharePoint Records Manager). She is a personable force holding a CRM since 1994. I had a great visit with she and Tony Leino, a CRM with IBM. Tan recommended that I check out the records management writings of Dr. Mark Langemo. She said he is awesome!

When the business meeting started, the board discussed the 2014 benchmarks, which included a plan for celebrating the 40th Anniversary of ICRM. 40 years? Wow! I discovered that as of October 2014, the institute added 44 new CRMs. There are 978 active CRMs, 178 retired CRMs, 998 active CRM candidates, and there were 143 approved CRM candidates in 2014 (hey!! There I am). I was under the impression that the CRM is being killed off by the IG certification, but low and behold…it is alive and well and rare and hard to pass. It made me feel good to meet so many smart people who had failed some tests. It turns out ICRM has revamped the exams due to “hate mail” from failures. Really?

I learned that the average salary minimum in the Southwest for a CRM is 88,000+ per year!!! Money isn’t everything, but learning that there are under 1,000 CRMs out there, means it is hard to earn and rare to have. I want it!!! Looks like they are changing exams from a 60/40 to a 50/50. There is now a 65% pass rate, so people do fail. Questions have been rewritten through part 5 and the question writers were introduced tonight. I was like agggghhhh “part 1” lady. What was that!?! Hahaaa… Turns out many people fail part 1 and 5. Go figure. I think every person I talked to said they had failed exams before they passed. I’m so glad to learn that. People way smarter than I failed.

~Selfie at the Sweet Bar~

~Custom Salad Bar~

After the meeting, there was a beautiful reception. I had so much fun, met so many smart people, and had great conversation. I love people who love networking and learning. I paid $30 out of my own pocket to attend the reception on the terrace, but I am so glad I did. I kept it clean eating a light salad even though there was food everywhere and a seriously awesome cake and chocolate covered strawberry pop bar. I did have a good margarita though. Just one because I’m working out super early tomorrow. It’s back day.

For the reception, I spent most of the time carrying a conversation with three people. Tom Corey, a new CRM is also an attorney with Huron Consulting Group. He lives in North Carolina and is a super smart man who failed exams. Dr. Eugenia K. Brumm, CRM, FAI (Fellow of Arma International) and former professor was an awesome woman to meet. She made the cover of Information Week Magazine in 1988 with her article “The Truth About CIOs.” Her dissertation is on this as well. She is from Billerica, MA. I aspire to be like her. She is a very accomplished, and knowledgeable woman. Carol R. Jordan, a CRM in the Office of Finance with Federal Home Loan Banks in Reston, VA was also a knowledge powerhouse. I had a great time chatting with these three. It was a good night.

Visiting the R.I.M. Gym

I have been barraged with postcards and flyers and emails from vendors in the last couple of weeks. The vendors are gearing up with promotional material for the conference in San Diego. Out of about a bazillion cards…20 trees later, one actually got my attention. I will visit the “R.I.M. Gym” (booth 1331) “for a quick workout.” It takes a lot to get my attention, but I’d say Kaizen InfoSource pulled it off. Kaizen gets an A+ for a fresh guerrilla marketing weapon. Are the services they offer any good? That’s to be determined, but after poking around some tonight, the business seems to be a trusted resource by ARMA San Diego. The business has been involved in some digital initiatives there.

Professional Networking in San Diego

I received this email today
and I am looking forward to
networking with like-minded
professionals in San Diego in
October for the ARMA Live
Conference. I think that
networking is so important
to any profession. The more
people you know, the better!
I plan on making good,
professional connections
there and I will buy tickets
to this when I get to the
registration table! I gotta
enjoy California because
next year I’m likely headed
nowhere.

To Be Remembered

When I die I want people to remember me. I don’t want any hoopla or expensive memorials. All I ask for are memories. I want to leave this Earth having made a real, genuine difference. I often ask myself… “how do you want to be remembered?” Maybe it’s my profession which drives me to care? Part of my career entails cherishing, loving and respecting the past and those who came before me. Maybe I am just prone to care? Maybe I have always cared…even when I was a little girl? So how do I want people to remember me?

~"Weight of My Heart" a digital composite by Felicia Lujan~

I want to be remembered first and foremost, as a woman with heart. As a person who tries to lift and help people she cares about~ personally or professionally, if they are good people. Maybe as a provider of wings and bright sparks from within my soul to those who deserve them? I want people to remember I was a good mother, but still devoted to my career and loyal to my agency mission. I want to make a real difference in my areas of expertise as well as the professional organizations and groups I choose to affiliate myself with. I want people to remember when I treated them good. I want people to remember my strength and dedication to the gym and to the things or people I care about.

~Felicia and Dee on 9.17.2014~

I know I am on the right path. In my personal life, I know who’s lives I have made a difference in because they tell me. People who really care about me and value me. They never do things to hurt me. I can count on them to be there for me. I have done things that I hope people will remember and appreciate. This morning I was busy. I met with several people on a personal and professional level. During one of such encounters, I met an old boss for lunch. She is an amazing woman who called me out of the blue at work after close to 20 years. It felt good to know that she remembered me after all that time. I was a work-study student in the Social Sciences Department back then. Today I remembered how that department valued me, but Dee valued me in deeper, meaningful ways.

In my professional life I want to be remembered as a woman who was devoted to her career and areas of expertise. I want to be remembered as a woman who pushed her limits with heart…exhibited real dedication…cared about getting things done…worked hard…and valued the knowledge of other professionals. I give my blood, sweat and tears to my agency and I want to. I truly value our mission. If I didn’t care about what I do, I would have left a long time ago for more money. Money doesn’t matter much to me. It is good to have, but in the end, will people remember me for that?

~Snapshot of a section of the Wordharvest newsletter sent out on 9.17.2014~

This morning, the Wordhavest newsletter came through to my inbox. This is one area of expertise where I am progressively making a difference. The newsletter mentioned me for the first time in three years, which made me feel good. After starting from literally a nothing and nobody with the Tony Hillerman Writers Conference, I have worked my way up. Last year I managed the book store, but this year, I am playing an active roll in my areas of expertise. I designed all the promotional material. I am designing advertisements and I am designing the program for the first time. I will also be the official conference photographer this year (also a first), which will be awesome!

~Educational webinar shown at the ARMA meeting on 9.17.2014~

In my very busy morning, I attended the ARMA meeting of my local chapter. I plan to help Cliff breathe new life into that chapter. Another new member and I will be submitting an application to host a legislative exhibit for the chapter in January 2015 (a first for this chapter). She works for CYFD and genuinely cares like I do. She and I agreed that we would bring our professional A game to that exhibit, dressing profesh ta death with intellectual smiles and heels. I plan on recruiting at least a few good catches that day. I will design an exhibit and I was approved for the release of funds for professional printing through EXHIB-IT. This is a new venue for me to make a difference. On the way home, I rethought the Director of Outreach position in my local chapter. I emailed Cliff after work and decided to fill that spot. All of this on my own time of course. I even took annual leave to attend the meeting.

~"Heart of Bolts" a digital composite by Felicia Lujan~

I know I am on the right path. I know who will cherish my memory and what I do and have done personally and professionally. I can’t make everyone care to remember me. Those who really know me…those who truly value me…they will be the ones. When I die I want people to remember me. I don’t want any hoopla or expensive memorials. All I ask for are memories of heart, devotion, dedication and strength. They can forget my weakness.

The IGI Tackles Information Governance for All

Interesting read. Looking into the IGP certification. Yesterday I attended a strategic planning meeting where I heard that the IGP certification is now replacing the CRM. Something to think about I guess!?
~~F

Word of Pie

The Information Governance Initiative (IGI) released their 2014 Annual Report this week. I was actually sent a preview copy, but I was at the beach and it took me a while to get to reading the entire report. I could have readily written a simple write-up based upon the great executive summary, but I wanted to dig deeper.

I am glad that I did. It is easy to argue with the conclusions but without reading the facts behind them, it is wasted effort. That is one thing that I really like about the report, there was real thought into what the results of their surveys and conversations meant. That is something that you don’t see in many of these reports.

Defining Information Governance

The IGI offers a definition for Information Governance. It is fine for a working definition. No definition is perfect but I don’t see the point in quibbling…

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Failure: Misadventures of a Hopeful CRM through the Eyes of Deadpool

Nothing can make you feel smaller than failure. Failure can make you feel so small that you forget about those things that make you big. Our success somehow gets lost in the hopelessness. We all fail. It’s part of life. Even though we are all alike in that sense, our individual failures can make us feel alone…left to absorb the pains in solitude. Though it is heart wrenching, without failure we couldn’t appreciate success.

“Failure is the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and may be viewed as the opposite of success.” I guess if becoming a CRM was easy, everyone I know would be one. Like Steve Austin recently said on an episode of Broken Skull Ranch… “you didn’t think this was gonna be easy did ya?” I didn’t think it would be easy, but I felt some confidence after studying really hard. I failed my first exam…but I tried.

There is no excuse for failure. I will own that. I will say that I read every book. I studied every night and took a ton of notes. I have over 15 years of experience and determination. I still failed! It was upsetting. It seemed like the test didn’t cover much of what I read and in all fairness, the educational focus isn’t really what I expected. Ratios, percentages, formulas, budget and management theory likely got me. I haven’t had the heart to really look at the results. 

I went from being sad, to being mad, to feeling sorry for myself and now I’m trying to reclaim the negative energy for positive use. Maybe I’m not as smart as I thought? Maybe I’m just good at lifting things up and putting them down? Maybe the main reason I went into this was the wrong reason? Maybe I should become a professional poet and live off the grid in an Earth friendly home? I did get 45 likes and counting, 3 reblogs and 2 comments on my free verse poem The Dark Horse. I wrote it last night on a creative study break. 

Nothing can make me feel smaller than failure. Failing makes me feel so worthless that I forget about my worth. I somehow felt lost in the hopelessness until my son saw me with tears in my eyes and said… “don’t worry about it. You’re a great mom.” Yes!! I am! Thank you son. We all fail. It is a hard part of life. Though we collectively experience failure, when we are faced with personal or professional failure, it is important to remember how we are successful.

Knowledge and Migraines

Loved these two pages from the project management book I’m reading now. This graphic depiction of knowledge transfer is awesome. I thought the Chapter 2 title was straight comedy…from best practices to migraine headaches or neahhhh?