VPRS 14881 Microfilm Project Report

The Public Service Board Management Services Division prepared this report for Forests Commission Victoria.The purpose of the report was to outline proposals of the Public Service Board's Management Services Division regarding the microfilming of a large volume of the Forest Commission's records before the Commission moved from Treasury Place to new offices at 601 Bourke Street, Melbourne, in late 1977.The report stated that senior officers of the Forests Commission, working in close consultation with members of the Management Services Division, had identified which records ought to be microfilmed, which records should be destroyed without being microfilmed, and which records should be retained in their original form. The report concerned itself only with those records that were to be microfilmed.The main function of the project was to be the reduction of storage space.The report noted that the Forests Commission intended to dispose of records after they had been microfilmed. As a general rule, microfilming would be done on site at the Forest Commission's offices.Among the records to be microfilmed were District Fire Report Files and Log Allocation Files. The relatively small number of coloured maps attached to those files were not to be filmed however due to the fact that much of the detail would be lost.The leave records of former exempt employees were microfilmed. A large amount of computer print out was microfilmed.The report noted that reference to the District Fire Report Files was regarded as time consuming, particularly when that information had to be both accessed and retrieved. When that information was retrieved its distribution to one or more district offices in hard copy had proved to be difficult and expensive. This made a case for microfilming the files. Microfilm jackets were the recommended format for those files as they would enable convenient file grouping for retrieval purposes, and possible future distribution of jacket duplicates to district offices.Individual Log Allocation Files numbered approximately 250 at the time and were generally spread over several file parts. It was intended to film each file up to but excluding the most current file part. Once the current file part became too bulky it also would be filmed. Microfilm jackets was the recommended format for these files.In order to maximise the integrity of microfilm files it was considered that jacket master files should be duplicated onto diazo film which could be used for day to day reference.The report noted that as the department intended to dispose of paper files after conversion to microfilm, microfilm retention periods needed to be considered. Log Allocation Files were required to be kept permanently and consequently the microfilm jacket masters of those files had to be transferred to the Public Record Office, Laverton where a controlled environment had been established to provide archival storage for microfilm. (VPRS 3225 Log Allocation Files, c1935-c1975 refers).It was noted that District Fire Reports had a retention period of 50 years and therefore there was no need for special storage facilities and so the jacket files could be stored at a head office location. However, it was considered that the integrity of the jacket files would be at risk when stored so close to the duplicate working file and therefore they should be stored at Public Record Office, Laverton. There is reference to these records among Public Record Office Victoria holdings.The report stated that the only categories of documents requiring ongoing filming after the back-log filming project had been completed were the Exempt Employee Leave Records, District Fire Report Files and Log Allocation Files. District Fire Report Files were to be microfilmed six months after the end of each financial year. Log Allocation Files were to be microfilmed after a paper file accumulated approximately 200 pages.The Management Services Division considered the purchase of special storage equipment unwarranted for the following reasons. Microfilm records relating to the various categories of documents would be stored in separate braches within the Forests Commission. Furthermore, their investigations indicated that, in a majority of cases, there was extremely low reference to each category of document. It was therefore recommended that existing storage facilities within the Forests Commission, and in particular filing cabinets, be adapted to store microfilm.