Toward the Future: The Impact Issues.

• Author: BENEDON, WILLIAM

In the October 1998 issue of this journal, J. Michael Pemberton, the newly appointed executive editor, highlighted a series of quality-directed initiatives designed to "attain the high level of excellence we and our readers expect and to respond to the strategic direction of the profession." One of those initiatives for the Journal is special, or "theme," issues using guest editors. I am extremely honored to have been asked to serve as the first of these editors.

This responsibility offered two challenges: the selection of a theme and, even more importantly, the selection of qualified authors. With the millennium on our very doorstep, I found it appropriate to address the impact of some key areas of information and records management on our professional future. This theme suggested many possibilities because there are many future-focused issues of concern to information and records managers. From a vast array of possible subjects, I selected these: Technology, Law, International Directions, Professionalism, and Preparing New Information an d Records Managers.

To meet the second challenge, I selected authors who have been actively involved in and have contributed significantly to the understanding and application of these areas. Each is well known both nationally and internationally, for his published writings and conference presentations. Each also has made a solid contribution to this issue of the Journal.

Technology

Technology is certainly the driving force behind many of the advances in information creation, distribution, use, and maintenance. ARMA International has been a principal leader in making technologies both understandable and useful to information professionals. This involvement has provided needed direction in the continuing transition from paper records to today's electronic records.

Alan Andolsen is well qualified to address this issue, having himself implemented many of the latest media applications. In "Digital Records and Information Management: The Emerging Technologies," he offers valuable insights into the technological changes taking place and their impact on our profession.

Law

Among all the information professions, records managers have been -- and always will be -- among the most concerned about the legal requirements for the retention of an organization's information. Fortunately, the countless hours of tedious searching for proper citations has been significantly reduced by the introduction of legal information...