By Terry Eastwood This book reports the findings of a research project
on the means of protecting the integrity of active and semi-active
electronic records. The project, which is commonly referred to as "the
UBC Project," was conceived by two of the authors of this book, Luciana
Duranti and Terry Eastwood, and conducted between 1994 and 1997. The
third author, Heather MacNeil, who worked formally as the principal
research assistant on the project, acted as an equal in the research and
in the writing of this book. The project investigated a number of
fundamental questions that have arisen over the past decade as a
consequence of the rapid development and use of computer technology for
the creation, maintenance, and preservation of recorded information. One
of the first comprehensive studies of the issues associated with the
management of electronic records was conducted by the United Nations.
The study, commonly known as the ACCIS report, aimed to "develop
guidelines for implementation of electronic archives and records
management programmes for use by United Nations organizations, taking
into account traditional archives and records management practices. "
The report of the study of electronic records in eighteen United Nations
organizations identified a number of enduring issues. It recognized that
the United Nations had to "distinguish between record and non-record
material. "l It recognized the problem of ensuring the authenticity of
records, which, rather narrowly, it construed as "assuring legality.
