Digitization Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to assist the College in meeting the following objectives:

1.1 Fulfill the College’s legal obligations pertaining to digitization and destruction of source documents.

1.2 Favor the preservation of digital records over analogue.

1.3 Provide a framework for digitization projects.

1.4 Reduction of paper records for cost-effective storage (eliminate the need for physical space or off-site storage).

1.5 Provide better access to information.

1.6 Ensure the longevity of the College's records.

1.7 Ensure that digitized records are authentic, complete and accessible prior to the destruction of the physical copies.

2. Definitions

For the purpose of this policy, the following definitions apply:

Accessible: The digital reproduction must be available, searchable, and readable to all those with the right access.

Authentic: The digital reproduction must be the product of a documented and authorized process.

Complete: Accurate, legible reproduction of the original that contains all intellectual and physical components of the original without alterations to content.

Digitization: The process of converting any physical or analogue item, such as a paper record, photograph or graphic items, into an electronic representation or image that can be accessed and stored  electronically.

Document: Any recorded information that can be treated as a unit.

Records: Recorded information produced or received in the conduct or completion of an institution's activities that comprise content, context and structure enough to provide evidence of these activities. A record may comprise of one or more documents. 

3. Scope of application

3.1 This policy applies to all administrative units of the college undertaking a digitization project.

4. Policy statements

4.1 Vanier College (“the College”) is committed to sound document classification and management practices in compliance with legislative requirements.

4.2 The College recognizes that records may exist in digital and/or analogue formats and, in an effort to meet the objectives of this policy, aims to set out the overarching governance framework applicable to digitization projects.

5. Legislative context

5.1 The following legislation applies in order for a record to maintain legal and evidential value through digitization:

• Act to Establish a Legal Framework for Information Technology, CLRQ c 1-1
• Archives Act, CQLR c A-21.1

5.2 The following policies and reference documents are relevant for the purposes of this policy:

• Policy on Information Security
• Policy on Records Management
• Vanier College Retention Schedule and Classification Plan
• La numérisation des documents: méthodes et recommandations. BAnQ.

6. Roles and responsibilities

6.1 The Vanier College Board of Directors
The Vanier College Board of Directors shall be responsible for approving the policy and any subsequent revisions to it.

6.2 The Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs
The Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs shall be responsible for:

1. Arranging the Board’s approval of the policy and any subsequent revisions to it
2. Administering the overall application of the policy, including:
   1. In collaboration with and at the request of an Administrative Head, submitting modifications of the retention schedule to the BAnQ whenever the digitization project intends to result in the destruction of the original hardcopies;
   2. providing administrative heads with the digitization policy and guidelines prior to a digitization project;
   3. retaining digitization forms (see Appendix 1). 

6.3 I.T. Services
The Director of I.T. Services shall be responsible for:

1. Ensuring that digital records are secure and retrievable
2. Providing the heads of administrative units with the necessary resources, as may be available, for their digitization projects

6.4 Heads of Administrative Units
Heads of Administrative Units shall be responsible for:

1. Coordinating with the Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs to seek the prior approval of BAnQ to modifications of the retention schedule where the digitization project intends to result in the destruction of the original hardcopies
2. Approving the destruction of source documents only after confirming that quality control checks have been completed by personnel to ensure that digitized versions are authentic, complete and accessible
3. Providing personnel under their supervision with the necessary tools and training, as may be available, to understand and implement proper digitization techniques and quality control checks
4. Submitting the completed digitization form (see Appendix 1) to the Director of Corporate Affairs

6.5 Personnel
Personnel of all employment categories shall be responsible for:

1. Storing digital records in the designated areas of the College's network in accordance with the College’s Guidelines on Managing Electronic Information and Records in Shared Drives
2. Ensuring that digital records meet the minimum technical requirements and are saved in the appropriate format (see Appendix 2)
3. Performing quality control checks throughout the digitization project to ensure that digitized versions are authentic, complete and accessible
4. Preparing and scanning physical records into digitized versions
5. Complying with the College's classification plan and retention schedule, and policies and procedures relating to records classification and management and digitization

7. Authority

7.1 This policy is under the authority of the Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs.

8. Effective date

8.1 This policy becomes effective upon adoption by the Vanier College Board of Directors.

8.2 This policy version becomes effective upon approval by the Vanier College Board of Directors and supersedes all prior versions.

9. Resources

Vanier College Retention Schedule and Classification Plan.
Managing Electronic Information and Records in Shared Drives Procedure.

Appendix 1 – digitization form

View form in the official PDF.

Appendix 2 – quality control and technical requirements

Quality control of images includes checking scanned records to ensure that:

• small details are legible such as small-type size font and punctuations,
• all details are complete (i.e. no missing segments of lines),
• overall image is captured in authentic, complete and accessible,
• scanner generated speckle does not affect legibility or quality of image,
• digitized records are correctly named and stored in accordance with the College's classification plan and retention schedule.

Technical requirements include:

• A minimum resolution of 300 DPi.
• File format (PDF/A) is preferred for long term storage; however, standard PDF is sufficient if storage capacity is limited.