(a) This subpart establishes processes and requirements to ensure that agencies:

(1) Identify the records the agency will digitize in each project;

(2) Account for all records covered by the project, regardless of media type;

(3) Implement quality management techniques to verify equipment performance and monitor processes to detect and correct errors;

(4) Produce complete and accurate digitized records that the agency can use for all the same purposes as the source records; and

(5) Validate that the resulting digitized records meet the standards in this subpart.

(b) This subpart covers the standards and procedures agencies must apply when digitizing permanent paper records using reflective digitization techniques. Such records include most paper-based documents, regardless of size, such as modern textual documents, maps, posters, manuscripts, graphic arts prints (for example, lithographs or intaglio), drawings, bound volumes, and photographic prints. This subpart also covers any records that may be incorporated into mixed-media records.

(c) This subpart does not cover standards and procedures agencies must apply when digitizing permanent records using transmissive digitization techniques. Such records include photographic negatives, transparencies, aerial film, roll film, and micrographic and radiographic materials. In addition, this subpart does not cover digitizing records on dynamic media. Such records include motion picture film, video, and audio tapes.

(d) For guidance on digitizing out-of-scope media types or non-paper-based portions of mixed-media records, such as dynamic media, radiographic, negative or positive film, or other special media types, please contact the Records Management Policy and Standards Team by email at [email protected] or by phone at 301-837-1948.

(e) This subpart does not require that optical character recognition (OCR) be performed during digitization. However, these regulations do not prevent agencies from performing OCR to meet their business needs.

(f) This subpart does not address other applicable laws and regulations governing documents and digital files, including, but not limited to, proper handling of classified or controlled unclassified information (CUI) and compliance with 36 CFR part 1194 (section 508). Agencies should work with their legal counsel and other officials to ensure compliance with these and other applicable requirements.

(g) This subpart also does not address other business needs or legal constraints that may make it necessary for an agency to retain source records for a period of time after digitizing. Agencies should work with their legal counsel and other officials to determine whether such retention might be necessary because it relates to rights and interests, appeal rights, benefits, national security, litigation holds, or other similar reasons.