retention schedule (1): In the paper world it was enough simply to apply a period of time to a given group of records and then leave them in semi or dormant storage until the retention period was concluded after which the records could be destroyed. In this kind of environment where the only costs were those associated with the storage of the records, costs were relatively modest. [...] In the digital environment, it is not enough to store digital records on a media device and leave it in a media library until the expiry of the retention period. If the records are to remain accessible, understandable, and usable for as long as they are required - if they are to have integrity and be trusted - then active steps must be taken to ensure that these quality attributes are respected through time. (†426)
