Malaysian archival heritage at risk? A survey of archivists' knowledge and skills in managing electronic records

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a study carried out pertaining to the Malaysian archivists' knowledge and skills in managing electronic records (ER). Design/methodology/approach - The main data collection has been gathered through survey questionnaires. Quantitative data were gathered from a total of 41 archivists at the National Archives of Malaysia. Findings - The insufficiency of education and training received by the archivists contributed to the archivists' limited knowledge and skills to support their roles and responsibilities to manage ER. The archivists' limited knowledge and skills on ER management (ERM) prevented them from implementing the policies and standard procedures on ERM which was part of their main responsibilities. Practical implications - This study would be useful in identifying the required knowledge and skills for the archivists and suitable education and training for them to acquire such knowledge and skills to manage ER. Originality/value - This is the first study of its kind which deals with the archivists' competencies in managing ER in the Malaysian Government.