VERMONT STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES

The Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA) and the Department of Information and Innovation (DII) are charged with establishing best practice guidelines and standards for managing government records and information. They have established iSTART as a means for providing consistent advice and collaborating on records and information projects. In addition to VSARA, DII, and iSTART, individual agencies or departments may also have standards or best practices guidelines specific to their records or information.

RECORDS MANAGEMENT

• Records Management Best Practice. Issued by the Vermont Secretary of Administration and Vermont Secretary of State in 2008.
• Archives and Records Management Handbook. General guidance issued by the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration.
• Managing Gubernatorial Records: A Guide for Governors. Issued by the National Governor's Association's Office of Management Consulting & Training in 2006. (Adopted in October 2006 by the Vermont Office of the Secretary of State and the Vermont State Archives as Vermont's best practice guidelines for managing governor records. Vermont State Archivist Gregory Sanford contributed to this publication.)

ELECTRONIC MAIL (E-MAIL)

• Electronic Messages Best Practice. Issued by the Vermont Department of Information and Innovation and the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration in 2009.
• State Policy on Electronic Communications and the Internet. Issued by the Department of Human Resources and approved by the Secretary of Administration in 2007.

ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES

• Electronic Signatures Best Practice. Issued by the Vermont Department of Information and Innovation and the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration in 2010.

INDEXING/METADATA/CLASSIFICATION

• Recordkeeping Metadata Guideline for All Public Agencies. Issued by the Information Strategies: Taskforce on Archives, Records, and Technology (iSTART) in 2008.
• Vermont Functional Classification System (VCLAS) Developed and maintained by the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration.
• Best Practice Standards for Indexing Land Record Instruments. Issued by the Vermont Office of the Secretary of State and the Vermont Municipal Clerks and Treasurers Association, 2002.

FILE FORMATS

• File Formats Best Practice for All Public Agencies. Issued by the Vermont State Archives and Department of Information and Innovation and approved by the Secretary of Administration and Secretary of State in 2007.
• File Formats Guideline. Issued by the Information Strategies: Taskforce on Archives, Records, and Technology (iSTART) in 2007.

IMAGING/MICROFILM

• Imaging Guideline for All Public Agencies. Issued by the Information Strategies: Taskforce on Archives, Records, and Technology (iSTART) in 2008.

INFORMATION PRIVACY AND SECURITY COMPLIANCE

• Information Security Best Practice for All Public Agencies. Issued by the Vermont Department of Information and Innovation and the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration in 2009.
• HIPAA Physical Safeguards Measurement Tool Issued by the Vermont Agency of Human Services.
• HIPAA Security Priority Checklist Issued by the Vermont Agency of Human Services.
• HIPAA Privacy Priority Checklist Issued by the Vermont Agency of Human Services.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS

• Trustworthy Information Systems Handbook. Issued by the State Archives Department, Minnesota Historical Society in 2002.(Adopted in 2003 by the Vermont Office of the Secretary of State and the Vermont State Archives as Vermont's best practice guidelines for information systems.)

WORLD WIDE WEB

• Web Accessibility Standard. Issued by the State Technology Collaborative and approved by the Secretary of Administration in 2006. (Also review the Web Accessibility Policy)
• Web Look and Feel Standard. Issued by the State Technology Collaborative and approved by the Secretary of Administration in 2006. (Also review the Web Look and Feel Policy)
• Web Domain Name Standard. Issued by the State Technology Collaborative and approved by the Secretary of Administration in 2006. (Also review the Web Domain Name Policy)

SOMETHING MISSING? Please contact Tanya Marshall at to add a link to your agency or department's best practice guidelines or standards.