DLM Forum
Encyclopedia
The DLM Forum is a European membership community of Public Archives and parties interested in archive
s, records
and information management
throughout the European Union
. Membership is open to all.
. It is based on the conclusions of the European Council
of 17 June 1994 concerning greater cooperation in the field of archives.
(Spain
) a resolution was passed changing this, so DLM now stands for 'Document Lifecycle Management'.
The constitution also defines (in paragraph 4) other objectives:
'(a) To provide for information services (on-line information portal, list-serv, publications, discussions forum, news, dynamic document archive);
(b) To provide for technology & knowledge transfer (technology watch, standards, legislation and policy monitoring, consultancy, connecting technology providers with users, partnership development);
(c) To provide for education & skills development (conferences, seminars and exhibitions, workshops and training sessions, managed learning environments);
(d) To provide for research (user needs analysis, economic modeling, ontology development, knowledge engineering, classification, information retrieval).'
The first MoReq requirements document, formally titled MoReq
but today widley known (unofficially) as MoReq1, was published in 2001. MoReq rapidly gained acceptance across Europe and beyond. It has been translated into at least twelve languages, some of which are from outside the European Union. The enhanced successor document MoReq2
was published in 2008. Both documents have achieved the status of de facto standards, without the backing of any formal standards body. MoReq2 was enhanced by a test framework, a records management software certification programme, and an XML
schema. In March 2010, the DLM Forum announced it had signed a contract with Journal IT for a major update to MoReq, to result in a version that will be called MoReq2010.
Other publications of the DLM Forum include 'Guidelines on best practices for using electronic information', seven DLM Whitepapers and Proceedings of the DLM-Forum Conferences.
Until 2010, the legal entity of the DLM Forum was the DLM Network EEIG
. In early 2010, the DLM Forum formed the DLM Forum Foundation, a limited company registered in England and Wales, to replace the EEIG as its legal entity.
The DLM Forum is governed by its Executive Committee, which consists of 7 to 9 elected members. The current chair of the DLM Forum Executive Committee is Toivo Jullinen, National Archives of Estonia
. The DLM Forum established in 2008 a MoReq Governance Board for the maintenance and control of the MoReq2 standard and certification process.
The DLM Forum usually holds member meetings twice a year; generally these meetings are held in the country then holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union
. It also organises a major conference every three years; these conferences generally attract about 300 to 400 delegates from Europe
and elsewhere. Recent conferences have been held in Barcelona
(Spain
), 2002, Budapest
(Hungary
), 2005, and Toulouse
(France
), 2008.
Numerous papers such as the constitution, presentations from conferences and member meetings, tranlsations and products are published on the DLM Forum website.
Archive
An archive is a collection of historical records, or the physical place they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of an organization...
s, records
Records management
Records management, or RM, is the practice of maintaining the records of an organization from the time they are created up to their eventual disposal...
and information management
Information management
Information management is the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences. This sometimes involves those who have a stake in, or a right to that information...
throughout the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. Membership is open to all.
History
The DLM Forum was established in 1994 by the European CommissionEuropean Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
. It is based on the conclusions of the European Council
European Council
The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy...
of 17 June 1994 concerning greater cooperation in the field of archives.
Meaning of the DLM acronym
Originally DLM was an acronym for 'Données Lisibles par Machine'. At its 2002 conference in BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) a resolution was passed changing this, so DLM now stands for 'Document Lifecycle Management'.
Objectives
According to its constitution (paragraph 3c), one of the DLM Forum's goals is: 'to provide technology and knowledge transfer and information services, appropriate practice guidelines, benchmark indicators and information, educational, skills development and research opportunities.'The constitution also defines (in paragraph 4) other objectives:
'(a) To provide for information services (on-line information portal, list-serv, publications, discussions forum, news, dynamic document archive);
(b) To provide for technology & knowledge transfer (technology watch, standards, legislation and policy monitoring, consultancy, connecting technology providers with users, partnership development);
(c) To provide for education & skills development (conferences, seminars and exhibitions, workshops and training sessions, managed learning environments);
(d) To provide for research (user needs analysis, economic modeling, ontology development, knowledge engineering, classification, information retrieval).'
Achievements
The most visible achievement of the DLM Forum is the creation of a series of European records management standards, collectively known as "MoReq". The abbreviation 'MoReq' is a contraction of 'Model Requirements for the management of electronic records'.The first MoReq requirements document, formally titled MoReq
MoReq2
MoReq2 is short for “Model Requirements for the Management of Electronic Records”, second version. It consists of a formal requirements specification for a generic electronic records management system, accompanied by testing documentation and related information...
but today widley known (unofficially) as MoReq1, was published in 2001. MoReq rapidly gained acceptance across Europe and beyond. It has been translated into at least twelve languages, some of which are from outside the European Union. The enhanced successor document MoReq2
MoReq2
MoReq2 is short for “Model Requirements for the Management of Electronic Records”, second version. It consists of a formal requirements specification for a generic electronic records management system, accompanied by testing documentation and related information...
was published in 2008. Both documents have achieved the status of de facto standards, without the backing of any formal standards body. MoReq2 was enhanced by a test framework, a records management software certification programme, and an XML
XML
Extensible Markup Language is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards....
schema. In March 2010, the DLM Forum announced it had signed a contract with Journal IT for a major update to MoReq, to result in a version that will be called MoReq2010.
Other publications of the DLM Forum include 'Guidelines on best practices for using electronic information', seven DLM Whitepapers and Proceedings of the DLM-Forum Conferences.
Operation of the DLM Forum
Any person or organisation can apply to join the DLM Forum; membership is subject to payment of an annual fee. In 2008 there about 60 members, including national archives, consultancies, academic institutions, records management software vendors and end-user organisations.Until 2010, the legal entity of the DLM Forum was the DLM Network EEIG
European economic interest grouping
A European Economic Interest Grouping is a type of legal entity created on 1985-07-25 under European Community Council Regulation 2137/85...
. In early 2010, the DLM Forum formed the DLM Forum Foundation, a limited company registered in England and Wales, to replace the EEIG as its legal entity.
The DLM Forum is governed by its Executive Committee, which consists of 7 to 9 elected members. The current chair of the DLM Forum Executive Committee is Toivo Jullinen, National Archives of Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. The DLM Forum established in 2008 a MoReq Governance Board for the maintenance and control of the MoReq2 standard and certification process.
The DLM Forum usually holds member meetings twice a year; generally these meetings are held in the country then holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Presidency of the Council of the European Union
The Presidency of the Council of the European Union is the responsibility for the functioning of the Council of the European Union that rotates between the member states of the European Union every six months. The presidency is not a single president but rather the task is undertaken by a national...
. It also organises a major conference every three years; these conferences generally attract about 300 to 400 delegates from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and elsewhere. Recent conferences have been held in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
), 2002, Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
(Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
), 2005, and Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
(France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
), 2008.
Numerous papers such as the constitution, presentations from conferences and member meetings, tranlsations and products are published on the DLM Forum website.