Assessing storage and retrieval of archives at Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess storage and retrieval of archives at Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL). The study objectives were to; assess the current status of storage and retrieval of archives at UETCL, assess the management of storage and of archives, identify the challenges associated with the storage and retrieval of archives and to propose strategies to improve the storage and retrieval of archives at UETCL.

The study was qualitative and engaged a sample size of 09 respondents which included archives management staff selected purposively. Data was collected through Interview, observation and document analysis methods.

The study found out that: UETCL manages majorly administrative, legal, and historical archives amongst other archives like fiscal archives. The institution embraces storage mechanisms such as the box filing type of system and vertical file cabinets as storage and retrieval mechanisms compared to other mechanisms. The hindrances to proper storage and retrieval were the reported improper storage and maintenance, Lack of enough equipment for storage and retrieval of archives, inadequacy of archives management staff whereas the least of these was the slow-paced retrieval of archives due to unreliable internet connectivity in archives department withholding other challenges. The reported Proposed solutions to the challenges were the adoption of electronic means of archives and archives management, boosting archives and archives management staff in the archival units and reserving sufficient funds to purchase storage and retrieval equipment.

The study concluded that: UETCL manages administrative, fiscal, legal, historic, and electronic archives under its archival unit. The institution uses more of the physical or manual archives management strategies than it does with the electronic strategies. The hindrances to proper archives storage and retrieval relate to the physical nature of the current management system and the financial limitations to maintain archives. The recommended solutions propose more on the adoption of electronic means to manage archives at UETCL as a way of solving the challenges.

The study recommended that: Electronic mechanisms of archives management should be adopted and staffs educated how to operate with them. This solves the overwhelming challenges posed by the manual system as they streamline the archives management processes at UETCL.