TITLE:
Securing Archives and Records through the National Archives and Records Management System (NARMS): A Case of Botswana National Archives and Records Services (BNARS)
AUTHORS:
Nna Motlhasedi
KEYWORDS:
Archives and Records Management, Records Management, Security, Digitization, National Archives and Records Management System (NARMS) at Botswana National Archives and Records Services (BNARS)
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.13 No.4,
April
24,
2026
ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to investigate the security of archives and records managed through the National Archives and Records Management System (NARMS) at Botswana National Archives and Records Services (BNARS). The study is a qualitative case study, where for sampling and the selection process of study respondents, the study adopted and used a purposive sampling method. Data collection was conducted through the use of observations, interviews and document analysis. While for data analysis, the study used a thematic analysis strategy. The study specifically sought to explore the different security measures of archives and records used through NARMS, and evaluate the effectiveness of the security measures for archives and records. The study’s major finding is that the security of archives and records managed through NARMS is effectively executed by the authentication process and it is accompanied and enhanced by metadata management. However, the study further discovered that despite these strides, there is a failure to enhance archives and records security in the system because of a lack of access to the system’s audit-trail logbook by archivists, nor can they monitor or examine it as archivists, despite their roles as systems administrators. As a result, user behaviour is not monitored, making it challenging to identify, look into, and ultimately demonstrate data or information violations and/or abuses. Based on these findings, the study recommends therefore that, BNARS consider giving records managers, archivists, or designated records managers and archivists who are systems administrators access to audit trail logbooks. Also, the study recommends that BNARS consider introducing the use of an encryption as a security protocol measure as a means of further ensuring optimum security of archives and records, as recommended by legislation. Being a case study, it has contextual and unique limitations and cannot be generalised to other organizational contexts. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on the security of NARMS in archives and records management, specifically in the context of Botswana’s archives and records management’s governing body.