non-print formats

Special Collections

RECORDS OF
FOSTER PARENTS PLAN INTERNATIONAL, INC.
1939-1994
VOLUME I

MSG #117

NON-PAPER FORMATS

There are two substantial quantities of non-paper records gathered together at the end of the collection. There are 863 reels of 16 mm microfilm (219 of which are duplicates) and 855 computer floppy disks.

Microfilm

Series XLVIII, the reels of microfilm are clearly labeled and their arrangement follows the sub-group arrangement of the paper records. Sub-group I, the Executive Department, contains 20 reels of film of "circular letters" (1967-1992) emanating from International Headquarters and 1 reel of minutes of meetings (1980-1986) of the International Board of Directors.

Sub-group II, Human Resources Department, contains 2 reels of the files of former international and International Headquarters employees (1952-1986) and 1 reel of minutes of meetings and the bylaws of the Employee Council.

Sub-group III, International Relations Department, contains 366 reels of Enrollment Unit Files (1976-1992). Included are such records as dispatch sheets, discontinued lists, assignment and reassignment lists, cancellation lists, name changes and childbooks.

Sub-group IV, Program/Field Operations Department, contains 54 reels of program administrative files (1973-1990). Included are such records as annual field office program reports, field office program budgets, mid-year progress reports, sector program outlines, field visit reports, correspondence, and memos. There are duplicate copies of 53 of the 54 reels.

Sub-group V, Regionalization, includes 6 reels of microfilm containing start-up documentation and implementation files for the Regional Office of South Asia and the South American Regional Office (1987-1992).

Sub-group VI, Finance and Administration Department, includes 2 reels of payroll registers (1976-1981), 26 reels of bi-weekly and monthly payroll files (1976-1991), and 166 reels of general departmental files (1975-1991). The latter includes field office inventories, year end reports, field office monthly financial statements, general ledgers, budgets, travel summaries, master file changes, a study of the financial ramifications of moving the International Headquarters to Rhode Island, and memos from the director of finance to the field. There are two copies of each of the 166 reels.

Electronic Media

The 855 floppy disks are not organized. Most of the disks are labeled and many contain in the disk pocket a printout of the files on that disk. There is, however, no general directory of file names and it is therefore difficult to determine the contents of the file from its name. In addition, PLAN used a number of different software systems including LOTUS, SPSS, several different generations of WordPerfect, and some internally developed software packages. Labels do not indicate which software system was used in creating the files on the disks. At present there is no means to access the information stored on these disks

RECORDS OF FOSTER PARENTS PLAN INTERNATIONAL, INC. 1939-1994 VOLUME I MSG #117

RECORDS OF
FOSTER PARENTS PLAN INTERNATIONAL, INC.
1939-1994
VOLUME I

MSG #117