This is the first e-book of the journal's 20th anniversary and in this first anniversary e-book – a retrospective – Catherine Hare and I have written a critical review of the historical development of the Records Management Journal and its contribution to the development of records management. The remaining content of this issue is a selection of previously published articles and one new article which capture key topics and/or turning points for the profession that have been significant for the development of records management. The aim was to cover the historical period, the geographic spread and the range of themes – practical and theoretical - that have emerged over the past two decades in the pages of the journal.