Archivist

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For the Dungeon & Dragons character class, see Archivist (Dungeons & Dragons).

An archivist surveying an unprocessed collection of materials. Surveying is commonly done to determine priorities for preservation and/or conservation of materials before an archivist begins arrangement and description.

An archivist is a professional who assesses, collects, organizes, preserves, maintains control over, and provides access to information determined to have permanent value. The information maintained by an archivist can be any form of media (photographs, video or sound recordings, letters, documents, Electronic records, etc.). According to Richard Pearce-Moses, archivists keep records that "have enduring value as reliable memories of the past, and they help people find and understand the information they need in those records."

1 Duties and work environment
2 Skills
3 Educational preparation
4 History of the profession
5 References
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Duties and work environment

Archivists' duties include acquiring and appraising new collections, arranging and describing records, providing reference service, and preserving materials. In arranging records, archivists apply two important principles: provenance and original order. Archivists are also guided by a code of ethics. Alongside this work behind the scenes, archivists are also there to assist users in interpreting the collections and answering inquiries.

Archivists work for a variety of organizations, including government agencies, local authorities, museums, hospitals, historical societies, businesses, charities, corporations, colleges and universities, and any institution whose records may potentially be valuable to researchers, exhibitors, genealogists, or others. Alternatively, they could also work on the collections of a large family or even of an individual.

Archivists are often educators as well; it is not unusual for an archivist employed at a university or college to lecture in a subject related to their collection. Archivists employed at cultural institutions or for local government frequently design educational or outreach programs to further the ability of archive users to understand and access information in their collections. This might include such varied activities as exhibitions, promotional events or even media coverage.

The advent of Encoded Archival Description, along with increasing demand for materials to be made available online, has required archivists to become more tech-savvy in the past decade. Many archivists are now acquiring basic XML skills in order to make their finding aids available to researchers online.

[edit] Skills

An Archivist and volunteer worker with an exhibit on local history. Project management, preservation of historic materials, and research skills are just a few of the abilities required in an archivist's background to make such public education efforts effective and exciting.

Because of the varied nature of the job and organisations and work environment, archivists need to have a wide range of skills:

Those who work in reference and access-oriented positions need to be good with people, so that they are able to help them with their research.
An ability to apply some basic knowledge of conservation is needed to help extend the useful life of cultural artifacts. Many different types of media (such as photographs, acidic papers, and unstable copy processes) can deteriorate if not stored and maintained properly.
Although many archival collections are comprised of paper records, increasingly archivists must confront the new challenges posed by the preservation of electronic records, so they need to be forward-looking and technologically proficient.
Because of the amount of sorting and listing, they need to be very logical and organised and be able to pay attention to detail.
When cataloging records, or when assisting users, archivists need to have some research skills.

[edit] Educational preparation

Most archivists have earned a Masters degree in archival science, history, library science, or library and information science. In 2002, SAA published Guidelines for a Graduate Program in Archival Studies. Many archivists hold a second master's degree in a subject related to their work.

In the United Kingdom, there are currently four full- or part-time professional Masters courses in archives administration or management which are recognised by the Society of Archivists and an increasing number of modular distance-learning courses. Students are expected to have relevant paid or voluntary work experience before obtaining a place on the UK courses; most undertake a year's traineeship.

In the Irish Republic, the Archives Department of University College Dublin offers a Higher Diploma in Archival Studies, recognised by the Society of Archivists.

It is also possible for archivists to earn a doctorate in library, or library and information, science. Archivists with a Ph.D. often work as teaching faculty or deans and directors of archival programs.

In the United States, the Academy of Certified Archivists offers supplemental archival training by means of a certification program. Critics of ACA certification object to its yearly membership fees, the theoretical versus practical nature of its tests, and the need for members to re-certify every five years. In Great Britain, certification can be pursued via the Registration Scheme offered by the Society of Archivists.

Many archivists belong to a professional organization, such as the Society of American Archivists, the Association of Canadian Archivists, or the Society of Archivists (UK/Ireland), as well as any number of local or regional associations. These organizations often provide ongoing educational opportunities to their members and other interested practitioners.

[edit] History of the profession

Pioneers of the archival profession include Sir Hilary Jenkinson, T.R. Schellenberg, Ernst Posner, and Margaret Cross Norton.

In 1922, Sir Hilary Jenkinson published his "Manual of Archive Administration", the first scholarly look at Archives. In this work Jenkinson states that the moral and physical defence of the archive is a central tenet of archival work, and outlines his ideas of what an Archive should be and how it should operate.

In 1956, T. R. Schellenberg published "Modern Archives". Schellenberg's work was intended to be an academic textbook, and it defined archival methodology, giving archivists specific technical instruction on workflow and arrangement.

In 1972, Ernst Posner published "Archives in the Ancient World". Posner's work emphasized that archives were not new inventions, but had existed in many different societies throughout recorded history.

In 1975, essays by Margaret Cross Norton were collected under the title of "Norton on Archives: The Writings of Margaret Cross Norton on Archival and Records Management". Norton was one of the founders of the Society of American Archivists, and wrote essays based on her decades of experience working in the Illinois State Archives.

[edit] References

Schellenberg, Theodore R. (1956). Modern Archives: Principles and Techniques. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
O'Toole, James M. and Richard J. Cox (2006). Understanding Archives and Manuscripts. Chicago: Society of American Archivists.
Pearce-Moses, Richard. "Identity and Diversity: What Is an Archivist?" Archival Outlook, March/April 2006.
Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn (1993). Preserving Archives and Manuscripts. Chicago: Society of American Archivists.