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62-538: An archivist is an information professional who assesses, collects, organizes, preserves, maintains control over, and provides access to records and archives determined to have long-term value. The records maintained by an archivist can consist of a variety of forms, including letters, diaries, logs, other personal documents, government documents, sound or picture recordings, digital files, or other physical objects. As Richard Pearce-Moses wrote: Archivists keep records that have enduring value as reliable memories of

124-554: A primary source of knowledge, and influence collective memory and identity. In negotiating the ethical conflicts that arise in their work, archivists are guided by codes of ethics . The Society of American Archivists first adopted a code of ethics in 1980; the International Council on Archives adopted one in 1996. Alongside their work in arranging and caring for collections, archivists assist users in interpreting materials and answering inquiries. This reference work can be

186-446: A basis. The Basic Description , Collection Overview , or Summary Information is usually the first section of a finding aid, containing information about the collection's creator, the physical space the collection occupies in the archive, and the date range and an abstract of its documents. A Biographical/Historical Note describes a collection from the perspective of the time period it was created, providing background information on

248-430: A central tool for user and archivist interaction with archival collections. Freund and Toms note that finding aids became the preferred means of user mediation with a collection, as a result of the print nature of most historical materials. They go on to explain that the finding aid within this print-based form is designed to describe a single collection or arrangement from a similar provenance . Clayton McGehee argues that

310-576: A certification program. When first established in 1989, some critics of ACA certification objected to its annual membership fees, the theoretical versus practical nature of its tests, and the need for members to re-certify every five years. However, in the decades since, it has been agreed that such requirements are comparable with certification programs in other professions, and that certification strengthens professional standards and individual competencies. While some positions in archives require certification and many employers view certification as preferred, it

372-453: A consistent national standard in the US for finding aid terminology. Candida Fenton writes, "Encoded Archival Description Document Type Definition (EAD DTD) is a non proprietary encoding standard which specifies the structure of an electronic archival finding aid. The standard was developed in response to the growing role of networks in accessing information describing archival holdings, and to enable

434-547: A more active approach by archivists to appraisal. His primary (administrative) and secondary (research) value model for the management and appraisal of records and archives allowed government archivists greater control over the influx of material that they faced after the Second World War. As a result of the widespread adoption of Schellenberg's methods, especially in the United States of America, modern Records Management as

496-525: A person or organization. It can also describe the history of the collection. The Scope and Content note briefly explains the collection's provenance, its arrangement and date range, and in general what kind of materials it contains—letters, reports, photographs, audio/video, etc. The Access and Use section that contains information about using the collection, such as terms of access and restrictions. Usage issues that may affect researchers could include donor agreements restricting access, copyright information,

558-506: A separate but related discipline was born. 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. Due to his role in the development of American archival theory and practice, he was sometimes called "the Dean of American archivists." Norton promoted

620-605: A small part of an archivist's job in a smaller organization, or consist of most of their occupation in a larger archive where specific roles (such as processing archivist and reference archivist ) may be delineated. Archivists work for a variety of organizations, including government agencies , local authorities , museums, hospitals, historical societies, businesses, charities, corporations, colleges and universities, national parks and historic sites, and any institution whose records may potentially be valuable to researchers, exhibitors, genealogists , or others. They can also work on

682-600: A three-year curriculum. Many graduates become curators in archives, museums, and libraries or become researchers in universities. Some universities, like University of Angers , Jean Moulin University Lyon 3 , and Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University , offer a master's degree in Archival Science, while the Burgundy has a course for their history degree focusing on archives of 20th and 21st century Europe. In

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744-407: A variety of different skills, depending on the sector in which the person is employed. Some essential cross-sector skills are: Moreover, an information professional should be skilled in planning and using relevant systems, in capturing and securing information, and in accessing it to deliver service whenever the information is required. Most countries have a professional association who oversee

806-418: Is used to describe similar and sometimes overlapping professions, such as librarians , archivists , information managers , information systems specialists , information scientists , records managers , and information consultants , but terminology differs among sources and organisations. Information professionals work in a variety of private, public, and academic institutions, or independently. Since

868-811: Is also frequently distinguished from that of records manager , although in this case the distinction is less absolute: the archivist is predominantly concerned with records deemed worthy of permanent preservation, whereas the records manager is more concerned with records of current administrative importance. The SAA additionally notes that historians and archivists have a long-standing partnership, as archivists preserve, identify, and make records accessible, while historians use those records for their research. 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 . Provenance refers to

930-618: Is also possible for archivists to earn a doctorate in library and information science. Archivists with a PhD often work as teaching faculty, deans, or directors of archival programs. In 2002, the Society of American Archivists published Guidelines for a Graduate Program in Archival Studies; it also promotes and disseminates a code of ethics, which has undergone several revisions since it was first adopted in 1980. The Academy of Certified Archivists offers supplemental archival training by means of

992-572: Is being phased out. The profession has been regulated since 1978. Many universities in Brazil, such as the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM), and thirteen other universities, offer the degree in "archivology" which roughly translates to " archival science ." There are various institutions which offer an archival science degree. One of those institutions

1054-421: Is called archival science . The most common related occupations are librarians , museum curators , and records managers . The occupation of archivist is distinct from that of librarian. The two occupations have separate courses of training, adhere to separate and distinct principles, and are represented by separate professional organizations . In general, the librarian tends to deal with published media (where

1116-515: Is more of a participatory online repository than a true-to-form established entity, although it has fallen considerably behind Web 2.0 in overall acceptance by archivists themselves. While Archives 2.0 may refer to implementing new technologies, it is also a way of engaging with archives in an effort to promote openness and flexibility of archival materials. This can be achieved through community participation in archives, archivists actively engaging with their collections, and promoting archival benefits in

1178-516: Is not always the best way to maintain some collections and archivists must use their own experience and current best practices to determine the correct way to preserve collections of mixed media or those lacking a clear original arrangement. Archivists' work encompasses a range of ethical decisions that may be thought of as falling into three broad and intertwined areas: legal requirements; professional standards; and accountability to society in selecting and preserving documentary materials that serve as

1240-515: Is not required by all employers in the United States. Approximately 1,200+ archivists were certified by ACA, as of 2016. A history of women in the archival professions detailed the Committee on the Status of Women in the political, social and cultural context of feminism and its lasting effect on the field. Many archivists belong to a professional organization, such as the Society of American Archivists ,

1302-527: Is the University of British Columbia . The Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje – SENA – in chain training with the Tecnológico de Antioquia Tecnológico de Antioquia offers an archival science degree. In France, the oldest Archivist School is the École des chartes , founded in 1821. This prestigious grande école (literally, "grand schools) offers a diploma in "Archivist-Paleography", created in 1849, after

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1364-745: Is the only tertiary institution in New Zealand that provides postgraduate archival courses. Victoria Information Studies qualifications with ARCR endorsement have been recognized by Records and Information Management Professionals Australasia. The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand has an undergraduate course in archives management. In the United Kingdom, there are currently postgraduate courses in archives administration or management from Aberystwyth University , University College Dublin , University of Dundee , University of Glasgow , University of Liverpool , and University College London which are recognised by

1426-525: Is the professional body for archivists, and is responsible for the accreditation of the various University courses. The first University to offer archival training was the University of New South Wales , starting in 1973. The course closed in 2000. As of 2017, courses are offered at Curtin University , Charles Sturt University , Monash University and University of South Australia at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The course at Edith Cowan University

1488-716: The Archives and Records Association (United Kingdom and Ireland). Students are expected to have relevant paid or voluntary work experience before obtaining a place on the UK courses, while professional certification (after qualifying) can be pursued via the Registration Scheme offered by the Archives and Records Association. The most common types of advanced degrees held by archivists are in archival science , public history , history, library science , or library and information science . It

1550-749: The Association of Canadian Archivists , the Archives and Records Association (UK/Ireland), the Colombian College of Archivists - CCA , and the Australian Society of Archivists , as well as any number of local or regional associations. These organizations often provide ongoing educational opportunities to their members and other interested practitioners. In addition to formal degrees and or apprenticeships, many archivists take part in continuing education opportunities as available through professional associations and library school programs. New discoveries in

1612-722: The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand and the Victoria University of Wellington offer undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses for information professionals. The majority of European countries have universities, colleges, or schools which offer bachelor's degrees in LIS studies. Over 40 universities offer master's degrees in LIS-related fields, and many institutions, such as the Swedish School of Library and Information Science at

1674-439: The University of Borås (Sweden), the University of Barcelona (Spain), Loughborough University (UK), and Aberystwyth University (Wales, UK) also offer PhD degrees. Information studies and degrees are available at numerous academic institutions throughout the U.S. and Canada. U.S. professional associations, together with their European counterparts, have undertaken many educational initiatives and pioneered many advances in

1736-699: The University of Pretoria (South Africa), University of Nairobi (Kenya), Makerere University (Uganda), University of Botswana (Botswana), and University of Nigeria (Nigeria). LIS-related studies are available in more than 30 Asian countries. Some examples listed by iSchools Inc. are the University of Hong Kong , University of Tsukuba , Japan, Yonsei University , South Korea, National Taiwan University and Wuhan University , China. The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) as of 2021 lists six schools offering undergraduate and postgraduate accredited university courses for "Librarian and Information Specialists" on their website. In New Zealand,

1798-686: The metadata , such as author, title, and date of publication, may be readily apparent and can be presented in standardized form), whereas the archivist deals with unpublished media (which has different challenges such as the metadata not always being immediately apparent, containing complications and variety, and more likely to depend on provenance ). The Society of American Archivists (SAA) also notes that while both professions preserve, collect, and make materials accessible, librarians can often obtain "new copies of worn-out or lost books", while records in archival collections are unique and irreplaceable. The SAA further distinguishes libraries and archives based on

1860-422: The "Father of American Archival Appraisal", published Modern Archives . Schellenberg's work was intended to be an academic textbook defining archival methodology and giving archivists specific technical instruction on workflow and arrangement. Moving away from Jenkinson's organic and passive approach to archival acquisition, where the administrator decided what was kept and what was destroyed, Schellenberg argued for

1922-408: The 19th and 20th centuries were paper documents, such as lists or index cards . In the 21st century, they can be created in electronic formats like spreadsheets or databases. The standard machine-readable format for manuscript collection finding aids, widely used in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Australia and elsewhere, is Encoded Archival Description . Finding aids exist as

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1984-768: The CiSAP (Consortium of iSchools Asia Pacific, founded 2006 ) in Asia and the iSchool Caucus in the USA. There are also online e-learning resources, some of which offer certification for information professionals. Information development in Africa started later than in other continents, mainly due to a lack of internet access, expertise and resources to manage digital infrastructure, and "opportunities for capacity development and knowledge-sharing". Nowadays, academic degrees in information studies are available at many universities of African countries, such as

2046-947: The Internet or that keep content of defunct websites accessible. The most comprehensive public archive on the Internet is the Internet Archive which provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites (via the Wayback Machine ), software applications/games, music, movies/videos, moving images, and books. As of September 2023, the Internet Archive holds over 39 million books and texts, 13.6 million movies, videos and TV shows, 1 million software programs, 15 million audio files, 4.7 million images, and 840 billion web pages. [REDACTED] Media related to Archivists at Wikimedia Commons Information professional The versatile term "information professional"

2108-737: The Public Archives ), in which he systematized the archival theory of the respect des fonds , first published by Natalis de Wailly in 1841. In 1898, three Dutch archivists, Samuel Muller, Johan Feith, and Robert Fruin , published the Handleiding voor het ordenen en beschrijven van archieven ( Manual for the Arrangement and Description of Archives ). Produced for the Dutch Association of Archivists, it set out one hundred rules for archivists to base their work around. Notably, within these rules,

2170-704: The Republic of Ireland, the School of History of the University College Dublin (UCD) offers a Masters of Arts degree in Archives and Records Management, providing the only recognized course in Ireland for the training of professional archivists, which is accredited by the Archives and Records Association . UCD also offers certificates in Archives Management and Records Management. Victoria University of Wellington

2232-452: The US. The process of creating a finding aid often begins with archival description. For example, Encoded Archival Description calls for a basic description of the collection, a list of controlled vocabulary terms, administrative information, biographical information, scope and content, arrangement, description of components, and other descriptive data. In the absence of a universal standard for finding aids, these elements are often used as

2294-650: The USA, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) in the UK, and the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) in Australia. Educational institutions around the world offer academic degrees, or degrees on related subjects such as Archival Studies, Information Systems, Information Management , and Records Management. Some of the institutions offering information science education refer to themselves as an iSchool , such as

2356-458: The archival science equivalent of a library catalog or a museum collection catalog . The finding aid serves the purpose of locating specific information within the collection. The finding aid can also help the archival repository manage their materials and resources. The history of finding aids mirrors the history of information. Ancient Sumerians had their own systems of indexes to locate bureaucratic and administrative records. Finding aids in

2418-691: The change from 1.0 to 2.0. When working in an archives that is dedicated to upholding 2.0 standards, the focus has shifted onto the user experience at an archives. Some archivists operate public libraries that are accessible on the Internet. Examples include the illegal shadow libraries Library Genesis and Anna's Archive – humanity's largest library of books – and Sci-Hub – humanity's largest public library of scientific articles. Proponents of these libraries have made use of BitTorrent and IPFS technologies to make these sites decentralized, resilient and uncensorable. There are also other projects that for instance archive digital games and make them accessible via

2480-424: The collection's history of ownership, any additional formats the collection may have, and if the collection is accepting additions. Additional Information contains details of related materials, language, citation instructions, any sponsors, and the date of processing. Search Terms are generally a list of subject headings, any personal, corporate, or family names, geographical headings, and genre terms that relate to

2542-427: The collection. Paper based collections with finding aids ensured that patrons would have to rely upon the archivist to find and utilize materials. The contents of finding aids may differ depending on the types of material being described. Usually, a finding aid includes a description of the scope of the collection, biographical and historical information related to the collection, and restrictions on use of or access to

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2604-755: 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, community engagement, or even media coverage. The advent of Encoded Archival Description (EAD), along with increasing demand for materials to be made available online, has required archivists to become more tech-savvy in

2666-454: The contents of the collection. Arrangement is the manner in which the collection has been ordered (generally in accordance, as far as practicable, with its original order ). Hierarchical levels of arrangement are typically composed of record groups containing series , which in turn contain boxes, folders, and items. The Content List is a list of the collection's materials down to the box and folder level. Series descriptions containing

2728-520: The context of archival science and archival research , is an organization tool, a document containing detailed and processed metadata and other information about a specific collection of records within an archive . Finding aids often consist of a documentary inventory and description of the materials, their source, and their structure. The finding aid for a fonds is usually compiled by the collection's entity of origin, provenance , or by an archivist during archival processing , and may be considered

2790-577: The creation of records and keeping different records separate in order to maintain context. Many entities create records, including governments, businesses, universities, and individuals. Original order is applied by keeping records in their order as established and maintained by the creator(s). Both provenance and original order are closely related to the concept of respect des fonds , which states that records from one corporate body should not be mixed with records from another. There are two aspects to arrangement: intellectual and physical. Both aspects follow

2852-717: The establishment of archives as a profession separate from history or library science and developed the American archival tradition to emphasize an administrator/archivist rather than an historian/archivist. She encouraged learning through experimentation, practical usage, and community discussion. While editor of The American Archivist she emphasized technical rather than scholarly issues, believing that archival records were useful in ways other than scholarly research. Archivists, like librarians, are taking advantage of Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, wikis , as well as open access and open source philosophies. Archives 2.0, by extension,

2914-452: The exchange of records between repositories." However, the hierarchical format of EAD finding aids has caused some controversy among users, as archivists have noted that it perpetuates the same confusions regarding finding aids for users. Freund and Toms asserted that collections become digitally accessible in greater frequency, archivists can no longer be expected to assist users at their every need. Clayton McGehee expressed concern about

2976-785: The field of Information studies, such as increased interdisciplinarity and more effective delivery of distance learning. The Association for Intelligent Information Management, based in Silver Spring, Maryland , offers a qualification called Certified Information Professional (CIP), earned upon passing an examination, with certification remaining valid for three years. There are many schools and colleges in Latin America , which offer courses in Library Science, Archival Studies, and Information Studies, however these subjects are taught completely separately. Finding aid A finding aid , in

3038-575: The fields of media preservation and emerging technologies require continuing education as part of an archivist's job in order to stay current in the profession. The first predecessors of archival science in the West are Jacob von Rammingen's manuals of 1571. and Baldassarre Bonifacio 's De Archivis libris singularis of 1632. In 1883, French archivist Gabriel Richou published the first Western text on archival theory, entitled Traité théorique et pratique des archives publiques ( Treaty of Theory and Practice of

3100-411: The finding aid became preferred by archivists and repositories as a means of organizing their collections because it allowed for them to intellectually and physically control the items they held. Archivists could acquire, deaccession, redact, and reorganize materials. The finding aids could reflect these changes to the collection, but also reflected that only the archivists would know about these changes to

3162-511: The lack of interaction between finding aids of different libraries and repositories. He argued that in order to remain in touch with the rapid share and spread of information, finding aids must interact with digital libraries. Laura Farley argued that both of these concerns about the speed of changing information and the need to adapt, could be supplemented by adding user annotations to online finding aids. Farley also noted that user submissions can help archivists highlight useful items not indicated in

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3224-704: The materials they keep and how they are accessed by patrons. Because archival records are frequently unique, archivists may be as much concerned with the preservation and custody of the information carrier (i.e. the physical document) as with its informational content. In this sense, the archivist may have more in common with the museum curator than with the librarian. The SAA states that museum curators and archivists sometimes overlap in their duties, but that curators often collect and interpret three-dimensional objects, while archivists deal with paper, electronic, or audiovisual records. Even so, archival selections are sometimes exhibited in museums . The occupation of archivist

3286-620: The materials. Finding aids may be detailed inventories that list contents. They may also include subject headings drawn from LCSH , AAT , or other controlled vocabulary , and may cross-refer to related collections in other repositories. The data elements essential to finding aids are defined by the International Council on Archives in the General International Standard Archival Description ( ISAD(G) ). Various national implementations of ISAD(G) exist, such as Describing Archives: A Content Standard , used in

3348-407: The modern world. Kate Theimer writes that in order to understand Archives 2.0, it must be compared against Archives 1.0. She asserts that her representation of Archives 1.0 is by no means exhaustive or fully comprehensive of the breadth of archival experience. The following is a list of contrasts between 1.0 and 2.0. The technological tools of Archives 2.0 provide the foundational platforms to help

3410-405: The original arrangement is unclear or unhelpful in terms of accessing the collection, it is rarely rearranged to something that makes more sense. This is because preserving the original order shows how the creator of the records functioned, why the records were created, and how they went about arranging them. Moreover, the provenance and authenticity of the records may be lost. However, original order

3472-402: The past decade. Many archivists are now acquiring basic XML skills in order to make their finding aids available to researchers online. Because of the varied nature of the job within different organizations and work environments, archivists need to have a wide range of skills : The educational preparation for archivists varies from country to country. The Australian Society of Archivists

3534-412: The past, and they help people find and understand the information they need in those records. Determining what records have enduring value can be challenging. Archivists must also select records valuable enough to justify the costs of storage and preservation, plus the labor-intensive expenses of arrangement, description, and reference service. The theory and scholarly work underpinning archives practices

3596-402: The principle of original order. Archivists process the records physically by placing them in acid-free folders and boxes to ensure their long-term survival. They also process the records intellectually, by determining what the records consist of, how they are organized, and what, if any, finding aids need to be created. Finding aids can be box lists or descriptive inventories, or indexes. Even if

3658-455: The principle of preserving provenance and original order was first argued for as an essential trait of archival arrangement and description. Many of these principles were subsequently adopted and developed by the British archivist Hilary Jenkinson in his Manual of Archive Administration , first published in 1922, with a revised edition appearing in 1937. In 1956, T. R. Schellenberg , known as

3720-567: The professional and academic standards of librarians and other information professionals. There are also international associations related to LIS ( library and information science ), the most prominent of which is the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). In many countries, LIS courses are accredited by the relevant professional association, as the American Library Association (ALA) in

3782-420: The term information professional is broad, the skills required for this profession are also varied. A Gartner report in 2011 pointed out that "Professional roles focused on information management will be different to that of established IT roles. An 'information professional' will not be one type of role or skill set, but will in fact have a number of specializations". Thus, an information professional can possess

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3844-466: The title, dates of coverage, and a brief description of the contents of each series. Series descriptions may also include the range of containers, a statement of the type of arrangement, and a note on any restrictions for each series (for example, an embargo on public access for a set period for reasons of confidentiality). Encoded Archival Description (EAD) was created in 1998 for the use of finding aids in an online environment. Its creation allowed for

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