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1 – 10 of over 2000
Article
Publication date: 3 April 2017

Evgenia Vassilakaki and Valentini Moniarou-Papaconstantinou

This paper aims to identify through a systematic review the roles that archivists adopt in a changing archival landscape and to illustrate any similarities between the roles of…

4137

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to identify through a systematic review the roles that archivists adopt in a changing archival landscape and to illustrate any similarities between the roles of archivist and librarians.

Design/methodology/approach

The systematic literature review approach was adopted for the purposes of this research. Specifically, peer-reviewed literature published in English between 2000 and 2015 was considered. The relevant papers were retrieved based on specific search terms run on related databases.

Findings

The analysis showed that the traditional roles of record-keeper and collection manager were still relevant, whereas new ones, namely, digital archivist, archivist as educator and dual archivist/librarian, started to prevail. The technological developments as well as the social and educational changes seemed to have affected the emergence of these new roles, whereas the need for collaboration and communication among archivists, librarians and researchers was evident in many roles, namely, archivist as educator, dual archivist/librarian and archivist as researcher.

Originality/value

This literature review explored the different roles that archivists adopt within their work context and not the archivists’ skills, duties and responsibilities.

Details

Library Review, vol. 66 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0024-2535

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 September 2011

Rusnah Johare and Mohamad Noorman Masrek

The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a study carried out pertaining to the Malaysian archivists' knowledge and skills in managing electronic records (ER).

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a study carried out pertaining to the Malaysian archivists' knowledge and skills in managing electronic records (ER).

Design/methodology/approach

The main data collection has been gathered through survey questionnaires. Quantitative data were gathered from a total of 41 archivists at the National Archives of Malaysia.

Findings

The insufficiency of education and training received by the archivists contributed to the archivists' limited knowledge and skills to support their roles and responsibilities to manage ER. The archivists' limited knowledge and skills on ER management (ERM) prevented them from implementing the policies and standard procedures on ERM which was part of their main responsibilities.

Practical implications

This study would be useful in identifying the required knowledge and skills for the archivists and suitable education and training for them to acquire such knowledge and skills to manage ER.

Originality/value

This is the first study of its kind which deals with the archivists' competencies in managing ER in the Malaysian Government.

Article
Publication date: 8 June 2015

Diana K. Wakimoto and Christine Susan Bruce

This paper aims to explore the varying ways in which academic archivists in the USA experience archives, how these experiences compare to those of academic librarians and how we…

4342

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the varying ways in which academic archivists in the USA experience archives, how these experiences compare to those of academic librarians and how we can use these findings to improve communication and collaboration.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a phenomenographic research approach, academic archivists were interviewed and the transcripts were examined to develop categories reflecting varying experiences.

Findings

There are three different ways of experiencing archives: as organizational records, as archival enterprise and as connection. The connection category is a more complex way of experiencing archives as it incorporates the aspects of the other two categories as well as the awareness of archives connecting people to their histories.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to academic archivists in the USA.

Practical implications

Understanding that there are different ways of experiencing archives means that information professionals should clarify their definitions of before beginning collaborative projects. Also, by understanding these varying experiences, information professions should be able to communicate and engage more fully with each other and their users in projects and programs that leverage archival collections.

Originality/value

This is the first study to use phenomenography to investigate archivists’ experiences of archives. This understanding of the lived experience of archivists, combined with understanding how librarians experience archives, should enable better communication and ultimately collaboration between the two professions.

Details

Reference Services Review, vol. 43 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0090-7324

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 November 2008

Melinda Van Wingen and Abigail Bass

This paper aims to explore the relationship between historiography and archival practices. It takes the new social history approach to history as a case study for examining how…

3418

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the relationship between historiography and archival practices. It takes the new social history approach to history as a case study for examining how historians' changing theories and methods may affect solicitation, acquisition, appraisal, arrangement, description, reference, outreach, and other aspects of archival administration.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a review of the archival and historical literature since the late 1970s.

Findings

The paper finds that many aspects of archival administration have been and continue to be affected by the new social history trend in historical scholarship. The paper suggests that archivists and archival educators be trained in historiography as a way to understand historians' craft and develop strong documentation strategies to anticipate future archival needs.

Research limitations/implications

Because the paper is primarily a literature review, it does not test real‐life examples or case studies that would be useful in understanding the relationship between historians and archivists.

Practical implications

The paper includes implications for the development of archival administration and education strategies.

Originality/value

The paper draws from a range of literature to consider the impact of scholarly practices on professional archival work.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. 26 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2005

Richard E. (“Rick”) Barry and Michael J. (“Mike”) Steemson

Explores why it is that archivists and records managers rarely discuss important aspects of the highest ranking record‐keeping job in any country. There are plenty of issues about

1339

Abstract

Purpose

Explores why it is that archivists and records managers rarely discuss important aspects of the highest ranking record‐keeping job in any country. There are plenty of issues about what is or should be one of the most critical positions in any democratic society, whether at the national, state/provincial or local government level, worthy and in need of open discussion and debate within the professional community and more broadly in the public domain.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the controversial, ongoing case of President Bush's nomination of a new Archivist of the United States (historian Professor Allen Weinstein), this article focuses on some of the above issues.

Findings

Largely out of sight or earshot of the US public, US historians, archivists, librarians and information managers have united in community force to challenge President George W. Bush's nomination for the next Archivist of the United States. Discusses the possibilities of real or perceived political interference in the management of the nation's archives and especially ready public access to its Presidential records.

Originality/value

The dispute highlights changing thinking about what constitutes proper selection process and qualifications for national archivists that could stimulate professional debate world‐wide.

Details

Records Management Journal, vol. 15 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0956-5698

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 July 2012

Maria Kallberg

Public organizations are investing in e‐government development and e‐services to improve the interaction and services to the citizens. Archivists need to act more pro‐active to

8012

Abstract

Purpose

Public organizations are investing in e‐government development and e‐services to improve the interaction and services to the citizens. Archivists need to act more pro‐active to capture and manage records in order to be accessible both in the present and in the long‐term. Archivists need to understand the conceptual context and business processes in which the records are created. This study aims to focus on an ongoing process within a specific context, which may have direct, but also future implications for archivists' professional identity. Professional identity is understood as a sense of shared understandings and skills, experiences, common way of perceiving problems and their possible solutions. The study is meant to answer the overall research question and sub‐questions: What is the status of archivist professionals' positions and practice within public organizations? What organizational effect has the change from paper‐based to electronic record keeping had on archivists' professional positions and practice within organizations? How do archivists perceive themselves in their professional roles, i.e. identity? Are there any critical competence issues that need to be solved that are connected to new requirements in working methods related to electronic record keeping? and How do archivists define their skills and working performance?

Design/methodology/approach

The data presented and analyzed in this article are based on a literature review and an empirical study. The literature covers areas related to archivists' professional practice and future role. The empirical study is based on interviews with nine municipality archivists at nine different Swedish municipalities identified by the Swedish Association of Local Government and Regions as “good example” e‐government municipalities. All interviews were undertaken during January and March 2011.

Findings

The findings provide information on how archivists define their current and future professional role in relation to the organization and the development of information technology: the status of archivist professionals' positions and practice, for example, within public organizations. It explores the importance of strategic approaches to managing electronic records – from their creation throughout their whole existence, including long‐term preservation – and considers necessary changes to the professional image of archivists and the skills they need.

Originality/value

This article will be of interest to record keeping practitioners working in the shift to e‐government in local contexts and also to educators, as there appears to be a shift in the skills and knowledge required by those working in local government.

Article
Publication date: 22 March 2011

Jodi Kearns and Rhonda Rinehart

Archivists and Librarians are subjected to social stereotypes by those outside and within the field of library and information science. Many of these role descriptions come from…

1119

Abstract

Purpose

Archivists and Librarians are subjected to social stereotypes by those outside and within the field of library and information science. Many of these role descriptions come from within the LIS professions themselves; the differences between information responsibilities of Archivists and Librarians are not clearly defined. The purpose of this paper is to dispel myths of distinguishable differences in information role responsibilities of Archivists and Librarians.

Design/methodology/approach

A simple survey was developed and completed by Archivists and Librarians who volunteered to express, in their own words, up to three descriptions of what their information responsibilities are. Responses were recorded in the respondents' own words, and so, the responses were necessarily compared, reduced, and categorized into nine recognizable categories of synonymous and qualifying terms for comparison.

Findings

Results of the survey demonstrate that both Archivists and Librarians list access most often as their information responsibility. Similarly, preserve and process are listed as second and third, in reverse order; and collect and evaluate are listed fourth and fifth, in reverse order. Results indicate the major differences as Archivists naming collect more often, and Librarians listing teach more often.

Originality/value

Archivists and Librarians usually both receive their education and training in schools of library and information science. Other than collection types and patrons served, which vary significantly among libraries and archives themselves, this exploratory study indicates no major differences in personally expressed information responsibilities of those within the fields of practice, and debunks the misconceptions that Archivists and Librarians have distinct, observable differences in their approaches to information.

Details

Library Review, vol. 60 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0024-2535

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 October 2022

Carly Dearborn and Michael Flierl

This paper begins to construct a theoretical foundation for using a diplomatic-informed pedagogy that specifically addresses common concerns in archival instruction in a higher…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper begins to construct a theoretical foundation for using a diplomatic-informed pedagogy that specifically addresses common concerns in archival instruction in a higher education environment. The authors utilize self-determination theory (SDT) to define student-centeredness and provide empirical guidance for creating a learning environment supporting student motivation, persistence and academic achievement. The proposed framework provides both structure and theoretical grounding for the archivist while also cultivating a learning environment which effectively motivates novice researchers.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors draw on diplomatics and archival instructional literature to propose an instructional framework utilizing SDT.

Findings

A diplomatic-informed pedagogy is a new, theoretically viable approach to archival instruction for novice researchers intending to replace common archival orientation and competency-based instruction. This pedagogical approach also provides a reproducible structure to the instructional archivist, helping to organize classroom learning outcomes, assessments and activities in alignment with evidence-based research and well-established archival theory.

Research limitations/implications

This is a conceptual paper and based on subjective analysis of existing literature and theory. The proposed framework has not been tested in a practical application, but it is based in the pedagogical foundations of diplomatics and SDT's focus on student perceptions and motivations.

Originality/value

Diplomatics, the foundation of archival science and legal theory, can be applied pedagogically to provide concrete guidance to teach students to use archives in more intentional, creative and disciplinary authentic ways. Diplomatics gives the instructional archivist a pedagogical foundation, structure and guiding methodology to approaching novice researchers in the archives, while SDT presents how to implement such an approach.

Article
Publication date: 9 March 2015

Isto Huvila

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how archivists, records managers and scholarly literature in the field(s) analyse how “participation” is discussed in the context of…

2883

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how archivists, records managers and scholarly literature in the field(s) analyse how “participation” is discussed in the context of archives and records management, and to explore practical and theoretical implications of the disclosed discursive practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is based on a discourse analysis of a body of archival literature and a sample of posts collected from the archival and records management blogosphere.

Findings

The analysis shows that instead of discussing one notion of participation, the archival science literature is referring to nine different and partly conflicting types of participation from three broad perspectives: management, empowerment and technology. The discourses have also conflicting ideas of the role of engagement and enthusiasm, and of that what do the different stakeholder communities see as real options.

Research limitations/implications

The analysed material consists of a limited sample of mainly English language texts that may not capture all the nuances of how participation is discussed in the archival literature.

Practical implications

A better understanding of how different claims of the benefits and threats endorsing “participation” in archives helps to develop effective and less contradictory forms of collaboration between different stakeholders.

Originality/value

In spite of the popularity of the notion of “participation”, there little, especially critical, research on how participation is conceptualised by archives professionals and researchers.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 71 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 February 2017

Diana K. Wakimoto

The purpose of this paper is to describe different collective ways that archivists, librarians and those with dual-roles experience archives.

1958

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe different collective ways that archivists, librarians and those with dual-roles experience archives.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a phenomenographic approach, a total of 24 librarians, archivists and dual-role individuals were interviewed, and interview transcripts were analyzed to create categories that described the varying ways in which archives are experienced.

Findings

Librarians experienced archives in four ways: historical resources, preserving history, preserved access and political. Archivists experienced archives in four ways: accessible collections, connection, collaboration and stewardship. Dual-role individuals experienced archives in five ways: collections, preserved access, progress, connection and knowledge creators. There are variations among and within each group on how archives are experienced. However, there is a significant overlap in many categories in terms of access, preservation, use and collections.

Practical implications

Understanding each other’s different perspectives could lead to stronger partnerships among librarians, archivists and dual-role individuals. These partnerships have the potential to increase the visibility of archives, providing greater access and engagement for community members.

Originality/value

The study supports previous phenomenographic research on experiences of archives and provides a more nuanced understanding of information professionals’ varying collective experiences of archives.

Details

Library Review, vol. 66 no. 1/2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0024-2535

Keywords

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