Records and archives management journals

[Records Management Journal] Electronic records management in the Malaysian public sector: the existence of policy

Umi Asma' Mokhtar, Zawiyah Mohammad Yusof — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:20 -0700

Abstract:
Purpose The existence of policy serves as a guideline to facilitate actions and decisions to be taken. Electronic records management should be driven and guided by clear, comprehensive, understandable policy, to direct the organization and ascertain the effectiveness of functions implemented. The purpose of this paper is to find out whether government agencies in Malaysia do possess such a policy for electronic records management. In addition, the aim is to identify the responsible party for the policy besides investigating the sources referred to in developing the policy. Design/methodology/research The survey employs a questionnaire to gather the data from 25 selected government departments in Klang Valley and Putrajaya, Malaysia. Findings As anticipated, not all government departments possess electronic records management policy far from complete, clear, and easy to implement. Most surveyed samples are executing policy provided by Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) and National Archive of Malaysia (NAM) with some modifications to suit their needs. On the other hand, the number of organization carrying out electronic records management without any policy in place is alarming. Practical implications Electronic records management is carried out in some organisations merely based on their instinct and initiatives, far from complying with international standards of best practice. Originality value This paper provides evidence from an original study.

[Records Management Journal] Management of electronic records: Review of empirical studies from the Eastern, Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA) region

Henry N. Kemoni — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:20 -0700

Abstract:
Purpose The purpose of the paper is to present empirical research findings regarding the management of electronic records in selected ESARBICA member countries. It presents background information about ESARBICA and the current state of electronic records management in the region. The challenges posed by electronic records as reported in the literature and the capacity building initiatives and guidelines developed by archival institutions, professional organizations and universities for effective management of electronic records are presented. It proposes suggestions for further research. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a review of literature on electronic records and empirical studies dealing with management of electronic records in the ESARBICA region. The review of empirical research findings is based on selected countries in the ESARBICA region. Findings The empirical research findings indicate most countries in the ESARBICA region lack capacity and face various challenges in managing electronic records. These relate to: lack of policy and legislation, standardization, authenticity, capacity building, physical infrastructure and lack of awareness among recordkeeping professionals and government authorities on electronic records management issues. Research limitations/implications Although ESARBICA consists of 12 countries, the empirical research findings were limited to five countries (South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia and Kenya) and selected Sub-Saharan Africa countries. Further research will be conducted to establish the current state of electronic records management in the remaining seven ESARBICA member countries namely: Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Zanzibar. Practical implications It is hoped that the paper will provide useful information and data to educators and trainers, researchers, students, practitioners, policy makers, civil society, and international development partners who have an interest regarding the challenges posed by electronic records and e-government and governance strategy in ESARBICA region and Africa in general. Originality/value This paper supplements previous studies undertaken in the ESARBICA region regarding the management of electronic records. The empirical research findings would be of significance to record and archives management scholars/educators/consultants/researchers and students undertaking studies in management of records, including management of electronic records within and outside Africa.

[Records Management Journal] The management of High Court records in Botswana

Lorato Motsaathebe, Nathan Mnjama — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:20 -0700

Abstract:
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss issues pertaining to the management of court records in Botswana. Design/methodology/approach The paper shows the use of questionnaires, structured and unstructured interviews with the High Court administrators and records keepers as well as personal observations on how records are managed, inspection of storage facilities and observations on records retrieval procedures. Findings Concludes that in the past the management of legal records at the High Court received little attentions, but now the High Court has embarked on measures including the introduction of an automated court record system to manage its records. Practical implications The paper shows that the effective management of legal records is of crucial to the administration of justice and that there is a need to pay closer attention to the management of court records. Originality/value This paper brings together issues related to the management of court records at the High Court in Botswana.

[Records Management Journal] Nurturing attitudes for records management in Malaysian financial institutions

Zawiyah Mohammad Yusof — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:20 -0700

Abstract:
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to find out whether financial institutions in Malaysia comply with the relevant Acts and Regulations governing them, namely the Companies Act and Regulation 1966; the Bank Act and Financial Institution Act (BAFIA) 1989); the Bankers Book (Evidence Act 1989); and the Evidence Act). Also this study seeks to identify whether financial institutions develop appropriate and suitable attitudes to records management. It is the objective of this paper to investigate whether financial institutions comply with the identified Acts and Regulations; whether businesses easily understand the language used to phrase the Acts and Regulations; and whether the surveyed institutions adopt the right attitudes towards records management. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted survey as its method employing questionnaire and interview as the techniques to gather data. The survey involved ten financial institutions in Klang Valley (headquarters only), which was performed in 2005. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 11). Findings The findings reveal that financial institutions in Malaysia are aware of the previously mentioned Acts and Regulations. However, records management has never been a priority. This is because there is no enforcement of practice. For organizations failing to produce records/documents on request, the maximum penalty for being guilty for an offense (as stated in the Companies Act) is only 2,000 Malaysian Ringgit (approximately equivalent to sterling 285). Though respondents agreed that records management could give untold benefits and advantages, many do not take the appropriate steps as the need is not pressing and the penalty is not severe. Originality/value This paper presents original research of records management practice in this sector, of potential value to other jurisdictions.

[Records Management Journal] Organizational commitment of records management personnel in Nigerian private universities

Sunday O. Popoola — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:20 -0700

Abstract:
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate socio-economic factors (such as gender, age, marital status, educational qualification, job tenure, monthly salary); job satisfaction and locus of control as they determine organizational commitment of records management personnel in Nigerian private universities. Design/methodology/approach The research design adopted for the study was ex-post facto type. A questionnaire was used for data collection from a sample of 240 records management personnel from a population of 310 in 24 private universities in Nigeria. A total of 220 of these responded and the copies of their questionnaire were found valid for analysis. The response rate realized was 91.7 percent. Findings The study revealed that there was significant multiple correlation between socio-economic factors, job satisfaction, locus of control and organizational commitment of the respondents. In addition, socio-economic factors, job satisfaction and locus of control significantly determined organizational commitment of the respondents. Practical implications It is recommended that the administrators in private universities in Nigeria should take into consideration the socio-economic variables, job satisfaction and the locus of control of records management personnel when planning to improve their organizational commitment. Originality/value The paper provides information on the organizational commitment of records management personnel in private universities in Nigeria.

[Records Management Journal] Presidential records issues and records innovation reversed: Records and archives principles not upheld in the Republic of Korea

Sangmin Lee — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:20 -0700

Abstract:
Purpose This paper considers the sometimes serious and controversial political, legal, institutional and technological issues that were triggered by the mass transfer and copying of electronic presidential records by the Sixteenth President of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) at the end of his term of office. Design/methodology/approach During this administration, the Korean government made significant government-wide recordkeeping innovations, mainly initiated and supported by the then President Roh Moo Hyun, and also supported by civilian professionals. The Public Records Management Act (PRMA) was revised, the Presidential Records Act (PRA) legislated and the National Archives of Korea tripled in staff size and made significant government records innovations. At the end of his term, the President copied all of his presidential records in electronic form and kept them for his own use, transferring the authenticated records to the National Archives. The National Archives subsequently charged his former secretaries with violation of the Presidential Records Act. Findings The paper summarizes the records issues to give further consideration to electronic records matters as well as dealing with politically sensitive records in the public archives. Can recordkeeping and politics be divorced? If so, how? Originality/value The paper provides insight into the political dimension of recordkeeping in the public, government context in Korea.

[Archival Science] ‘What a setting for a mystery’: Yaddo, the Yaddo records, and the memory of place

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:04:15 -0800

Abstract ‘Yaddo’, recalled composer Aaron Copland, ‘became so much a part of my life that I tend to forget how strange the name sounds to those not familiar with it.’ By its very delineation, vagary of purpose, and posture of cloistered withdrawal, Yaddo is defined by a meticulously cultivated and carefully guarded tradition of community and cultural identity; one that was carefully preserved (and, in turn was informed by) the formation of an archive. My point of query centers on the particular consequences of the bond between historical trace and physical place being severed (as perhaps it always must be) when the very materiality that informs an institution’s ‘memory’ is irrevocably distanced.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9100-7
Authors
- Ben Alexander, The City University of New York The Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, Head of Special Collections and Archives, Queens College Libraries, Queens College New York USA

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

[Archival Science] Whose memories, whose archives? Independent community archives, autonomy and the mainstream

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:02:49 -0700

Abstract Over the last three or four decades in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, an enormous variety of grassroots projects and initiatives have sprung up dedicated to recording and preserving the memories and histories of different communities, often under-voiced and under-represented within the mainstream heritage. The impetus for such projects arose from a range of motivations but in general all were responding to the desire to document, record and preserve the identity and history of their own locality and community. Some custodians and creators of these collections remain suspicious of the mainstream archival profession and are determined to preserve their independence and autonomous voice by retaining direct ownership and physical custodianship of their collections, at least for the foreseeable future. In this context, seeking to ensure that these valuable materials are preserved and possibly made accessible presents a number of challenges and opportunities, including an encouragement to re-examine some aspects of traditional professional practice. By examining independent community archive activity in the UK, and in particular in London, and its implications for community interaction and identity within the multicultural context of contemporary British culture and society, this article seeks to contribute a different but relevant perspective to international debates about contemporary professional archival theory and practice.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9105-2
Authors
- Andrew Flinn, University College London Department of Information Studies (DIS) London UK
- Mary Stevens, University College London Department of Information Studies (DIS) London UK
- Elizabeth Shepherd, University College London Department of Information Studies (DIS) London UK

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

[Archival Science] ‘Play mas’: carnival in the archives and the archives in carnival: records and community identity in the US Virgin Islands

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:01:15 -0700

Abstract Over the past several decades, scholars concerned with post-colonial and indigenous populations have focused on archives as one method of excavating the cultures and lives of marginalized peoples. The limitations of textual and bureaucratic records, combined with the recognition that an archive can consist of interrelated knowledge constructs composed of many different kinds of documentation, have led these scholars to seek ‘archives’ beyond the walls of official buildings. For archivists likewise engaged in documenting post-colonial and other communities, expanding the definitions of what an archive could be, and suggesting new ways of seeing ‘records’, offers the potential of creatively representing and preserving the cultural expressions of these communities. This paper examines carnival as a cultural archive. Carnival, an annual tradition in many Caribbean islands was initially created by both enslaved and freed Africans as a counter-narrative to the festivals of the colonizers. In the US Virgin Islands, carnival began in the eighteenth century when the islands were Danish colonies. It was briefly revived at the beginning of the twentieth century and again in 1952 as an annual public celebration, which it remains today. While carnival produces traditional records, the week-long event also embodies the continuum of a local culture through a variety of non-traditional records that transmit genealogies, folkways, food customs, and history.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9101-6
Authors
- Jeannette A. Bastian, Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science 300 The Fenway Boston MA 02115-5898 USA

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

[Archival Science] Meztizaje and remembering in Afro-Mexican communities of the Costa Chica: implications for archival education in Mexico

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:07:18 -0700

Abstract This paper summarizes some of the major themes of a larger study that used Afro-Mexicans of the Costa Chica as a case study to understand archival education in Mexico. This study seeks to provide insight on how absences of Mexicans of African descent from the official record and recordkeeping came into being in Mexico; to examine the role that education of archival professionals might play in addressing or contributing to these absences; and to produce recommendations for remedying this under-documentation—at least in part—through changes to what is currently taught in formal archival education at the university level.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9102-5
Authors
- Kelvin L. White, University of Oklahoma School of Library and Information Studies 401 W. Brooks, Rm. 120 Norman OK 73019-6032 USA

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

[Archival Science] Memory, records, history: the Records of the Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation in Timor-Leste

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:07:18 -0700

Abstract This paper examines the implications of the context of creation on the current and potential future uses of the records produced by the Comissao de Acolhimento, Verdade e Reconciliacao de Timor-Leste (Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation, or CAVR). Given that the CAVR relied heavily on the testimony of the East Timorese people in its investigations that addressed a 25-year period, this paper considers the nature of memory and the role it played in creating and shaping the CAVR records. It also addresses the potential influences of the CAVR records, particularly the final report, Chega!, in shaping what will be known about this period by the Timorese people. The paper concludes with a discussion of the potential role of the CAVR records in contributing to the history of Timor-Leste. Although truth commissions are a problematic form of truth telling, with significant implications for the writing of history, the records of the CAVR are an invaluable source of information for Timorese history. If future users can recognize the CAVR records as the products of the context of their creation, these records will have a critical role to play in the development of history within Timor-Leste.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9103-4
Authors
- Elizabeth Nannelli, Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture Culture Division PO Box 1869 Apia Western Samoa

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

[Archival Science] Recording ‘a very particular Custom’: tattoos and the archive

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:07:17 -0700

Abstract This paper investigates the describing, dissemination and archiving of records, which have previously not been well described by archives. It asks if new methods of accessing the archive may be used to improve understandings of such records. Specifically, this paper will investigate the records created about tattoos in the nineteenth century following the European exploration of Polynesia, and the transmission of tattoos to the West. The ways in which this indigenous cultural practice was interpreted and recorded are discussed with reference to the records created. Tattoos are inherently physical records, which do not survive beyond the lifespan of their owner. The archiving process for tattoos has thus relied on preserving representations of the tattoo. This paper will ask what these representations of tattoos actually provide evidence of and will use two case studies to examine how records about tattoos have been archived. Finally, it is suggested that a more holistic understanding of tattooing records may be achieved through new ways of describing and classifying records, such as folksonomy.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9098-x
Authors
- Kirsten Wright, Melbourne VIC Australia

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

[Archival Science] Public records and minorities: problems and possibilities for Sámi and Kven

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:17:27 -0700

Abstract The Kven and Sámi peoples of northern Norway have been represented as groups without a voice in public records. Through the project ‘National Minorities in Public Records in Norway,’ however, hundreds of documents written in the Sámi and Kven languages were found inside the public archives. These documents were neither labeled, nor cataloged in any way as non-Norwegian-language documents. This essay raises a number of questions related to how a lack of knowledge has influenced our understanding of ethnic minorities both in archives and in research related to minorities. Furthermore, recent experience leads us to a few more questions concerning the usage of sources. How do Norwegian ministries treat requests for access to official documents less than 60-years old related to the Kven and Sámi peoples? How were documents in minority languages arranged and archived by archival personnel? How can an oppressed collective memory serve as a counter-memory for minorities? How can archival documents change our understanding of minorities? What might archivists do to make minorities more visible in archives? This paper describes my personal experiences and reflections in connection with the project.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9104-3
Authors
- Kaisa Maliniemi, Norwegian Association of Local and Private Archives Tromsö Norway

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

[Archival Science] Against the grain: psychologies and politics of secrecy

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:20:06 -0700

Abstract Verne Harris explores the degree to which it still goes against the grain for archivists to open their discourses to what is ‘outside’. He suggests that what could be called the conditions of postmodernity have challenged the insularity of these discourses in profound ways, and argues that they have been enriched by engagement with other disciplines, professions and traditions. Reading against the grain of archival discourses, he goes further and argues that the boundaries between inside and outside have always been, and will always be, permeable. His illustrative reading focuses on that space we call ‘the secret’, offering a preliminary exploration of the psychologies and the politics of secrecy.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9096-z
Authors
- Verne Harris, Nelson Mandela Foundation Johannesburg South Africa

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

[Archival Science] Minority reports: indigenous and community voices in archives. Papers from the 4th International Conference on the History of Records and Archives (ICHORA4), Perth, Western Australia, August 2008

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:25:20 -0700

Minority reports: indigenous and community voices in archives. Papers from the 4th International Conference on the History of Records and Archives (ICHORA4), Perth, Western Australia, August 2008

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9097-y
Authors
- Joanna Sassoon, Edith Cowan University 2 Bradford St Mt Lawley WA 6060 Australia
- Toby Burrows, University of Western Australia Library Scholars’ Centre 35 Stirling Highway Crawley WA 6009 Australia

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

[Archival Science] ‘Othering’ the archive—from exile to inclusion and heritage dignity: the case of Palestinian archival memory

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:25:18 -0700

Abstract This paper seeks to address, from the critical perspectives of cultural heritage discourse, the issues at stake in critically apprehending the archive as both a technology of disinheritance and one of potential inclusion and re-inheritance. The first section draws on the work of Jacques Derrida, Edward Said and other critics whose work has sought to address the marginalizing capacity of dominant European/North American archival and cultural–museological institutions. The remainder of the paper grounds these conceptual–ethical issues in the context of Palestinian cultural politics and memory-work. This critical framework is used not only to draw out the absences and silences in archives and cultural institutions, and the epistemological and ‘real’ violences at play in what Derrida characterises as ‘archive trauma’, but responds to Said’s call to ‘re-read’ the colonial archive ‘contrapuntally’ in order to create an ‘othering’ of dominant archival discourse. What is needed to provoke such an ‘othering’ is a commitment to rethink the archive in terms of alternative understandings of ‘hospitality’, ‘memory-work’ and what Derrida has referred to as ‘heritage dignity’. This strategy is capable of apprehending in greater depth the moral-ethical ‘debts’ and ‘duties’ and the operational ‘responses’ and ‘responsibilities’ towards ‘inclusion’ and towards full recognition of those constituencies which have been disenfranchised or exiled outside the realms of dominant cultural–institutional discourse.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9095-0
Authors
- Beverley Butler, University College London Cultural Heritage Studies, Institute of Archaeology, Centre for Museums, Heritage and Material Culture London UK

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

[Archival Science] Matjabala Mali’ Buku-Ruŋanmaram: implications for archives and access in Arnhem Land

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:24:09 -0700

Abstract This article traces the efforts of a research team led by the Yolŋu elder and scholar, Neparrŋa Gumbula, to investigate his people’s recorded history in the University of Sydney Archives. This research has identified some of the earliest photographic and written records of Yolŋu life in Arnhem Land, Australia. Though consultations with the source communities of Miliŋinbi (Milingimbi) and Galiwin’ku (Elcho Island), it has also determined appropriate ways of maintaining ongoing local access to these rare archived materials. The article contextualises this research within broader international initiatives to locate and provide access to other early ethnographic records from Arnhem Land. It considers the role of digital technologies in providing remote community access, and how various access protocols can be implemented to ensure appropriate use.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9099-9
Authors
- Neparrŋa Gumbula, The University of Sydney ARC Indigenous Fellow, Koori Centre Sydney NSW Australia
- Aaron Corn, The University of Sydney School of Letters, Art, and Media Sydney NSW Australia
- Julia Mant, The University of Sydney Archives Sydney NSW Australia

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

[Archival Science] Points of convergence: seamless long-term access to digital publications and archival records at library and archives Canada

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:38:41 -0700

Abstract In 2004, Canada’s national library and national archives merged to form Library and Archives Canada (LAC). LAC has become more than the sum of its parts, creating synergies between library and archives collections and services, realizing efficiencies and satisfying user demands for seamless access to all holdings. LAC has already created and launched Fed Search, an online search tool that provides clients with single-search access to library, archives and online collections. LAC is in the process of building a Trusted Digital Repository that will combine ingest, preservation, management and dissemination services for archives and library collections.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9091-4
Authors
- Greg Bak, Library and Archives Canada Digital Office, Government Records Branch 550, boul. de la Cité Gatineau QC K1A 0N4 Canada
- Pam Armstrong, Library and Archives Canada Digital Preservation Office, Care of Collections Branch 550, boul. de la Cité Gatineau QC K1A 0N4 Canada

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

Journal Volume Volume 8

Journal Issue Volume 8, Number 4 / December, 2008

[Archival Science] Archives, libraries, museums and the spell of ubiquitous knowledge

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:48:17 -0700

Abstract This paper describes the convergence of libraries, archives, and museums in Germany from traditional brick-and-mortar institutions to a digital memory institution on the Internet. An implementation of such a digital memory institution is BAM—the joint portal of archives, libraries, and museums in Germany. BAM has the potential to serve as a single point of access to existing, but separate offerings of the several branches of cultural heritage, e.g. union catalogs, and a great number of separate digitization projects offering their content on the German Web. BAM can make an important contribution to the efforts of both the German governments (federal and states) and the European Union, which are in the process of establishing portals to cultural content on the Internet. The article gives an outline of the current undertakings and illustrates how the striving for ubiquitous knowledge delivered by Internet portals relates to the scientific tradition of documentation in Europe.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9093-2
Authors
- Thomas Kirchhoff, Universität Konstanz Museum Information System (MusIS), Bibliotheksservice-Zentrum Baden-Württemberg 78457 Constance Germany
- Werner Schweibenz, Universität Konstanz Museum Information System (MusIS), Bibliotheksservice-Zentrum Baden-Württemberg 78457 Constance Germany
- Jörn Sieglerschmidt, Universität Konstanz Museum Information System (MusIS), Bibliotheksservice-Zentrum Baden-Württemberg 78457 Constance Germany

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

Journal Volume Volume 8

Journal Issue Volume 8, Number 4 / December, 2008

[Archival Science] An introduction to digital convergence: libraries, archives, and museums in the information age

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:36:14 -0700

An introduction to digital convergence: libraries, archives, and museums in the information age

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original Paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9094-1
Authors
- Paul F. Marty, Florida State University School of Library and Information Studies, College of Communication and Information Tallahassee FL USA

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

Journal Volume Volume 8

Journal Issue Volume 8, Number 4 / December, 2008

[Archival Science] Documentary genre and digital recordkeeping: red herring or a way forward?

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:32:20 -0700

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to provide a preliminary assessment of the utility of the genre concept for digital recordkeeping. The exponential growth in the volume of records created since the 1940s has been a key motivator for the development of strategies that do not involve the review or processing of individual documents or files. Automation now allows processes at a level of granularity that is rarely, if at all, possible in the case of manual processes, without loss of cognisance of context. For this reason, it is timely to revisit concepts that may have been disregarded because of a perceived limited effectiveness in contributing anything to theory or practice. In this paper, the genre concept and its employability in the management of current and archival digital records are considered, as a form of social contextualisation of a document and as an attractive entry point of granularity at which to implement automation of appraisal processes. Particular attention is paid to the structurational view of genre and its connections with recordkeeping theory.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Original paper
DOI 10.1007/s10502-009-9090-5
Authors
- Gillian Oliver, Victoria University of Wellington School of Information Management PO Box 600 Wellington New Zealand
- Yunhyong Kim, Robert Gordon University School of Computing Science Aberdeen AB25 1HG UK
- Seamus Ross, University of Toronto Faculty of Information 140 St. George Street Toronto ON M5S 3G6 Canada

Journal Archival Science
Online ISSN 1573-7519
Print ISSN 1389-0166

Journal Volume Volume 8

Journal Issue Volume 8, Number 4 / December, 2008

[The American Archivist] The American Archivist Editorial Policy

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:33:31 -0700

The American Archivist Editorial Policy

Content Type Journal Article
Category Additional Matter (Contributors, Ads, Council Minutes, etc.)

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 62

Journal Issue Volume 62, Number 1 / 1999

[The American Archivist] Life with Grant: Administering Manuscripts Cataloging Grant Projects

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:33:29 -0700

Administering manuscripts cataloging grant projects requires planning and flexibility. The author uses three separate retrospective conversion projects for personal papers at the Library of Virginia (formerly the Virginia State Library and Archives), the University of Virginia, and the Virginia Historical Society as the basis for discussing staffing, training, record quality, workflow, and quality control. The author points out the problem areas and the successes, and makes suggestions for future manuscripts cataloging retrospective conversion projects.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Research Article
Authors
- Susan Hamburger

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 62

Journal Issue Volume 62, Number 1 / 1999

[The American Archivist] The Archival Image in Fiction: An Analysis and Annotated Bibliography

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:33:29 -0700

The news media, television, and nonfiction and fiction books all disseminate and perpetuate many stereotypes of the archival profession. This article is a study of the images of archives and archivists based on a reading of 128 novels. It is divided into four parts: how authors define the term "archives," perceptions of the archivists themselves, the issues of dust and the images of death regularly associated with archives, and the importance of archives and archival holdings. The images of archives and archival work presented in these books are discussed in the context of archivists' long-standing concern about their professional image.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Research Article
Authors
- Arlene Schmuland

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 62

Journal Issue Volume 62, Number 1 / 1999

[The American Archivist] Information Culture and the Archival Record

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:33:29 -0700

New technologies pose new challenges for archivists not only because they change the material nature of archives, but also because they change ideas about information and its place in our culture. This article uses contemporary cultural theory to consider the intersections of information, culture, and technology in archives. It argues that context is essential to understanding archives and that archives are creators and reinforcers of power and authority. Finally, it considers two archetypal archives, assemblages of clay tokens in the ancient Near East, and today's World Wide Web, to suggest the importance of considering archives' connectivity and context in order to understand their use and power.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Research Article
Authors
- Steven Lubar

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 62

Journal Issue Volume 62, Number 1 / 1999

[The American Archivist] Front Matter (Front Cover, Masthead, Table of Contents, From the Editor, Letters to the Editor)

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:33:29 -0700

Front Matter (Front Cover, Masthead, Table of Contents, From the Editor, Letters to the Editor)

Content Type Journal Article
Category Front Matter

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 62

Journal Issue Volume 62, Number 1 / 1999

[The American Archivist] The Indiana University Electronic Records Project Revisited

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:33:29 -0700

Further work on the Indiana University Electronic Records Project has demonstrated the value of systems analysis in identifying the functions, subfunctions, and individual inputs and outputs that need to be documented. In addition to this new methodology, the project has also found its new strategy of aligning the Archives with Internal Audit to be an effective way to participate in information systems review and to provide a forum to present archival considerations and concerns regarding electronic recordkeeping.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Research Article
Authors
- Philip C. Bantin

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 62

Journal Issue Volume 62, Number 1 / 1999

[The American Archivist] "Green" Archivism: The Archival Response to Environmental Research

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:33:29 -0700

This article outlines the current relationship between archival materials and environmental research using information provided by a survey of repositories. The survey examined the use of archival sources in archives and manuscript repositories by environmental researchers and the efforts of archival institutions to meet the needs of such users. Results demonstrate trends in record use among environmental users and the lack of efforts by archivists to modify their programs to encourage and satisfy such use.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Research Article
Authors
- Todd Welch

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 62

Journal Issue Volume 62, Number 1 / 1999

[The American Archivist] Reviews

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:33:29 -0700

Reviews

Content Type Journal Article
Category Book Reviews
Authors
- Barbara L. Craig, Editor
- Ian E. Wilson, Archives of Ontario
- John A. Fleckner, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
- Tom Hyry, Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University
- Kathy Marquis, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan
- Michael Moosberger, Archives and Special Collections, University of Manitoba
- James M. O'Toole, Boston College
- Laurie A. Baty, National Historical Publications and Records Commission
- Donald W. Jackanicz, National Archives and Records Administration, Great Lakes Region
- Douglas Stark, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- Helen R. Tibbo, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 62

Journal Issue Volume 62, Number 1 / 1999

[The American Archivist] Integrated Archives and Records Management Programs at Professional Membership Associations: A Case Study and a Model

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:33:29 -0700

Professional membership associations present special problems for archivists because of the highly dispersed nature of their activities (and hence recordkeeping) and the constant turnover of actors. This paper presents a case study and a model for addressing archives and records issues in these types of settings, based on the conception of the archivist as a coordinator of others' activities and not a curator of records. The strategy and tactics employed here may also work well in an era when organizational hierarchies are being eliminated and when electronic recordkeeping systems are becoming dominant.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Research Article
Authors
- Stephen C. Wagner

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 62

Journal Issue Volume 62, Number 1 / 1999

[The American Archivist] Council Meeting Minutes

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:32:54 -0700

Council Meeting Minutes

Content Type Journal Article
Category Additional Matter (Contributors, Ads, Council Minutes, etc.)

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 61

Journal Issue Volume 61, Number 2 / 1998

[The American Archivist] "Clothing Facts in Words": Archivists and the Holocaust

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:32:54 -0700

"Clothing Facts in Words": Archivists and the Holocaust

Content Type Journal Article
Category Review Essay
Authors
- Barbara L. Craig, Editor
- Jeffrey Mifflin

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 61

Journal Issue Volume 61, Number 2 / 1998

[The American Archivist] Developing International Cataloging Standards for Archival Holdings: Rosarkhiv-RLG-Hoover Project, 1994-1997

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:32:54 -0700

This article describes the first joint international cataloging project designed to develop mutually acceptable standards of exchanging Russian archival descriptions through the Research Libraries Information Network (RLIN) using MARC AMC format. The participants in the project were the Federal Archival Service of Russia (Rosarkhiv), which selected appropriate archival repositories and supervised the project's implementation in Russia; the Hoover Institution Archives, which performed quality control for all RLIN records created by Russian archivists; and the Research Libraries Group, which provided a wide range of technical support and the RLIN database to host the created records. The authors discuss project standards and methodology, work organization and implementation, as well as the need to develop mutually acceptable international bibliographic and subject standards to facilitate information exchange through the international multiscript databases.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Article
Authors
- Natasha Lyandres
- Olga Leontieva

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 61

Journal Issue Volume 61, Number 2 / 1998

[The American Archivist] Archival MARC Records and Finding Aids in the Context of End-User Subject Access to Archival Collections

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:32:54 -0700

This article discusses the findings of a study to determine the extent to which archival MARC records represent chronological, geographical, personal, and corporate information contained in corresponding finding aids to archival collections. A content analysis of twenty finding aids to archival collections and their corresponding archival MARC records was conducted. The data suggest that the level of representation in archival MARC records varies depending on subject category. Geographical terms were the most likely to be represented, followed by personal names, chronological terms, and lastly corporate names. Allowing for the searching of full-text electronic finding aids would enable end users to benefit not only from the subject information present at the collection level and in the abstract, but also from the areas in finding aids that tend to get less MARC representation: scope/content notes, historical/biographical information, series summaries, and container information.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Article
Authors
- Rita L. H. Czeck

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 61

Journal Issue Volume 61, Number 2 / 1998

[The American Archivist] The Applicability of Natural Language Processing (NLP) to Archival Properties and Objectives

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:32:53 -0700

Natural language processing (NLP) is an extremely powerful operation—one that takes advantage of electronic text and the computer's computational capabilities, which surpass human speed and consistency. How does NLP affect archival operations in the electronic environment? This article introduces archivists to NLP with a presentation of the NLP Continuum and a description of the Archives Axiom, which is supported by an analysis of archival properties and objectives. An overview of the basic information retrieval (IR) framework is provided and NLP's application to the electronic archival environment is discussed. The analysis concludes that while NLP offers advantages for indexing and accessing electronic archives, its incapacity to understand records and recordkeeping systems results in serious limitations for archival operations.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Article
Authors
- Jane Greenberg

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 61

Journal Issue Volume 61, Number 2 / 1998

[The American Archivist] Historical Resources in the Local Church: A Field Report on a Largely Gay and Lesbian Congregation

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:32:53 -0700

The author presents a consultative field study report describing how the archives and historical records collection of a congregation associated with the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches were organized with little personnel resources and financial support. Details are given concerning the religious, political, social, and cultural aspects that influenced the design of the collection. Rationale and examples are given concerning how the controlled-vocabulary subject file was built and how descriptive catalog records and folders of manuscript items were developed. Problems related to continued development of the collection and to the need for electronic access to records are also discussed.

Content Type Journal Article
Category Article
Authors
- W. Bernard Lukenbill

Journal American Archivist
Print ISSN 0361-9081

Journal Volume Volume 61

Journal Issue Volume 61, Number 2 / 1998