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| title | chunk | source | category | tags | date_saved | instance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archival science | 3/3 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archival_science | reference | science, encyclopedia | 2026-05-05T15:07:40.340034+00:00 | kb-cron |
=== Archival preservation === Preservation, like provenance, is concerned with the proper representation of archival materials. Archivists are primarily concerned with maintaining the record, along with the context in which it was produced, and making this information accessible to the user. Tout ensemble is a definition relating to preservation. This definition encompasses the idea of context and the importance of maintaining context. When a record is removed from its fellow records, it loses its meaning. In order to preserve a record it must be preserved in its original entirety or else it may lose its significance. This definition relates to the principle of provenance and respect des fonds as it similarly emphasizes the idea of the original record. Metadata is key for the preservation of context within archival science. Metadata, as defined by the SAA, is "data about data". This data can help archivists locate a specific record, or a variety of records within a certain category. By assigning appropriate metadata to records or record aggregates, the archivist successfully preserves the entirety of the record and the context in which it was created. This allows for better accessibility and improves authenticity. Physical maintenance is another key feature of preservation. There are many strategies to preserve archives properly: rehousing items in acid-free containers, storing items in climate controlled areas, and copying deteriorating items.
=== Digital preservation ===
Digital preservation involves the implementation of policies, strategies, and actions in order to ensure that digitized documents remain accurate and accessible over time. Due to newly emerging technologies, archives began to expand and require new forms of preservation. Archival collections expanded to include new media such as microfilm, audiofiles, visualfiles, moving images, and digital documents. Many of these new types of media have a shorter life expectancy than paper. Migration from older non-paper formats to newer non-paper formats is necessary for the preservation of digital media so they can remain accessible. Metadata is an important part of digital preservation as it preserves the context, usage, and migration of a digital record. Similarly to traditional preservation, metadata is required to preserve the authenticity and accessibility of a record.
=== Information access === Preserved materials in digital archives can be accessed usually by specifying their metadata, or by content-based search such as full text search when using dedicated information retrieval approaches. These usually return results ranked in terms of their relevance to user queries. Novel retrieval methods for document archives can use other ranking factors such as contemporary relevance and temporal analogy.
== Critical archival studies == In 2002, the journal Archival Science published a series of articles that analyzed systems of power in archival practice, theory, and recordkeeping. This approach was described in 2017 by Punzalan, Caswell, and Sangwand as "critical archival studies". Critical archival studies applies critical theory to archival science, with the goal of developing and implementing archival practices that are more fully inclusive of matters pertaining to race, class, gender, sexuality, and ability. For example, it includes documentation of racist acts and references past omissions of such. There are synergies between critical archival studies and digital humanities, to work to resist oppression. Archival studies have focused renewed concern on recognition and representation of indigenous, community, and human rights archives. Archival practice is increasingly alert to colonial and imperialist implications. Since 2016, the concept of "symbolic annihilation" has been used to describe the disappearance of communities through systematic or implicit lack of representation or under-representation in archives. It was initially adapted into the archival literature by Caswell from feminist uses of symbolic annihilation. This absence can also be found in archival policies as well as description and annotation practices. Preservation and usage of accurate language and descriptions of community archives ensures that community values are not neglected, and contributes to critical archival discussions regarding omissions in historical documentation. Hughes-Watkins has demonstrated that mainstream archival institutions tend to preserve homogeneous, Eurocentric content within archival practice, with a significant lack of attention to other, diverse perspectives.
== Professional and advanced education == In 2002, the Society of American Archivists published guidelines for a graduate program in archival studies. The guidelines were most recently revised and re-approved in 2016. Formal courses of study in archival science are available at the master's and doctoral level. A master's degree is typically a two-year professional program focusing on acquiring a knowledge base of archival skills (including digital records and access systems) whereas a doctorate is more broad in scope and includes critical inquiry of its archival practices, with graduates typically preparing for careers in research and teaching. Archival science students may have academic backgrounds in areas such as anthropology, economics, history, law, library science, museum studies or information science.
== Associations ==
=== Professional === Professional archivist associations seek to foster study and professional development:
=== Regional === Smaller professional regional associations provide more local professional development. Examples in the United States include the New England Archivists, Society of Rocky Mountain Archivists, Society of Ohio Archivists, Society of North Carolina Archivists, and Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference.
== See also ==
== Notes ==
== References ==
== Sources == Kennedy-Grimsted, Patricia, ed. (2015) [2000]. Archives in Russia: A Directory and Bibliographic Guide to Holdings in Moscow and St. Petersburg. New York: Routledge.
== External links ==
The Academy of Certified Archivists Australian Society of Archivists