Archives For The Lay Person

Collections management can be a daunting task for volunteers and employees alike. Archives for the Lay Person provides practical, step-by-step guidance for those managing all facets of archival collections at small organizations.

Archival Arrangement and Description: Analog to Digital includes historical background, touches on accessioning, standards, technical appraisal for digital formats, incorporates the OAIS preservation model with processing of digital formats, offers a step-by-step workflow and helpful appendices. It concludes with a future possibility and challenge.

To meet the demands of archivists increasingly tasked with the responsibility for hybrid collections, this indispensable guide covers contemporary archival practice for managing analog and digital materials in a single publication. Terms describing activities central to the archival process—such as appraisal, acquisition, arrangement, description, storage, access, and preservation—are included. In addition, responsibilities traditionally considered outside the purview of the archivist but currently impacting professional activities—such as cybersecurity, digital forensics, digital curation, distributed systems (e.g., cloud computing), and distributed trust systems (e.g., blockchain)—are also covered. The Handbook is divided into ten sections: current environment; records creation and recordkeeping systems; appraisal and acquisition; arrangement and description; storage and preservation; digital preservation; user services; community outreach and advocacy; risk management, security and privacy; and management and leadership. Some terms touch on more than one category, which made sorting a challenge. Readers are encouraged to consult both the table of contents and the index, as a topic may be addressed in more than one entry. A total of 111 entries by 105 authors are defined and described in The Handbook. The majority (79) of the contributors were from the US, 12 from Canada, 7 from the United Kingdom, 3 from Australia, 1 each from Germany, Jamaica, New Zealand, and the Russian Federation. Because archival practice differs among practitioners in different countries, this work represents an amalgamation. The Handbook was written primarily for archival practitioners who wish to access desired information at the point of need. However, can also serve as a valuable resource for students pursuing careers in the archival profession and information professionals engaged in related fields.

This book is the first attempt to introduce the current status of archival practices in Japan as well as the basic views of the populace on making records accessible to English readers. In general, Japan has not paid sufficient attention to keeping and utilizing records except in the field of historical research. This book thus examines Japanese attitudes about history, records management, information acts, the status of archivists of the constitution, and genealogical research practices and a description of archives. Consequently, such investigations clarify how both private and public archives function or fail to do so in those spheres of Japanese society. In addition, this book presents the efforts in wartime record keeping in Australia, which is significantly different from how the Japanese deal with such records. This book therefore provides a clear and concrete picture of the status of current archival practices in Japan and the thinking that underlies them. On the basis of such examinations, this book enables readers to understand to what extent and how the past affects the present through archives, to recognize the importance of archives, and to respect the past in order to maintain and develop perspectives in people’s lives.

Archival Basics for Historic Record Collections is an introduction to the concepts, policies, infrastructure and tasks needed to collect, preserve and make archival collections available to researchers. The book is based on content presented in workshops by the Council of State Archivists and presented in an on-line course by the American Association of State and Local History since 2003. Arp focuses on the discreet tasks necessary to manage archival collections. This is a practical, how-to book on managing archival collections designed for those who have responsibility for such collections but lack formal archival training. The book begins by defining historic records, archival collections and the differences between archives, libraries and museums while identifying the steps needed to manage archival collections. It then looks at collecting archival items including creating a collections policy, documenting the acquisition of archival items and the steps needed to bring those items into an archives. It discusses arranging, preserving and describing archival collections so researchers can find the information they seek. Next, it goes over what is needed to store, protect, and make archival collections available to researchers. The last chapters contemplates the policies, skills and infrastructure needed to successfully manage digital records and looks at creating digital copies of analog records to promote their use. The book provides templates, questionnaires and examples to enable the reader to create customized archival policies and procedures that accommodate the particular circumstances they find themselves in. The book also contains exercises and quizzes designed to reinforce the retention and understanding of critical concepts. In addition to examples it has lists of additional resources so those who want more detailed information on particular topics can find it. This book is not the only reference book needed by those doing archival work, but it should be the first book they need.

The book represents the culmination of a hugely successful heritage preservation project initiated by the Government of India’s Department of Science and Technology. It presents extensive research on the digital preservation of the history, mythology, art, architecture and culture of the world heritage site Hampi in Karnataka, the seat of the Vijayanagara dynasty in medieval India. Further, the book introduces readers to a range of techniques developed by Indian technical research groups for digitally preserving both the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the region. These techniques are sufficiently generic to be applied in heritage preservation efforts for other historical sites around the world as well. Technological advances have made it possible to not only create digital archives of these heritage artifacts, but to also share these resources for people to view, explore, experience, and analyze. This book showcases how cutting-edge technology can be combined with cultural and historical research to digitize and preserve heritage. It is the consolidation of work conducted under the Indian Digital Heritage project, a unique initiative of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India. The project involved collaboration between researchers in the areas of Technology, Computer Science, Architecture and the Humanities for the digital documentation and interpretation of India’s tangible and intangible heritage. It highlights the art, architecture, and cultural legacy of the world heritage site of Hampi in Karnataka, the medieval capital of the 14th-16th century Vijayanagara dynasty. The contributors to this book are scientists and technology experts from prominent academic institutes in India such as the IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology), NIIT, and NID (National Institute of Design) working in collaboration with some of India’s top architects, art historians, anthropologists, heritage groups and multi-disciplinary cultural institutions such as the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS). Their papers will introduce readers to cutting-edge technologies from research areas such as computer vision, 3D modeling and artificial intelligence as they are employed to preserve art and culture in the digital domain. The book is divided into four parts. Part 1 details efforts and techniques for modeling and representing the tangible heritage of Hampi, such as the reconstruction of damaged structures, realistic walk-throughs, and haptic rendering. Part 2 includes chapters detailing the analysis and digital restoration of artifacts such as mural paintings, inscriptions and sculptures, as well as mobile-based visual search for artifacts. Part 3 includes chapters on conjectural re-constructions of the architectural life, social life and traditions of Hampi. Lastly, Part 4 addresses the knowledge-based archiving and exploration of cultural heritage.

Acts of Giving examines issues surrounding donation-the giving of property, particularly landed property-in northern Spain during the tenth century. Exploring the place of giving within a broad complex of social and economic concerns, Wendy Davies highlights the centrality of Spain to some of the core themes of medieval European history.