The form and function of archival theory

Graham, Nicholas M.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/78249 Copy

Description

Title

The form and function of archival theory

Author(s)

Graham, Nicholas M.

Issue Date

1997

Keyword(s)

• Archives
• Information theory

Abstract

"The study of archives in the United States is still very new. State archival programs did not appear until the early 1900s and the National Archives was not founded until 1934. Much of the first few decades of archival practice saw a focus on purely practical concerns. Now that widely accepted principles are in place, some archivists are beginning to wax philosophical and to explore the function of the archivist in society and in the preservation of history. Not everyone agrees that this is a good idea. Some archivists have written that this kind of theorizing is distracting and unnecessary. This paper examines a recent debate on archival theory. Various viewpoints are discussed and the question as to whether archivists should be ""educated"" or ""trained"" is addressed. It is argued that archivists--both in the field and in academia--need to be wary of the dangers of growing stagnant and lagging behind the rest of society. In order for the archives to continue to grow and to maintain their important role in society, theoretical exploration and experimentation is necessary. Archival theory is not a luxury, it is a necessity."

Publisher

Graduate School of Library and Information Science. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Series/Report Name or Number

Katharine Sharp Review ; no. 004, Winter, 1997

ISSN

1083-5261

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/78249

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 1997 is held by Nicholas M. Graham

Owning Collections