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Reading About Archives

When I entered the profession nearly four decades, there were few manuals or monographs on archives, preservation, or records management. For a sense of my perspective on all matters archival, I recommend a glance at my blog, "Reading Archives," that I compiled for two and a half years until the Spring 2009.  Here you can find descriptions of new or recent scholarly and other publications concerning (broadly) the nature and importance of archives in society. Without question, there is more analysis of archives, the archival profession, and the archival mission than ever before.

Although it is questionable that there is at present broad public comprehension about what archivists do or even how archival holdings are formed, few would argue with the notion that the public and scholarly perception is improving (but certainly at a glacial rate). What most certainly can be agreed is that it is essential to adopt a broad and systematic regimen of reading across disciplines and through both scholarly and popular venues in order to gain any useful understanding of archives. With this blog, I offered critical observations on the scholarly and popular literature analyzing the nature of archives or contributing to our understanding of archives in society. Although I ceased contributing to this blog (in order to focus on other priorities), I have left it on the Web for consultation.

I also contribute regularly to the blog, “What SIS Faculty Are Reading.”

 

I started at an early age, seen here about 1951.

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