Report / Practical exercise equivalent to 2500 words
50%
Learning outcomes
The module should enable students to:
describe the nature of archives and the pattern of archive keeping in the UK;
be aware of professional standards and guidelines; and to be able to outline their main provisions;
be able to identify and explain best practice in repository and collection management, public service delivery and access;
be aware of the impact of IT and the internet on archives;
be able to locate a wide range of archival sources;
be able to explain the principles of provenance and archival integrity and be aware of standards for archival description
Brief description
The module is intended to provide a broad introduction to the management of archives for students who may never previously have encountered archives, or had experience of work in an archive repository. It examines the principles of archive administration and the nature of archives and considers the management of archive services in a variety of organisations.
In particular, the nature of archival material, UK legislative provisions and professional standards and guidelines, archive management in relation to the storage and preservation of archives etc. The processing of archive collections will also be dealt with from acquisition and appraisal, to sorting and arranging and the preparation of finding aids. A substantial part of the course examines the impact of IT and the internet on archives and archive services
Reading Lists
Books ** Recommended Background
Preliminary Reading
Kitching, C (1996) Archives, the very essence of our heritage
Chichester: Phillimore
** Recommended Consultation
Core text
Judith Ellis (ed) (1993) Keeping Archives
Port Melbourne: Thorpe in Association with Australian Society of Archivists