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Archives & Manuscripts Vol 22 No 2, Nov 1994
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Terry Cook
Electronic Records, Paper Minds: The revolution in information management and archives in the post-custodial and post-modernist era
Archival mindsets and solutions reflect generations of sound practice in a paper-based world. How do we recast our 'paper minds' to deal electronic realities? An understanding of the post‑modernist theories of process‑based contextuality can refresh and enliven the provenancial basis of our profession and stimulate and encourage us to 'constantly renew our discourse'. This article, based on a presentation delivered by the author during his November 1993 Australian tour, is intended to promote discussion and reflection not only within the archival profession but also within the broader audience of related information professionals as post-custodial and post-modernist trends affect all those who create, manage, preserve and use recorded information.
Anne Cooke & Jo Birkl
Small Archives or ... The Plight of the Lone Arranger
The management of small archives has been little discussed in the Australian literature, a fact which belies the large numbers who face the challenge of running them. The authors draw upon their own experience as well as upon data from a recent New Zealand report on the education of archivists to comment on the issues facing 'lone arrangers'. Access to appropriate education and training inevitably looms as one of the major needs, and funding and professional isolation are also discussed. The authors also cover some of the special implications of scale of operation, such as the need for generalist skills, dilemmas regarding level of collection control and the vital importance of exhibitions.
Chris Hurley
Data, Systems, Management and Standardisation
The author revisits his 1990 contribution to this journal on the subject of standardisation. He refines his earlier examination of the issue and introduces new issues for consideration in the standardisation debate and explores the possible advantages of cooperative action to develop common software applications. In the second half, Australian participation in recent developments towards an international standard (ISAD) is chronicled and an account is given of the development of an Australian Common Practice Manual (ACPM).
Ted Ling
Silver Linings: Purpose Built Repositories ‑ The last 25 years
Over the past twenty-five years purpose built archival repositories have changed substantially, both in their design and in the way they are perceived to perform their intended functions. From once being considered merely as monolithic, nuclear bombproof structures in which to house limitless quantities of records, a much greater appreciation of these facilities has evolved. There is now a greater understanding of their total integrity and of the way in which many components combine to provide conditions necessary for the preservation of permanent value records. This article focuses on how purpose built archival repositories in Australia have changed and the impact that modern technology has made on these facilities. Whilst emphasis is given to the experiences of the Australian Archives, reference is also made to other organisations.
Mark Brogan
Regulation and the Market: A rnicro-econornic analysis of strategies for electronic archives management
Electronic archives management is something we recognise as a program function of electronic recordkeeping. In organisations, electronic archives management encompasses the activities of electronic records appraisal, disposal programming (taken to include the development of programs for the hardware software migration of archivally important data) and the facilitation of preservation and access. The article argues that the contemporary emphasis by archivists on the life cycle data management approach to electronic records, regulation and public sector based electronic archives programs are insufficient to improve performance in electronic archives management. Archivists need to learn from micro‑economic theory that a market based approach is required if any real progress is to be made. The author also suggests that the basis of this approach lies with the development of software tools and related services, which transform electronic archives management from a good with a positive externality, to one with a more pronounced private goods characteristic.
