Australian Society of Archivists

View abstracts

Margaret Hedstrom
How Do Archivists Make Electronic Archives Usable and Accessible?
Electronic records research and program development has focused on the creation, management, appraisal, custody and preservation of electronic records. Archivists bave paid little attention to description of electronic records and even less to effective methods for providing access. This article discusses the limitations of access methods which rely on separate directories and finding aids for electronic records and require retrieval and copying of records from off-line storage for delivery to users. The author argues that in developing systems and methods for access to electronic records archivists must consider user needs and expectations, develop affordable methods for access and delivery, and consider how the availability of electronic archives can improve the processes and results of research. This article was prepared originally for the Documenting the Digital Age Conference held in San Francisco, California, February 10 ‑ 12, 1997 and revised for readers who are engaged in recordkeeping professions.

Sue McKemmish and Dagmar Parer
Towards Frameworks for Standardising Recordkeeping Metadata
In electronic networked environments, IT professionals, librarians, information managers, cultural heritage players, recordkeeping professionals and other stakeholders are working together to develop coherent information architecture and metadata regimes to support document management, document discovery and document delivery. National and international efforts aim to build a global infrastructure of rules and standards in the virtual world equivalent to the regimes which manage recorded information in the paper world. The main drivers thus far have related to improving information resource identification, discovery and delivery to support information sharing and knowledge transmission via electronic networks populated by ever increasing numbers and varieties of document-like objects. New imperatives relate to supporting the transaction of business via distributed networks with the growth of electronic commerce. This article focuses on Australian research which addresses recordkeeping metadata regime requirements relating to the transaction of business in networked environments, as well as information sharing and knowledge transmission.

Chris Watson and Helen McNaught
"The best bit is when you come in and they have just made the coffee": the Post Occupancy Evaluation of the National Archives Building
The New Zealand National Archives employed active involvement of clients and staff at strategic stages in the development of its flagship' building near New Zealand’s Parliament. Participation of these building users was undertaken to achieve cost savings and ensure that the building facilitated, not frustrated, organisational needs. This paper describes the five year process from initial briefing to completion of the first stage and preparation of the second stage of development.

Chris Hurley
The Making and the Keeping of Records: (1) What Are Finding Aids For?
Different approaches to descriptive standardisation usually betoken alternative means for achieving a common purpose. The purpose is often said to be facilitating retrieval for research use. This view limits the scope of resulting standards and excludes those holding a wider view of the descriptive function. Agreement on the purpose of description (which is often assumed rather than debated) must logically precede attempts to achieve standardisation. This article asks what other purposes there are besides retrieval and argues that description is just as relevant to the creation and management of records.

R C Hol and A. G. de Vries
PIVOT Down Under: A Report
The authors explain the Dutch method, the so-called PIVOT method of mass appraisal of records (files) from the central government since 1945. This method focuses on the context of government actions vis-a-vis society. After the context has been described in an institutional report, the actions (handelingen), not the documents, are appraised for preservation in the Basic Appraisal Document. The main objective of 1he appraisal decision making process is to ensure that only evidence that enables researchers to reconstruct government actions associated with core functions will be preserved. After the appraisal phase, only the files concerning the ‘preserved actions' are described in a new Model Inventory. Other files are disposed of. Although the method is based upon archival principles, the method is criticised, especially by historians, who fear that too many records which could be useful for future research will be destroyed.

In the Agora

Stephen Yorke
'Conquering Kings Their Titles Take From the Foes They Captive Make’
In this exploratory paper, the author presents us with some archival conundrums and some fundamental challenges.

Image

Quantity: