This thesis is an examination of the ideas of the eminent American archivist, T.R. Schellenberg (1903-1970), on the arrangement, description, and appraisal of archives. The formulation of these ideas is set in the context of the National Archives of the United States where Schellenberg was employed for more than twenty-five years. The National Archives was the first archival institution to attempt to deal with the problems created by large volumes of records. Accordingly, Schellenberg1 writings—the most famous of which is the book Modern Archives; Principles and Techniques (1956)—are concerned primarily with finding solutions to these problems, especially with regard to arrangement, description, and appraisal. His skilful blending of archival theory and practice in the presentation of general principles and techniques is emphasized, as well as his important role in the modernization of the archival profession. Through a comparison with the writings of other archivists, it is concluded that Schellenberg1s ideas have a continuing relevance for present day archivists. / Arts, Faculty of / Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS), School of / Graduate

Small archives are essential for understanding the historical context of social groups and geographic communities by those who live in them or study them. Using a multiple case study of eight archives serving in Nova Scotia, this study delves into the factors that influence the sustainability of these institutions and employs qualitative methodologies of expert interviews and an online questionnaire. These case studies show that sustainability can be strengthened through the support of their socio-geographic, religious, or ethno-cultural communities, strong leadership able to make strategic alliances with neighboring community institutions, and continued professional relationships with regional archival councils and national associations.

The concept of systems accounts for the organization and patterns of order that characterize the natural world. Throughout the history of science, scientific activity has been based on this concept, either implicitly under a mechanistic approach or explicitly under an holistic systems approach. Contemporary science is now based on an holistic systems viewpoint that encompasses both the natural and social worlds as objects for study. Based on this context for the systems viewpoint, the thesis addresses archival constructs, arising spontaneously as a byproduct of societal activity, as instances of systems. This is an aspect of their nature that was recognized by traditional theorists, who devised the methodology that still fundamentally guides archival practice. However, the archival field has not yet recognized the applicability and utility of formal systems notions to the work of the archivist, specifically to the tasks of arrangement, description, and appraisal. The thesis argues that appropriate handling of archival constructs requires that they be treated as systems, that the concept of systems provides a necessary framework for archival theory, and that by adopting a systems viewpoint, the archival field may regain the status of a recognized profession and join with other fields of applied science that contribute to systems research.

This thesis provides a theoretical examination of the nature of public records. The study begins by outlining a view of archival theory as knowledge resulting from the analysis of ideas. This form of analysis is first applied to the concept of records, and then to the narrower concept of public records. The result is a view of public records as documents made or received and preserved by the sovereign or its agents in the legitimate conduct of governance. / Arts, Faculty of / Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS), School of / Graduate

The concept of systems accounts for the organization and patterns of order that characterize the natural world. Throughout the history of science, scientific activity has been based on this concept, either implicitly under a mechanistic approach or explicitly under an holistic systems approach. Contemporary science is now based on an holistic systems viewpoint that encompasses both the natural and social worlds as objects for study. Based on this context for the systems viewpoint, the thesis addresses archival constructs, arising spontaneously as a byproduct of societal activity, as instances of systems. This is an aspect of their nature that was recognized by traditional theorists, who devised the methodology that still fundamentally guides archival practice. However, the archival field has not yet recognized the applicability and utility of formal systems notions to the work of the archivist, specifically to the tasks of arrangement, description, and appraisal. The thesis argues that appropriate handling of archival constructs requires that they be treated as systems, that the concept of systems provides a necessary framework for archival theory, and that by adopting a systems viewpoint, the archival field may regain the status of a recognized profession and join with other fields of applied science that contribute to systems research. / Arts, Faculty of / Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS), School of / Graduate

This thesis examines the concepts of reliability, authenticity and documentary form as defined by archival diplomatics and their relation to moving image records, for the purpose of exploring the possibility of using them to develop a method for the preservation of the moving image's intellectual integrity over time. To achieve this purpose, the study establishes a correspondence between the tenriinology and the theories used to express these concepts in the two fields through an examination of archival diplomatics and moving images glossaries, dictionaries and literature. Notwithstanding the different understandings of the concepts examined, the thesis finds that when moving images can be regarded as records - that is, as contextual mediated visual and aural representations compiled for the purpose.of.entering into communication - it is possible to use archival diplomatics methodology to analyze them successfully. On the strength of this finding, the thesis proceeds to establish a correspondence between the diplomatic elements of documentary form and the components of an ideal moving image record, demonstrating parallels and explaining and reconciling differences, in order to build a template for the analysis of all kinds of moving image records. This diplomatic instrument is to be used for the identification of the formal elements of a moving image that allow for the maintenance, verification and preservation of its reliability and authenticity over the long term. The necessity of such an instrument derives from the fact that the use of digital technologies for the making, exhibiting and storing of moving images will render the ability to prove their integrity and their preservation increasingly more difficult. The thesis is concluded by a discussion relating the effects of the pervasive use of digital technologies in the field of moving images, and a demonstration of the substantial threat they present for the continuing reliability and authenticity of moving images. This discussion shows the advantages of a close cooperative effort by archivists and moving image theorists in developing interdisciplinary methods for addressing such threats that are rooted in archival diplomatics and fully respect the nature of the moving image record.

This thesis examines the concepts of reliability, authenticity and documentary form as defined by archival diplomatics and their relation to moving image records, for the purpose of exploring the possibility of using them to develop a method for the preservation of the moving image's intellectual integrity over time. To achieve this purpose, the study establishes a correspondence between the tenriinology and the theories used to express these concepts in the two fields through an examination of archival diplomatics and moving images glossaries, dictionaries and literature. Notwithstanding the different understandings of the concepts examined, the thesis finds that when moving images can be regarded as records - that is, as contextual mediated visual and aural representations compiled for the purpose.of.entering into communication - it is possible to use archival diplomatics methodology to analyze them successfully. On the strength of this finding, the thesis proceeds to establish a correspondence between the diplomatic elements of documentary form and the components of an ideal moving image record, demonstrating parallels and explaining and reconciling differences, in order to build a template for the analysis of all kinds of moving image records. This diplomatic instrument is to be used for the identification of the formal elements of a moving image that allow for the maintenance, verification and preservation of its reliability and authenticity over the long term. The necessity of such an instrument derives from the fact that the use of digital technologies for the making, exhibiting and storing of moving images will render the ability to prove their integrity and their preservation increasingly more difficult. The thesis is concluded by a discussion relating the effects of the pervasive use of digital technologies in the field of moving images, and a demonstration of the substantial threat they present for the continuing reliability and authenticity of moving images. This discussion shows the advantages of a close cooperative effort by archivists and moving image theorists in developing interdisciplinary methods for addressing such threats that are rooted in archival diplomatics and fully respect the nature of the moving image record. / Arts, Faculty of / Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS), School of / Graduate

South African institutions of preservation, such as archives, have often focused their collecting efforts on records of national significance and documenting the perspectives of the more dominant communities that represent power and government. This has resulted in the underrepresentation of certain communities in the archival heritage of the nation, such as the South African Portuguese community, whose contemporary history and experiences have not been adequately reflected in the country’s archival collections, including in those of government and other mainstream archival institutions and non-public institutions. Since South Africa has a number of Portuguese community-based organisations - and because the records they have created may be a potential resource for safeguarding the social history of this under-documented group - this study aimed to investigate the management of these records with a view of proposing a best practice model that would assist in their future management and guide their inclusion in any intended archival collection initiatives. Utilising a generic interpretive qualitative research design, the study revealed that the selected study population, namely the Portuguese community-based organisations in Gauteng, create and hold diverse types of records that may show important aspects of the community’s history that are worthy of systematic management and preservation. However, it became evident from the empirical findings that the recordkeeping practices of these organisations were performed inadequately, with records often being misplaced or discarded after their administrative use had expired. The findings also showed that, although these organisations had never thought of establishing an archival programme for themselves or depositing their records in any mainstream archives, they were willing to contribute their records to a planned archival collecting initiative of the community. Based on these findings, recommendations were made with regard to these organisational records in order to improve their management and to facilitate their potential inclusion in an archival collecting plan. The study also suggested an archival collecting framework and a model for these records. The proposed model followed an integrated approach, taking into account the community’s divergent collecting and custody preferences, such as the mainstream institutional acquisition of these records or these being preserved within community structures. / Information Science / D. Litt et Phil. (Information Science)

<p>The purpose of this study has been to examine the archival management at the 14 Student Nations in Uppsala. This may be relevant to study to extend the research in the field that Berndt Frediksson calls “empirical archival science”. Another reason is that the Student Nations hold a unique position as organisations and their archivists holds a unique position from a professional point of view as they mostly consist of students without professional archivist training. I have mainly focused on why the archival management at the Nations looked as they did. The main method that was used in the study was semi-structured interviews where I interviewed the archivists at all of the Nations.</p><p>The functions of the archives of the Nations were the same as for other societies, with the exception that these archives also were used by officials and other members as a support for finding ideas about how to run the Nation today in several ways. The archival regulations and practices that were generally followed by the Nations were the same as for societies in general, that is, among other things, the use of “Allmänna arkivschemat” (the Swedish standard archival finding aid subject heading system) and other Swedish archival standards. Many Nations also had articles specifying the tasks of their archivists. The methods used in the archival management varied to some degree between different Nations. Concerning how well the archives was being managed they were generally managed a little defectively, even if this varied between the Nations. This was because the archivists were not professionals, and this was probably inevitable because the Nations like many other societies probably cannot afford to consult skilled professionals for this. Despite this there were a few things that could be made better. The unique position held by the Nations as organisations could generate new perspectives on archival management, and not only concerning societies.</p><p>This is a one year master’s thesis in archival science.</p>

The purpose of this study has been to examine the archival management at the 14 Student Nations in Uppsala. This may be relevant to study to extend the research in the field that Berndt Frediksson calls “empirical archival science”. Another reason is that the Student Nations hold a unique position as organisations and their archivists holds a unique position from a professional point of view as they mostly consist of students without professional archivist training. I have mainly focused on why the archival management at the Nations looked as they did. The main method that was used in the study was semi-structured interviews where I interviewed the archivists at all of the Nations. The functions of the archives of the Nations were the same as for other societies, with the exception that these archives also were used by officials and other members as a support for finding ideas about how to run the Nation today in several ways. The archival regulations and practices that were generally followed by the Nations were the same as for societies in general, that is, among other things, the use of “Allmänna arkivschemat” (the Swedish standard archival finding aid subject heading system) and other Swedish archival standards. Many Nations also had articles specifying the tasks of their archivists. The methods used in the archival management varied to some degree between different Nations. Concerning how well the archives was being managed they were generally managed a little defectively, even if this varied between the Nations. This was because the archivists were not professionals, and this was probably inevitable because the Nations like many other societies probably cannot afford to consult skilled professionals for this. Despite this there were a few things that could be made better. The unique position held by the Nations as organisations could generate new perspectives on archival management, and not only concerning societies. This is a one year master’s thesis in archival science.