Records Mgmt & Archiving

Managing Archives
Foundations, Principles and Practice
Caroline Williams
Chandos Publishing (Oxford) Limited, 2006
Xvii + 248pp., ISBN 1-84334-112-3


see: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/services/pdf/summer2006.pdf
(p.10-11)

In this book the author, Caroline
Williams, seeks to achieve two
things: to provide an introduction
to the theory and principles that
are fundamental to both archives
and records management and also
to offer practical guidance to those
who have responsibility for
archives.
The book is intended to be a basic
handbook for students studying
archives and records, for new
archive professionals, and for those
who have responsibility for archive
collections but who do not have
any prior experience or professional
archival qualification.
The most substantial chapters of
the book, three to six, focus on the
basic functions of archive services –
to collect, preserve and make
available. Chapters one and two
provide an introduction to the
nature of archives and records, to
fundamental principles, to national
and organisational models, and to
archives in the UK and Ireland. The
final chapter deals with issues of
managing an archive service.
Since 1987 the ‘standard’ text for
the above audiences has been the
two editions of Keeping Archives,
produced under the auspices of the
Australian Society of Archivists. This
excellent book has provided a
comprehensive introduction to the
practicalities of managing archives
for almost two decades. However
as the second edition was
published in 1993 and with a third
edition yet to appear there is
certainly space in the UK for an up
to date handbook such as
Managing Archives. This is a book
that will very quickly find its way
onto the shelves of numerous
archive services and onto student
readings lists.
Given the constraints imposed by
size/length it is not an easy task to
introduce satisfactorily archival
theories and principles, and provide
practical guidance. As a result there
is unevenness in the book. The
treatment of some topics is so
summary as to beg the question of
why they were included if they
could not be allocated more space.
‘Archives in the UK and Ireland’
(pp30-31) is a case where brevity
does not serve well. Deaccessioning
is recognised as a
fraught issue but dealt with in a
single sentence with no reference
to what options might be
considered or where further
information could be obtained
(p48). Emergency planning is dealt
with in a paragraph although some
further references are provided in
this instance (p186).
Where topics are given fuller
consideration, the book is
extremely useful. The section on
appraisal provides a concise
introduction to approaches, to
appraisal and to various appraisal
theories. The list of questions that
the archivist should ask of
themselves when appraising a
collection (pp58-59) is as useful to
the experienced as to the
inexperienced archivist. Taken
together with the personal account
of dealing with the appraisal of the
records of Preston Dock, the author
provides comprehensive guidance
and reassurance. Archival
arrangement and description
receive the same high quality
treatment. Some examples are
provided in this chapter that would
be of particular benefit to a nonarchivist
seeking to understand the
way in which archival catalogues
are structured and arranged.
Overall this is a book to be
recommended. The presentation
leaves a little to be desired. It is
more or less impossible to read
some of the screen shots included
and some tables are split
irritatingly over two pages.
Nevertheless the author should be
congratulated for producing a
thoroughly readable and useful
handbook.
Mary Ellis
CyMAL: Museums,Archives and
Libraries Wales