MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY, CULTURAL HERITAGE AND MUSEUM STUDIES
MUS 110 INTRODUCTION TO ARCHIVING
LEVEL 1 SEMESTER 2
Definition of Terms
-Records are documents that individuals or institutions create.
-A record is a unit of recorded information e.g. birth certificate, CV, driver’s license.
-Pederson (1987:360) defines it as the smallest unit of a recorded material which is accumulated to form a file i.e. Letters, photographs, reports.
They provide litigation (process of going to law) support, show compliance with government regulation, supply a historical reference of transactions and events.
FORMS OF RECORDS
- Paper records- these are created on paper in form of correspondences, minutes, reports, ledgers, registers, notebooks, diaries, cartographic records i.e. maps and plans, architectural and engineering drawings(i.e. iconographic), pictures, computer print outs, handwritten manuscripts, hand drawn, typed manuscripts and printed ones.
- Records are also being created on other media other than paper e.g. Microfilm, microfiche formats or computer output or microforms in general.
- Photographic recordse.g. negatives, prints, x-rays and films.
- Records created on sound recording such as discs, tapes
- Moving images on films or video (audio-visual)
- As electric text or images copied in magnetic tapes or optical discs or in on-line database called electronic machine readable records ( electronic records)
NB Some of the records may become archives.
Archives are records worth preserving for their enduring value
Such records have a longer value as evident of information about the action or functions of an agency over time.
Archives are records but not necessarily non-current records, these usually have a continuing value and selected for permanent preservation in an archival repository.
According to Sir Jenkinson a renounced British Archivist, archives are drawn up official documents of transaction and are preserved.
Archives are records irrespective of media or storage as they are official i.e. Were created of business.
They are basically the business (legal’administration policy, fiscal) records of an individual or public/ private entity preserved because of the value as evidence or because of people, place and things.
Archives are the official and/ organised records of government’s records private/ public organisations, institutions, group of people and regardless of date, form, material appearance which are no longer needed for current business but are preserved as evidence of origin, structure, function, activities, or because of the values they have.
Information in archives is of fundamental and continuing value in administrative, fiscal, legal,evidential or informational (historical) purposes.
Etymological(study of the origin and list of words and their meanings.)
The word archives is from a Greek word “archeion” and Latin word “ achivum” both meaning government office and papers there kept in.
HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS
A handwritten or typed document i.e. original unofficial records consisted of letters, diaries, other papers created by individuals and corporate body.
Public archives can’t date from before the establishment of archives; neither do they always reveal certain aspects of the past, particularly on the personal side. These gaps in the historical which were missing in the public archives are filled in by historical manuscripts which diaries, conferences papers, notebooks, reminiscence, maps, memoranda created by individuals, travellers, missionaries, administrators or by men/ women who saw and took part in the events. Historical manuscripts can include private archives from families, societies and business sources which also help to argument the historical record.
Historical manuscripts refer to both business and private archives. The division of archives into historical manuscripts and public archives is artificial since these records would have been selected for permanent preservation thus making them all archives.
Because public archives do not tell the truth/ story about certain events or decisions the National Archives approach members of public, political parties and politicians, religious organisations, clubs , associations and other private organisation to donate their documents to the archives or at least allow copies to be made available.
As a result a very valuable collection of private papers has been built up over the years. More people have recognised and realised the honourable service they are doing the country in leaving papers available for posterity. Among the papers now accessioned in that collection are Lancaster House Conference papers, diaries of David Livingstone, letters of John Moffat, of Rudd Concessions and Anglican Church records among others.
Besides providing vital information on certain topics these papers give an insight into the thoughts behind certain important decisions events or incidents.
TYPES OF ARCHIVES
Archives are divided into three categories
- Public Archives – are created in public e.g. by the govt.
- Private Archives- are created by individuals.
- Business Archives- created by the private institutions.
a)Public archives are official created by the state local authorities, statutory bodies or parastatals.
b)Private are created by individuals during the conduct of their business e.g. diaries
c)Business are created by non-governmental organisations, they preserve the history of an organisation, companies and similar enterprises.
USES OF ARCHIVES
- They are need on a daily basis as they are a source of information about action taken or decisions recorded in the past which continues to affect our rights to affects our rights and entitlements
- Registers of births, marriages, deaths, adoptions help to establish our identity, our ancestry or birth rights.
- Title deeds contain evidence of individual rights to real estate or age of building and succession of its ownership.
- Charter defines corporate rights and privileges’
Potent (powerful) for designs and inventions protect commercial interests.
- At national level are key to understand govt’s past policiesand decisions which have affected every sphere of life in both domestic and foreign policy.
- Serve as wider cultural need as they provide a framework for our understanding of the past, how our fore bearer thought and behaved, what life was like for them, how they worked and played, social, political, religious context of their lives.
- At local community level, they help to explain how a building, street village or town or for a matter of business or other organisation like shape and why it is as it is now.
- They provide answers for particular puzzle of local history as they preserve primary sources that are unlike books and newspapers they are unbiased.
- They make efficient research possible
- They preserve our cultural heritage for posterity
- They fill in official needs.
- They protect the public interests.
- They free office space to current operations.
THE VALUES OF ARCHIVES
1Administrative Value- the value of records and archives for the conduct of current or future business as evidence therefore:
2Evidential Value- provides evidence of its origin, structure, sanction procedures and significant transactions as distinct from informational value.
3Informational Value- for reference and research deriving from information they contain as distinct from evidential value.
4Legal Value- for the conduct of current of future or legal business and evidence thereof:
5Fiscal Value- value of records or archives for the conduct of current future financial or fiscal business and as evidence of thereof:
RECORDS HELP TO:
- Formulate policies
- Make appropriate decisions
- Provide corporate memory
- Achieve greater efficiency, productivity and consistency
- Meets statutoryand regulatory requirements (meeting requirements of law).
- We keep records to protect the organisation’s interest and those of its staff and clients.
- To document activities and achievements
- To reduce the risk associated with missing evidence of decisions and actions.
- In government organisations are important for
Transparency
Accountable
Good Governance
Recorded information protects human rights and it underscores the rule of law and fair and equal treatment of citizens
Citizens expect the govt to maintain reliable and accurate documentary evidence of its decisions and actions e.g. records are the basis of determining whether revenue collected on behalf of the citizens is spends in a way that benefits them e.g. health, education.
CREATION OF RECORDS
-They are created and used by all people and institution daily.
-records are created in transactional process of govt as laws are made, budgets prepared, surveys conducted, reports made, instruction formulated and issued, letters received, responses given to enquiries, statistics compiled, staff recruited, promoted, demoted,retired,deaths,marriages, births, registered taxes, other deduced levied economic plans, formulated licenses, nurseries and schools built, certificate of educational attainment issued as various govt processes are carried out.
-records exist primarily because of the need to keep a record of transactions carried out
-no government can function without records
-if records exist and they are not well managed it is equally difficult to achieve efficiency
Types of Records
Public Records –those records created, received and maintained in any agency of govt.
Private Records- records relating to private affairs and are created by non-governmental institution, organisation, families and individuals.
FORMS OF RECORDS
-Records are created on the following forms
a) Paper-based AKA Hard-copy
-Information is created on any form of paper is considered a paper document e.g. business forms, purchase orders, blue prints, index cards, memos, letterheads, maps, stationery.
b) Microform based
-Information is recorded on any type of microform
-hardcopy is filmed and reduced in size are called micro images or microforms
Categories of microforms include roll film, microfiche.
c) Electronic Records
-Information recorded in a digital form such as computer tapes, floppy disks, magnetic tapes, optical and hard disks.
-Digital data can be stored internally in a computer (online) an externally (offline) on floppy disks or magnetic tapes etc.
-Digital data is received and stored through microcomputers, main frame computers etc.
-Digital based records are electronic files.
USES OF RECORDS
- Verification of facts.
- Compilation of reports and studies
- Research
- Finding precedent
- Collection of statistical data
- Handling of legal claims
- Protection of national interests.
- Restoration of buildings
- Administration
-Records are the corporate foundation of a corporate memory of an organisation.
-foundation for the management of knowledge
-foundation for the accountability and good government and sound governance.
WHY KEEP RECORDS
Serve as a memory
They are created and used on a daily basisto document action, confirm decisions, identity rights and responsibilities and communicate information.
Without records today govt cannot operate, it is no longer possible to remember vast quantities of information.
-govt uses records for various purposes:
a) Documenting work performance of workers or employees
b) Confirmingpensions leave benefits and health.
c) Confirming and reviewing policies and procedures
d) Confirming citizen’s (actions) rights such as benefits or land ownership.
e) Providing information about past actions and decisions.
-Govt employees rely on records to provide co- information for conducting their private business.
-the National library, Museum, Archives and other national institutions are essential research resources.
WHO USES ARCHIVES AND RECORDS
Govt representatives requiring info about govt activities.
Professional/ academic researchers from various disciplines.
Researchers and amateur researchers/ undergraduates.
Genealogists
Members of the public.
Others wishing to be in contact with primary sources of national culture and tradition.
Anyone with an urgent problem that can only be solved by referring to records
-once received by recipient, records provide recipient with the information needed to transact an organisation’s business.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS
Financial- created for accounting and fiscal uses e.g. financial statements and tax forms.
Legal – created for evidence of business transaction or legal decisions e.g. contracts agreements and leases
Administrative – for documenting policy, procedures, guidelines e.g. directives, reports and manuals.
Research- to determine recent development trends or new information, related to an organisation’s products and services e.g. market services, studies.
Historical – to provide a record of an organisation’s past and current activities also referred to as archival records (articles of in cooperation, deeds)
VALUES OF RECORDS
Primary – refers to the purpose to which a record was created and largely the consent of administration or creating body in its business.
Secondary – such values are for the purposes other than for those purposes it was created and essentially a concern for archivists who have to bear the interest of the public.
-the record appraiser has to look at or for such value in records.
PrimarySecondary
Administrationevidential
Legalinformational
Fiscal
Scientific
The primary or active value of records is of interest to the organisation only for current operation and includesadministrative,fiscal, legal and scientific uses.
-NB Primary values are for the originators of records.
Records are preserved in archival institutions because theyhave values that will exist longer after they cease to be of current use to the originator.
When a record is now of others, other than for current uses it is has a secondary value
Secondary values are for researchers and private users
ADMINISTRATIVE VALUE
It is a primary value of records for the admin or operations of creating agency or success in function.
Records have an admin value if they help an organisation to perform its current work whether short or long term work e.g. requisition and admin memos have short term value, directives, and regulation have long term, statistical or internal reports- long term.
LEGAL
Records that have a legal value contain evidence of the legal rights and obligation of an organisation e.g. leases, property titles deeds, contracts, legal decisions and legal opinions, agreements and potent
FISCAL
These relate to all financial transaction and are accumulated for fiscal or year-end use e.g. budget documents, vouchers, ledgers, accounting records, tax payments records, licences, invoices, cancelled cheques, payroll documents etc.
SCIENTIFIC /RESEARCH VALUE
These consist of technical data gathered as a result of scientific research.
These records may also be used for organisational studies or in legal investigations.
SECONDARY OR IN ACTIVE
Records may have historical or archive use i.e. evidential and information.
EVIDENTIAL VALUE
These deals with organisation’s origins, policies, procedures e.g. directives, manuals, organisational charts, articles or corporation and handbooks.
INFORMATIOMAL VALUE
Deal with information generated by an organisation, in which the data relates to persons, place, things and phenomena e.g. lists of boards of directors, documents signed by well known person /s, patient documents, building blue prints, field survey notebooks, aerial photographs, maps, documents dealing with an election or same catastrophe like a fire or flood.
NB-same records may have more than one value, different values at different times.
TERMINOLOGY
ACQUISITION- it is the acquiring or accepting of archival material by archival institution. In an addition to the holdings of records centre or archives whether by transfer, purchases deposit, gift /bequest or loan. It is the responsibility of the archives to acquire records of its parent’s organisations (by approved disposal schedules) and the records of outside persons or bodies (subject to archival appraisal and legal transfer of custody, title and rights. Agreements for acquisition oblige the archive to care for the records indefinitely and represent a major continuing commitment of resources. Materials acquired by archives see it fit which includes the right of archives to de-accession or dispose of material deemed non-archival. The process and condition of acquisition must comply with the guidelines and procedures devised by the archives. Acquisition is again the basic duty for the archivist. In certain condition archivists start to be involve for it is at that point that decisions are being made as to what will be kept or destroyed and what point it is preserved.
ACCESSIONING- is a process of transferring records to the physical custody or legal control of an archival institution.
The culmination of the appraisal process-records accessioned by an archival institution become its property and responsibility and must be cared for and made available to researchers. Records no longer needed for the conduct of current business shall be accession in an archival institution.
Accessioning is the recording of all former acceptances into the custody of an acquisition.
Archives should keep a record of accessing. This may easily be achieved by using a register showing dates of transfer, transferring organisation, class and pieces of references, description of class, agreed access, arrangement and location of file in archival repository. Accessioningis the accepting of archival material by an archival institution. Details are entered into the Accession Register. It is a formal process in which documents the transfer of legal title of archival material to the archives.
DEACCESSIONING-removing items permanently from the archives just as you can accession material, bringing material under the archives control, so too can de-accession the material.
FORMS OF ACQUISITION
BEQUEST
When an archival institution receives materials when somebody dies usually through a lawyer e.g. wills.
DEPOSIT
It’s the physical transfer of records to the archives without the legal transfer title. It is the placing of documents into the archives’ custom also referred to as documents covered by a single deposit.
DONATION
Archives receive acquisition through donation from local citizens, private institutions, other associations and groups.
Archives can solicit for donations by letting the communities know about the existence and interests
Archives should be active participant’s rather passive recipients of archival material.
TRANSFER
This is moving archival material from one institution to another.
LOANS
ARRANGEMENT AND DESCRIPTION
All records brought into archival custody shall be arranged and described according to principles to the extent necessary to make them available for research.
Records that have not been processed cannot be used by researchers.
PRESERVATION
Is the basis for an archival programme, efforts are made to provide facilities, the environment and resources to prolong the life of records in custody.
CONSERVATION
It is a treatment of library and archival material, works of art or museum objects to stabilise them chemically and to strengthen them.