LIS 111 Introduction to Records Mgt.

and Archives

Topic: Concept and Context

Learning Objectives

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

1. discuss the records, records creator, and archives user.

Lesson 3. Record creators and archives users

There can be a symbiotic dependency between creators and records

managers, as well as between archivist and researchers, but the two can
also seem to have conflicting goals. It is useful to consider where the creators
of the records are coming from and what archives users expect, because it
helps us to manage records and archives more effectively.

Record creators – Most creators have a very pragmatic approach to

recordkeeping and to the minimum necessary to file them, their main concern
being the ability to retrieve them. Because they create a records, and
because they use the recordkeeping system regularly. Table 1.3 gives some
basic question and possible answer to help understand how and why
organizations create and manage records the way they do.

Table 1.3 How organizations create and manage records

Government Business Private Individual/

Family

Which records are -legislation -governing boards -key life records ( birth
created? -policy records certificate, marriage,
-agreement and framework -production, death, passport,
with citizens, industry, foreign operation or National Health Service
countries service records card)
-routine correspondence, -administrative -records and
receipts, forms, licenses support records. qualification and
-council and committee achievement
minutes
 -regulations, inspections and -personal
revenue-raising records. correspondence,
-health and education diaries
records. -home administration
records
-work and/or social life
records
Who is creating -employees -staff -individual and family
records? -citizens -customer -friends
-contractors -employees and
authorities
How they being -computer and paper filling -on computer may -on computer
organized? cabinets have ERMS -in paper systems
-Electronic Records -in paper systems -systemized
Management System ( -systemized -disorganized
ERMS) -disorganized
-in old registry systems -following
-all doing own thing standards
Following standards
Who are the -Security classified -colleagues -family
records shared -colleagues in department or -customers -friends
with? within authority -contractors -organizations to/
-colleagues across -associated which they
government business belong/interact
-public -commercially -authorities
sensitive
What -usually one or two posts -records manager -time of individuals
recordkeeping -some IT support with team
resources are -may have ERMS -ad hoc consultant
there? support
How long are the -according to the retention -according to -ad hoc solution to keep
records kept? schedule based on various retention schedule volume manageable
laws and guidance based on various
-archives facilities and laws and guidance
expertise -financial records
according to
regulation
What are the legal -freedom to retention -health and safety -proof not breaking law
issues? law law and meeting legal
-environment regulations -financial Acts and obligations
-public records Acts regulation -proof of rights
-health and safety law -sector-specific
-financial Acts and regulation legislation
-data protection -data protection
 Table 1.4 gives the main categories of archives users, suggesting their
motivation and characteristics.

Table 1.4 Archives users and their perspectives

User/ Researcher Perspectives
group
Academics  Usually highly educated , organized , focused
 May be experienced archives users
 Other expert archives to contain material relevant to
their research and be organized as they want
Genealogies  Could have any level of education , organizational skills
and experience of archives
 May be easily satisfied lots of personal name indexes-
or disappointed if not
 New genealogist need coaching
Journalist, film and TV  Confident and empowered
producers  Expert records of subjects interested in to be there and
organized in ways they imagine
 Don’t distinguish between archives, books and
artefacts
 Can be experienced researchers
Schoolchildren  Should come with teacher or parent
 Don’t know complexities of archival description
 Probably need resources based on school curriculum
 Offers opportunity to introduce them positively to
archives
Students  Could be highly educated , organized, focused,
depending on level and reason doing research
 Can be experience
 May be interested in course-related materials
Freedom of information  Ordinary citizens
/Open Data/Big Data  Very varied in terms of education and experience of
Researchers using archives
 Focused on particular information in archives/ records
 May be need to think laterally to find what they are
looking for
Personal history  Probably in experienced in archive use
researchers  Probably anxious or stressed
 Interested in names, institutional records
 Need sensitive and /or appropriately qualified support
Local historians  Can be very knowledgeable and how archives better
than archivist
 May have own collections of archives materials
 May expect archives to be organized like a local
studies library
House history  Very focused on own house
 Probably not experienced in using archives
 May be frustrated at lack of archives resources

References:

1. Crockett, M. (2016). The no-nonsense guide to archives and recordkeeping.

London: Facet Publishing

2. Hunter, G.S. (2003). Developing and maintaining practical archives: a how-to-do-

it manual. New York: Neal-Schuman.
3. Millar, L. (2010). Archives: principles and practices. London: Facet Publishing.
4. https://www.trentu.ca/library/archives/tutorial. Retrieved July 1, 2020