Archivists have principal duties related to their institution's
records or acquisitions. As we've seen in the general definition of an archivist, they select or acquire
records, then manage, describe and preserve those records. Duties and activities can
also be determined by enviroment or medium
as well.
Selection/Appraisal--Looking at the archivist from the records side of the table,
an archivist's involvement can range from the creation of that record, or its appraisal
stage to it later preservation stage or its disposal. When taking in a record, the
archivist must judge its importance and relevance to the institution. Once selected, the
record is not guaranteed permanency. Institutions must reappraise acquisitions to insure
that these records are still important and relevant.
Description/Access-- Archivists create finding aids (catalogues, description lists, etc.) describing their archive's collection. These finding aids tell staff and the public what the archive possesses. Special finding aids can be used to highlight particular items or collections within the repository, such as "Naval History" or a known person's letters, within the larger collection.
Reference -- Like a library, the archival reference service helps researchers locate items and resources. Unlike a library, since records are not held in open stacks and they sometimes consist of unpublished items, archivists are responsible for bringing the record to the patron and informing him/her of copyright laws or other restrictions.
Outreach and other duties-- Fund raising and collections growth can benefit from outreach activities. Outreach could be reaching out to the public, a board of directors, certain communities to create or enlarge user groups, educate, encourage donation of materials, support budget proposals, enlist new members, or just get the word out about particular projects and events.
According to Mary Jo Pugh, author of Providing Reference Services for Archives and Manuscripts (SAA, 1992), "To use archives, users need intellectual, legal, and physical access to them."
Here the reference archivist provides guidance to the researcher.
Part of this is found in the description/access phase of archival duties, but maybe a step
further. Even the best finding aids cannot tell the user everything they need to
know and not everything is found in the finding aid. During the reference interview the
archivist can educate the patron about what is available and what items or collections may
be best suited for their needs. This could also mean informing researcher about holding
and resources at other institutions.
Legal
Legal access is between intellectual and physical access. On the intellectual side, the reference archivist informs the user about any legal restrictions or permissions concerning the record or collection. The archivist should inform the user about the Freedom of Information Act (or other similar laws or policies as they apply), copyright, and privacy issues. Concerning copyright, especially if its status is unsure, the archivist should provide as much information about the records' creators, owners, or producers. One the physical side, there may be restrictions on making copies (even for personal use) or viewing.
Mainly for preservation and security reasons many archival records are not readily available to users in open stacks. The reference archivist must decide how to physically bring the records to the user. Should the researcher use a copy of the record or the original item? Copies allow for mass usage and dissemination and protect the original item from theft, exposure, and other dangers. Yet users like seeing the document or record first hand, and it is up to the archivist to decide when to bring out the original. Users can also include other institutions, which may want to borrow items for exhibition or other reasons. When the archives provides the user with an original, the archivist is responsible for informing the user how to handle the record and ensure its protection.
Pugh extends the physical access to the environment the user is in. The archives needs to
have a place where the patron can view the records. For some places, one desk in a quiet
corner, larger institutions may have study rooms. If needed, equipment for viewing. For
example, if the record is a film, the archive would need a public projector or video
player. Hours for viewing must be accommodating, depending on the institution. Policies
set must strike a balance between protection and access.
(Pugh, Mary Jo, "Reference Services in Archives", Archival Outlook,
September 1995, p.16-17.)
Last edited 01/17/00 Maxwells