A few archiving rules

The handbook for all good archivists:


Role and activities of an archive manager

- essential archiving activities
- rules to be followed
- means to be used


Activities of an archive manager:

  • advise, support and communicate
    - inform and advise the various departments of the organisation in terms of regulations, filing and storage of documents
    - leading the archive correspondent network
  • manage documents
    - through the organisation and coordination of document collection from all the departments in the organisation
    - through the management and storage of these documents
    - through reporting of documents of historical interest
  • make available and utilise documents
    - respond to consultation requests from the various departments in the organisation
    - receive, advise and guide researchers sent to him/her
  • administer
    - prepare his/her budget, activity report
    - take part in internal meetings and those external to the organisation on the subject of archives

In terms of collection management

As the title indicates, an archive manager is responsible for the contents of his/her archive collection .

In this capacity, he/she must take care to comply with:

  • physical rules for adding to archives
  • storage times
  • updating the inventory
  • monitoring loans
  • safety standards

    ... without forgetting to monitor any organisational changes (in order to reflect them in his/her management schedule) and to mobilise correspondents.

What tools are used?

Files for:

  • an exhaustive summary inventory
  • collation of archiving rules
  • management of loans and destructions

Rules to be followed

  • confidentiality: imperative
    with respect to both content and container
  • vigilance: constant
    - a departure? == > watch the waste bins
    - a new arrival? == > give him/her the 'archiving information'
    - a period without transfer? == > jog people's memories
  • responsibility-sharing: essential
    - a deposit slip (in duplicate, signed)
    - a destruction slip (in duplicate, signed and validated by the national archives)

In conclusion ...

Looking after archives might appear to be a thankless task ...

But ...
  • if you understand the value of heritage,
  • if you enjoy the efficiency of working in a 'network' ...

... then the archives will reward you handsomely.

Technical terms common to archivists and their correspondents

These terms concern:

- the content of boxes,
- their geographic location
- measurement of space occupied by archives

to designate the contents of the boxes:

Article

Basic unit for filing and classifying (group of items, dossier or part of dossier)

Dossier

Set of documents combined for handling and processing a given task by a person or department. It may be composed of several articles.
A dossier may be contained in a box or part of a box, or it may include several boxes.

Serial code

Set of symbols (letters, digits, signs) used to class each article in its collection or series.
E.g. the contract No. for public contract dossiers


measurement of occupied space and available space:

linear metrage

Measurement corresponding to all the documents arranged one after another, occupying a metre of shelving
(Warning, when incorrectly filed archives are retrieved, any stock of boxes or documents laid flat and stacked horizontally must be measured vertically)
As a reminder, the mean weight of a box is estimated to be 1.300 kg


Which terms are used to indicate the geographic location of storage of an archive box?

Five elements should be specified

premises

name of the building or archive storage room

range

set of juxtaposed shelving tiers

tier

set of superimposed shelves between two uprights

shelf

shelf on which the archive boxes are placed



Example:

Box No.

Shelf 4

Tier 2

Range 5

Premises K150