Reading Response Nine: Digital Considerations

College and University Archives: Readings in Theory and Practice

Chapter 2- “The Impact of Information Technology on Academic Archives in the Twenty-first Century”

By Helen R. Tibbo

As the title suggests, this chapter is about how personal computers and network technologies have transformed society and has given users heightened expectations for instant and highly personalized products.  This chapter focuses on the growing need to collect and preserve digital materials, increasing user expectations regarding access to digital resources and the changing landscape of public service, and the demand for digital projects, digital preservation, and digital curation.

Tibbo points out that archivists have the important question of how to ensure the authenticity of records in digital form.  However, she continues, there is a lack of discussion on the subject right now and few repositories included digital formats in mission statements and collection development policies.  It is important that archivists be involved in digital preservation research and the building of preservation systems to ensure that archival perspectives and priorities are addressed.

Themes that ran throughout this chapter, and many of the readings for this semester, are that archivists need to work with other professionals to obtain their goals and they need to expand their skills.  Partnerships with information scientists and technologists building the systems are important in this context to ensure that the systems meet archival needs.  At the same time, archivists need to be able to understand the systems and the considerations of undertaking digitization projects and providing remote access.  Therefore, archivists need to be equipped with a high level of information technology skills and a deep understanding of archival principles. 

I am glad that I am taking both digital curation and electronic records management next semester after reading this chapter!  These skills are essential and will add to my experience working with technology in archives, other technology classes, and my archival principle courses.  My professor and the archives director, Phil Bantin, was actually mentioned in this article for his work in electronic records management, so I feel like I will be in good hands.

Tibbo,, Helen R. “The Impact of Information Technology on Academic Archives in the Twenty-first Century.” In College and University Archives: Readings in Theory and Practice, edited by Christopher J. Prom and Ellen D. Swain. Chicago : Society of American Archivists, 2008.