Is It Possible To Establish Standardized Archive Conservation Rules ?
Moncef FAKHFAKH
National Archives of Tunisia
Contemporary archival science is subject to several constraints, particularly the role of record appraisal in selection for management and research needs. This fundamental task is made all the more difficult by the complexity brought about by the different parties involved —the producers of records, archive professionals and users — as well as by the large number of supports and the constant expansion of the volume of records.
It is perhaps pointless to demonstrate the importance of appraisal of archives during their life cycle in order to determine conservation time limits. However, it seems appropriate to study the possibility of developing norms for this purpose at a regional and international level, that is, to have universal conservation timetables (whatever their designation), applicable in all contexts.
This problem could be justified in theory by the principles of archival science that claim to be universal. Standardization is assuming a growing importance in the archive field, especially with regard to record description, to take one example of this universal aspect. It is thus legitimate to envisage the possibility of standardizing record conservation rules. Besides the theoretical argument, other factors contribute to this approach:
- globalisation as a major phenomenon that influences the evolution of our world and international exchanges;
- the development of multinational companies and management technique standardization and, as a result, different types of records;
- the organizational level of the profession that allows for positive international collaboration and improved distribution of archival tools;
- progress on the part of the profession regarding standardization that will enable the implementation of such an undertaking.
Tempting as it is to believe in the possibility of creating standards for conservation rules, there are, nonetheless, several issues that could complicate proceedings:
- differing political and administrative climates among countries that complicate the standardization process of records as to their classification regarding their institutions’ functionality and the diversity of support;
- differences in archival science practices and traditions, especially regarding the legislation and organization of archive administration;
- the difference in appraisal criteria and record selection methods (a priori or a posteriori selection);
- regulation variations regarding record transmission, research traditions and the use of records;
- the difficulty of applying standards retroactively to earlier records.
Genuine though these difficulties may be, nevertheless, they do not, in my opinion, constitute a major obstacle. They are, however, bound to influence the proposed solution.
In the face of these difficulties, we must define the theoretical approach and come up with solutions that take into account the objective data listed below.
Given the complicated nature of the undertaking and the difficulty of considering the various classifications of records across all countries, there is good reason to conduct an analysis of the functions of the institutions and the producers of records in general. The functional analysis is conducive to determining the programs and activities of the particular institutions in accomplishing their goals and objectives as well as defining the groups of records collected. A distinction may be made between the functions associated with management (management of human, financial, material resources) and specific operating functions (transport for a transport company, cement production for a cement factory, etc.).
The functional analysis approach was developed by various authors and particularly Terry Cook who advocates "macro-appraisal". Macro-appraisal leads to the determining of groups and series of records to which the archivist applies appraisal criteria for permanent conservation or disposal.
I propose the adoption of the approach developed by Terry Cook and the establishment of broad guidelines for standardized conservation rules. It would perhaps be appropriate to work first on a body of records dealing with management functions (general management of an institution; management of human, financial, material and information resources), because some countries have already published conservation timetables to that effect; it would certainly be easier to establish conservation standards for records relating to activities that lend themselves more easily to standardization.
Bibliography
- COUTURE, Carol (1998). « Calendriers de conservation : aspects théoriques. » Actes du Colloque sur la gestion des archives courantes et intermédiaires : politiques et pratiques, organized by l’Association internationale des Archives francophones et la Direction des Archives du Sénégal, Dakar, 15-19 June 1998, p. 101-129.
- COUTURE, Carol (1998). « Les fondements théoriques de l’évaluation des archives. » L’évaluation des archives : des nécessités de la gestion aux exigences du témoignage, 3e symposium en archivistique, Gira, Université de Montréal, March 27, 1998, p. 7-26.
- COOK, Terry (1998). "Macroappraisal and Functional Analysis : Appraisal Theory, Strategy and Methodology for Archivists." L’évaluation des archives : des nécessités de la gestion aux exigences du témoignage, 3e symposium en archivistique, Gira, Université de Montréal, March 27, 1998, p. 27-33.
- Les valeurs archivistiques : théorie et pratique (1994). Actes du colloque organisé conjointement par la Division des archives et les programmes d’archivistique de l’Université Laval, 11 novembre 1993, Québec, Université Laval, 111 p.
- COOK, Terry (1992). " Mind over matter: towards a new theory for archival appraisal." In: Craig, Barbara L. (éd.). The Archival Imagination: Essays in Honour of Hugh A. Taylor, Ottawa, Association of Canadian Archivists, p. 38-70.
Moncef FAKHFAKH
- Director-General of the National Archives of Tunisia since 1986, he is now in the process of setting up a national archive system;
- Vice-president of the International Council on Archives (2000 – 2004);
- President of the Association internationale des Archives francophones (AIAF) since 1992;
- President of the Arab Regional Branch of ICA (1988-1998);
- Directs courses in archival science at the Université de Tunis; and holds a Master’s degree in history (1970) and a doctorate (postgraduate) on the archives of the Government of Tunisia (1985).