History 5030:  Archival Methods

Fall 2004

 

 

Tuesday 1:00 – 3:30 pm with additional “lab” time (4:00 p.m.)

 

Instructor:

Dr. Debra A. Reid, Office: 2572 Coleman Hall,  phone: 581-7272

e-mail:  cfdar2@eiu.edu

Office Hours:  Tuesday, 11am- 1pm; 4pm-5pm, Thursday 11am-1pm; and by appointment

 

Locations:

Classroom (2750 Coleman Hall) and EIU Archives

 

Contact information for instructional partners:

Bob Hillman, University Archivist, cfrvh@eiu.edu

 

 

Archives – Defined

1.        The non-current documents created or received and accumulated by a person or organization or institution in the course of the conduct of affairs, and preserved because of their enduring and permanent value.

2.        The building or part of a building where archival materials are located.

3.        The agency or program responsible for selecting, acquiring, preserving, and making available archival materials.

Course Description:

 

EIU Graduate Catalog Description:

Study of the purpose, content, and organization of archival collections and of editorial techniques involved with historical materials.

           

Expanded Description:

            Historians depend on archives to do their jobs. The sources collected, preserved and processed in repositories throughout the world provide the raw product that all analysts of non-current events use to construct their narratives. Products dependent on archives include edited collections of presidential papers, lesson plans that recount the Lewis & Clark expedition, and diaries of Kansas farm women during the Dust Bowl. Scholars as well as the general public depend on archivists to identify, preserve, and make accessible this range of materials through a variety of facilities including museums and historical societies, libraries, colleges and universities, community organizations such as hospitals, businesses and corporations such as John Deere, and agencies of the local, state and national government.

Such diverse materials, accumulated in such diverse institutions, and used by a range of special interest groups benefit from adherence to established principles and procedures of management. HIS 5030: Archival Methods will introduce students to the history of archives and the basic theories and practices of administering archives and manuscript collections (appraisal, acquisition, arrangement and description, reference, and preservation). The course will also address the public dimension of archives and their use in research, outreach programs and historic editing and publishing. Additionally the course will cover ethnical and legal issues as well as the ways new information technologies affect archival administration and use.

 

 

Course Goals:

 

Upon course completion, each student will demonstrate competency in:

 

Texts:

 

Randall C. Jimerson, ed., American Archival Studies: Readings in Theory and Practice (Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2000).

 

Deborah Wythe, ed., Museum Archives, An Introduction, 2nd ed. (Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2003).

 

Archival Methods Course Reader.  This reader includes technical leaflets, articles, and position papers produced by a range of professional organizations and available on the WWW. Materials copyright free have been provided for educational purposes by the Society of American Archivists, the Northwest Document Conservation Center, the American Society for Information Science, the Association of Moving Image Archivists, and the American Association of Museums, among others. This reader is produced solely for educational purposes.

 

 

Course Schedule & Readings

 

Date                             Course Content                                                             Location

 

Week 1             Introduction; Course Overview

August 24        Interdisciplinary Knowledge

Join Archives & Archivists ListServ

 

            What is a Document?/What are Archives?

Reader: Buckland, Michael. (1997) “What is a Document?” Journal of the American Society for Information Science 48 (9), pp. 804-809, on-line at: http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/~buckland/whatdoc.html

                       

                                    Jimerson, Intro. & Chap. 2 & 3

 

                        Core Archival Knowledge: Knowledge of the Profession

The Archives Profession

Reader: Guidelines for a Graduate Program in Archival Studies, on-line at the Society of American Archivists (SAA) homepage: http://www.archivists.org/prof-education/ed_guidelines.asp?prnt=y

                                   

            Jimerson, Chap. 1 & 4

 

Society of American Archivists “Code of Ethics”; Suggested Revised Code, on-line at the SAA homepage: http://www.archivists.org/news/ethics.asp

 

Contextual Knowledge: Social & Cultural Systems

                        Archives and Museums

Reader: Museum Archives Guidelines, on-line at the SAA homepage: http://www.archivists.org/governance/guidelines/museum_guidelines.asp?prnt=y

 

Wythe, Chap. 1

 

Week 2             Core Archival Knowledge: Knowledge of the Profession

August 31         History of Archives; History of Manuscript Collections;

            Distinctions between Historical Manuscripts and Records Management

                       

                        Jimerson, Chaps.5, 6, & 7

 

Reader:  The Society of American Archivists: Description & Brief History, on-line at: http://www.archivists.org/history.asp?prnt=y

 

Types of Archives:  University; Local Historical Society; State; Corporate

 

2:30-3:30: Case study in University Archives and State Regional Depository –

Eastern Illinois University (Records Retention Schedule;

Internal Policy #187 re. Archives)

Illinois Regional Archival Depository at EIU

 

Week 3             Core Archival Knowledge: Archival Functions

Sept. 7             Identification, Selection & Documentation; Collection Development

 

                        Jimerson, Chaps. 8, 9 & 10

 

Reader: Cox, “Documenting Localities: A Practical Approach,” in Documenting Localities, pp 111-147

 

Reader: Collection Development Policy, The British Library, on-line at: http://www.bl.uk/cgi-bin/print.cgi?url=/collections/manusriptscdp.html

 

Week 4             Core Archival Knowledge: Archival Functions

Sept. 14                        Appraisal & Acquisition

 

                        Jimerson, Chaps. 11, 12, & 13

 

Sept. 17-26 - International Council of Agricultural Museums Conference – CIMA XVI – Czech Republic

 

Week 5             Core Archival Knowledge: Archival Functions

Sept. 21             Archival Arrangement and Description

 

                        Jimerson, Chaps. 14, 15, 16 & 17

 

Reader: Encoded Archival Description (EAD), Technology Reports – compilation of information on OASIS (an Online Resource for Markup Language Technologies) on-line at: http://xml.coverpages.org/ead.html

 

Special Issue on Encoded Archival Description, Archives and Museum Informatics: The Cultural Heritage Informatics Quarterly (Fall 1999)

 

Reader: AMIA Cataloging & Documentation Committee, “Archival Moving Image Materials: A Cataloging Manual, 1999, on-line at: http://www.amianet.org/publication/resources/cataloging/AMIM/AMIM99/contents.html

 

PRACTICUM: Take the quiz for the week; then apply the readings to the draft series outline identified for the Edgar Collection, EIU Archives

            Box Inventory, Edgar Collection

prepared by HA classes 2002-2003 & 2003-2004

 

Week 6             Core Archival Knowledge: Archival Functions

Sept. 28            Preservation: physical protection of documents in all formats

Archives Outreach Topic Outline DUE

                       

Jimerson, Chaps. 21, 22 & 23

 

Reader: Patkus, “Monitoring Temperature and Relative Humidity,” NEDCC

Reader: Patkus, “Integrated Pest Management,” NEDCC

 

Reader: Books & Paper

 

Reader: Photographs

 

Reader: Motion Picture Film & Videotape

Reader: Ronald Magliozzi, "Film Archiving as a Profession: An Interview with Eileen Bowser", The Moving Image 3:1 (Spring 2003), pp 132-146

Reader: Gregory Lukow, “Education, Training and Careers in Moving Image Preservation,” Film History 12, no. 2 (2000), condensed version on-line at http://www.amianet.org/publication/resources/education/educareers.html

 

Reader: Electronic Records:

Plan for the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program, a collaborative initiative of the Library of Congress, on-line at:

http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/index.php?nav=3

 

InterPARES 2, (International research on Permanent Authentic Records in Electronic Systems, on-line at: http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/us-interpares/

 

Sept. 29-Oct. 2            American Association for State & Local History, St. Louis, MO

 

Oct. 2 & 3 – Harvest Frolic & Trades Fair, Lincoln Log Cabin SHS

Noon – 5 pm, Saturday and Sunday; 7-9 pm dance, Saturday

 

Week 7             Core Archival Knowledge: Archival Functions

Oct. 5              Electronic Archives - Digitalization of Collections

 

Jimerson, Chaps. 24, 25, 26

 

Jill Marie Koelling, Digital Imaging: A Practical Approach (Walnut Creek, Cal.: AltaMira Press, 2004), Chaps. 1, 2, 3 & 8

Reader: Howard Besser, (1997) “The Changing Role of Photographic Collections with the Advent of Digitization, in Katherine Jones-Garmil (ed.), The Wired Museum, Washington: American Association of Museums, pp. 115-127 on-line at: http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/~howard/Papers/garmil-eastman.html

Reader: Anne J. Gilliland-Swetland. Enduring Paradigm, New Opportunities: The Value of the Archival Perspective in the Digital Environment. Council on Library & Information Resources, pub89, pp 1-16 [document pages 1-16, not Acrobat pages 1-16], on-line at:  http://www.clir.org/pubs/abstract/pub89abst.html

 

Management

 

Jimerson, Chaps. 27 & 28

 

Oct. 8-10, 2004: Choices & Challenges: Hot Topics Facing Curators & Archivists, The Henry Ford, Dearborn, Michigan (Thriving in the Digital World; How Owns What?; Career Paths; Preservation Strategies)

 

Week 8             Core Archival Knowledge: Archival Functions

Oct. 12             Reference & Use of Archives

                        Outreach & Advocacy

 

                        Jimerson, Chap. 18, 19 & 20

                        Daniel & Walch, A Modern Archives Reader, 255-277

                        Carolyn Colwell, “Academic Libraries and Historians,” pp 105-110 in Howe &

Kemp, Intro. to Public History

                        Anne Van Camp, “Access Policies for Corporate Archives,” pp. 77-79 in Jones &

Cantelon, Corporate Archives and History

                        Victoria Irons Walch, “State Archives in 1997: Diverse Conditions, Common

Directions,” American Archivist 60 (Spring 1997), 132-151.

 

                        Copyright

 

                        Reader: Lotty Gasaway, “When U.S. Works Pass into the Public Domain,” on-line

                        Gerald Herman, “Intellectual Property and the Historian in the New Millennium,”

Public Historian (Spring 2004), pp 23-48

 

MIDTERM, Oct. 13

 

Week 9             Interdisciplinary Knowledge – History & Historical Methods

Oct. 19             Public Outreach: Archives and Historical Editing and Publishing

 

Lester Cappon, “The Historian as Editor, pp. 524-535 in Leffler & Brent, Public History Readings

Barbara Obeg, “Historical Editing: Correspondence,” pp. 84-94 in Howe & Kemp, Intro. to Public History

Brent Tarter, “Editing Public Records,” pp. 70-83 in Howe & Kemp, Intro. to Public History

Scott L. Billis, “Historians in Publishing: A Career as Editor?”, pp 95-104 in Howe & Kemp, Intro. to Public History

Wendy Duff, Barbara Craig, and Joan Cherry, “Historians’ Use of Archival Sources: Promises and Pitfalls of the Digital Age,” Public Historian (Spring 2004), pp7-22

 

Week 10           Core Archival Knowledge: Contextual Knowledge

Oct. 26            Museum Archives

 

                        Wythe, Chaps. 2-21

 

Week 11           Archival Practicum

Nov. 2

 

Week 12           Archival Practicum

Nov. 9

 

Nov. 11-13 – Midwest Open-Air Museums Coordinating Council – Green Bay, WI

 

Week 13           Archival Practicum

Nov. 16

 

November 23              NO CLASS

THANKSGIVING

Week 14           Archival Practicum

Nov. 30

 

Week 15           Archival Practicum

Dec. 7              Class Presentation of Papers and Projects

Archives Outreach Topic DUE

 

                        Concluding Discussion:

The Archives Profession                        

Society of American Archivists “Code of Ethics”; Suggested Revised Code, on-line at the Society of American Archivists homepage: http://www.archivists.org/news/ethics.asp

 

FINAL EXAM

Dec. 14

 

Additional Readings/Resources

 

Richard J. Cox, Documenting Localities: A Practical Model for American Archivists and Manuscript Curators (Lanham, Maryland: Society of American Archivists and The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2001)

 

Maygene F. Daniels and Timothy Walsh, A Modern Archives Reader: Basic Readings on Archival Theory and Practice (Washington, D.C.: National Archives Trust Fund Board, 1984).

 

Wendy Duff, Barbara Craig, and Joan Cherry, “Historians’ Use of Archival Sources: Promises and Pitfalls of the Digital Age,” Public Historian (Spring 2004), pp7-22

 

Gerald Herman, “Intellectual Property and the Historian in the New Millennium,” Public Historian (Spring 2004), pp 23-48

 

Barbara J. Howe and Emory L. Kemp, Introduction to Public History (1986).

 

Phyllis K. Leffler and Joseph Brent, Public History Readings (1992)

 

Anne Van Camp, “Access Policies for Corporate Archives,” pp. 77-79 in Arnita A. Jones &  Philip L. Cantelon, Corporate Archives and History: Making the Past Work (Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Co., 1993).

 

Victoria Irons Walch, “State Archives in 1997: Diverse Conditions, Common Directions,” American Archivist 60 (Spring 1997), 132-151.

 

Supplemental Readings:

 

Bruce W. Dearstyne, Managing Historical Records Programs: A Guide for Historical Agencies (Walnut Creek, Cal.: AltaMira Press, 2000)

 

Sherelyn Ogden, ed. Preservation of Library & Archival Materials: A Manual (Washington, D.C.: Northeast Document Conservation Center; reprinted by American Association of Museums, 1994)

 

Software

 

PastPerfect Museum Software, version 3.0, an integrated relational database (collection and membership management) Windows based; includes worksheets for archival collections and a User’s Guide (downloadable). http://www.museumsoftware.com

 

Course Requirements – 700 points possible

 

Participation

(50 points TOTAL)

 

Practicum

 

Paper Utilizing an Archives

 

Quizzes

·         quizzes will cover material drawn from all readings. 10 quizzes total. Each quiz will consist of at least 10 questions including multiple choice, true/false, and fill-in-the-blank answers. Each quiz will be worth 20 points. (200 points TOTAL).

 

Final Exam

 

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Academic Integrity

Higher education has high standards. Academic dishonesty threatens the system. This applies to every faculty and student at EIU. Students must assume responsibility for their performance and should not plagiarize other’s ideas or words or cheat in any other way on any exam or written work. Such activity will not be tolerated. If I catch any student copying someone else’s work without attribution and appropriate punctuation, or if I catch any student cheating in any other way on any class work, I will fail the student and report her/him to the Office for Academic Misconduct for further discipline.

Ignorance is no defense. Remember that legal caveat.

For your protection, become familiar with the Student Conduct Code: http://www.eiu.edu/~judicial/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

N.B. The instructor reserves the right to revise the syllabus and schedule of assignments over the semester as need arises.