This course will use lectures, assignments, readings, and in-class discussions and exercises to introduce students to the historical and evolving theoretical foundations, major professional institutions, key practices, and contemporary issues associated with the American archival and manuscripts professions. By the end of the term, students should be able to define and discuss central concepts such as “records,” “manuscripts,” “public archives tradition, ” “the archival bond,” “provenance,” “respect des fonds,” “original order,” “records life cycle” and “records continuum,” and “archival ethics;” and identify the roles played in the development of these concepts by key individuals such as Muller, Feith, and Fruin; Jenkinson; Schellenberg; Posner; Taylor; Cook; Duranti; Upward and McKemmish. Students should also be sufficiently familiar with the functions and processes of scheduling, appraisal, accessioning, arrangement, description, reference, and outreach in traditional and digital archival and manuscripts environments to be able to articulate major concepts and issues in each area with reference to key literature in the field.

Overview of the technologies, techniques, and principles underlying the development and packaging of cultural and information resources into digital multimedia such as digital libraries, digital archives, cultural heritage systems, World Wide Web home pages, and CD-ROMs; as well as user, policy, presentation, motivation, and evaluation considerations.

This course will examine the role, creation, interpretation and use, management, and preservation of information objects as social constructions and cultural artifacts. These information objects include published and primary sources such as rare books, children’s books, research data, field notes, personal papers, organizational records, manuscript texts, oral testimonies, visual media, 3-dimensional objects, emerging information resources such as web pages, and potentially even memory. The focus of the course will be primarily on the evidential nature and context of information objects, rather than on their information content.

Examination of community, disciplinary, and functional practices in information seeking and use of primary sources such as research data, field notes, personal papers, organizational records, manuscript texts, oral testimonies, visual media, 3-dimensional objects, and memory.

Introduction to various systems and tools used to organize materials and provide access to them, with emphasis on generic concepts of organization, classification, hierarchy, arrangement, and display of records. Provides background for further studies in cataloging, reference, information retrieval, database management, and archival science. Includes theoretical concepts and practical components of archival and museum description, including MARC AMC cataloging and Encoded Archival Description (SGML EAD DTD).

Primarily through discussions and case studies, this seminar-style course will introduce tudents to issues associated with the creation, management, and use of records generated and/or maintained in the course of business, professional, and personal activities, including records generated and/or maintained by electronic information and record-keeping systems such as e-mail and databases. The course will be taught from the perspective of students as potential subjects, creators and users of records. It will delineate the roles that records, as a specific type of information, play in our lives by ensuring the accountability and effectiveness of organizations as well as in securing individual rights; and it will examine the impact of digital technologies upon the nature of records and recordkeeping. The course will also introduce the skills necessary for students to create, preserve, and assess trustworthy records, to recommend a potential design for an electronic recordkeeping system, and to identify and locate records they require for their own business, research, or personal purposes.

Uses lectures, guest presentations, and class exercises and discussion, as well as student projects and assignments to introduce the fundamentals of library and archival conservation and preservation, with an emphasis on preservation administration. Topics include composition of, and treatment options for library and archival materials (including paper, audiovisual, and digital media); establishing preservation programs; environmental standards; handling and use of library and archival materials; disaster-preparedness; preservation self-studies and surveys; security; collection management; fund-raising; preservation microfilming and digitization; and regional and national programs.

An introduction to the long-term management of materials created by or maintained electronically as part of organizational, research, or personal activities. Topics include the nature of electronic records and evidence; reliability and authenticity in electronic records; electronic records management policy formulation; enterprise and risk management strategies; functional and business process analysis; systems analysis and design; the role and nature of recordkeeping metadata; strategies, techniques, and technologies for the long-term preservation of electronic records; industry, national, and international standards relating to electronic recordkeeping; and the development of digital access programs.

Introduction to records and information resources management in corporate, government, and other organizational settings, including the analysis of organizational information flow; classification and filing systems; records retention scheduling; records protection and security; reprographics and image management technology; and litigation support.

An advanced seminar designed to be a capstone seminar for students pursuing the Archives and Preservation Management specialization, and an elective seminar for doctoral students. Examines and evaluates the contributions of key figures in the development of archival appraisal theory; identifies and evaluates distinct and related movements in archival appraisal; identifies cultural, political, sociological, and technological factors that can have an impact on appraisal methodologies; examines constructions of value by communities other than the archival community; and considers the potential biases introduced into the organizational and cultural record by the appraisal process. Pre-requisite: American Archives and Manuscripts.

In-depth examination and evaluation of the theory base, social and cultural contexts, and political issues associated with the conceptualization, evaluation, role, and management of historical and contemporary visual materials in archives.