Preserving Archives

Citation

Rees, L. (2007), "Preserving Archives", Records Management Journal, Vol. 17 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/rmj.2007.28117cae.003

Preserving Archives

Helen FordeFacet PublishingLondon2007224 pp.ISBN 978 1 85604 577 3£39.95

Keywords: Archives management, Information profession

One of a series Principles and Practice in Records Management and Archives, Preserving Archives has its origins in lectures given by Helen Forde to postgraduate archive students at University College London. It is presented in textbook style with summaries of content at the start and end of each chapter. There is copious use of sub-headings and bullet-pointed lists. “Fascinating facts” and case studies are given in text boxes throughout the book. Helpful examples are taken from an international, not just a UK perspective. Only two of the 14 chapters are illustrated with photographs, but those chosen (“a rolled map”, “a tatty file”) do not add a great deal to understanding of the subject.

Although the content was originally aimed at students, the book contains a great deal of useful information for the experienced practitioner, and to my knowledge is the only published work that synthesises up to date thinking on the planning and delivery of archives services comprising a great deal more than simply preservation. It quite rightly considers how the way in which services are organised can contribute to (or detract from) the preservation of the materials in their care. Much of the book would be an extremely useful aide-mémoire to anyone planning a new service or a new building for an existing service. Dr Forde’s wide experience as an archivist, as head of preservation at the Public Record Office (now the National Archives), and latterly as a consultant inform the practical tone of the book throughout.

The book starts with a consideration of the records themselves, giving equal weight to traditional and digital materials, and considers the preservation needs of different media from parchments and iron gall inks to fibre tip pens, electronic toners and inkjets. From this it works its way through archive buildings, risk management and avoiding disasters, setting up a conservation workshop and moving the records, before progressing to the more outward-looking aspects of archives – exhibitions and use by readers, including the creation of surrogates. Slightly oddly between the latter two, the subject of pest control is examined.

The level of discussion varies from high level strategic considerations to very practical discussions of wall finishes, shelf construction, bench heights, insect traps and book supports.

Throughout, the book takes a pragmatic rather than a totally purist view, conceding that small repositories may not be able to use all aspects of best practice and that political and public relations decisions are also important, for example in managing disaster or deciding whether to close during a move. Nevertheless preservation is put at the heart of all the operations described, and the emphasis is on preventative rather than interventionist measures. The final chapter “Putting preservation into practice” examines the drawing up of a preservation policy that encompasses this principle and shows how to translate such a statement of intent into strategies that will put it into practice. Again these are divided into low cost and longer-term options suitable for all types of organisation. From a strategic point-of-view this is probably the most valuable chapter for a senior practitioner.

Five appendices provide useful additional information, although they do read somewhat as afterthoughts, or perhaps handouts given to students. Appendix 1, a sample exhibitions lending policy from the National Archives of Australia, can be easily found online (www.naa.gov.au/recordkeeping/rkpubs/advices/advice59.html), and appendix 5 simply shows a worked sample page on storage furniture from Benchmarks in collection care for Museums, Archives and Libraries. The other three appendices are lists of equipment, tools and materials for conservation workshops, straying away from preservation into active conservation. However, these minor criticisms do not detract from the overall usefulness of the work.

Although discussing the preservation of archives, there is much in the book that will be of value to librarians, curators and records managers. Of particular interest to the latter are the discussions of digital preservation, disaster management and recovery, and moving repositories, all of which are applicable beyond the preservation of historical archives and contain much helpful advice and experience.

Sitting as this book does alongside the two previous volumes on ethics and management skills the series is building into a useful bookshelf for archives and records practitioners at all levels.

Liz Rees Tyne and Wear Archives Service, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK