Articles

Outward Visions, Inward Glance: Archive History and Professional Identity

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Abstract

Archivists, looking out beyond their stacks and strong rooms, have unsettling visions of the revolution in communications and its future impact. Even the word archives, quickly transformed into a verb, has been hijacked by data professionals who are "archiving" data every day. How do we acquire new skills yet still retain a distinct identity in this new records market with its abundant variety of information specialists and data managers on offer? Knowledge of new skills is important, but it must be honed by a sense of our wider purpose in the ecology of records which is largely derived from a thorough understanding of our past. From a sense of continuity with archives history come perspective and purpose. If we grasp the history of archives and of records-keeping, in all their abundant variety, we will be well placed for a strong professional response to both the means and the modes of modem discourse.

How to Cite:

Craig, B. L., (1992) “Outward Visions, Inward Glance: Archive History and Professional Identity”, Archival Issues 17(2), 113–124. doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/archivalissues.10609