The idea that evrything electronic should be kept merely because it is
technical.ly feasible should not interfere with appraisal rules. Look at all
those letter books from the 19th century. The things that hold copies of all
outgoing mail on thin tissue sheets. Nobody likes to research them because
there is so much dross in the correspondence, or alternatively, material
that the researcher is not interested in. There was some agitated
correspondence years ago between David Iredale and others on the value of
keeping them - just because they existed. I think Iredale argued that they
should be destroyed but I can't remember the details.
Len McDonald
[log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: Eleanor Roberts <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2002 9:50 AM
Subject: Appraisal
In reply to Sarah's query about Jenkinson, whilst unable to give chapter &
verse, I think he did argue that appraisal was best carried out by those who
had created the records rather than the archivist, who might introduce an
'interesting' bias, rather than being objective about the records'
evidential value. I would agree with those arguing that there will still be
a case for appraisal even if we are in a world where it is technologically
possible to keep everything, not to mention the fact that we are still
waiting for the paperless office. What is more, whilst 'keep everything' may
be a new mantra, there remains the danger that many electronic records will
have already been lost because we are currently encouraged to 'housekeep'
our computers and delete 'unnecessary files' when possible. I am sure we can
all give examples of fascinating paper records that have survived whose
contemporary equivalents are lost to us because of word-processing, email
etc. I am only too well aware that that is the current challenge facing me -
dealing with the archive here as it stands but also ensuring that the
mechanisms are in place to protect equivalent electronic records from
disposal, and that includes appraisal, by me and the administrative staff
who create them. Much of the argument here has already been made eloquently
already so I won't labour the point further!
Eleanor Roberts
Archivist
Halle
0161 237 7000
|