Being older than dirt, I have experienced several trends in
interdisciplinary collaboration and/or rivalry.  When I started in the
general records management phase of my career (as opposed to the
technical phase), I was part of a state agency housing both records
management and archives functions.  We were expected and, indeed,
required to work together in determining any historical or other value
of records when developing retention schedules or appraising records for
accession.  I found no animosity or reluctance to "share" knowledge.
Yes, there were egos to contend with.  Yes, there were historians who
felt they had better knowledge than archivists, and archivists who felt
historians wanted to keep everything without reviewing value so they
could write more books.  Yes, there were records analysts who did not
understand the difference between inactive storage (in the records
center) and accession to the archives.  BUT - there was cooperation and
attempts to understand each other's disciplines.

When I took the CRM exams in the late 1980's, archive management
concepts were part of the questions.  I found nothing strange or
unfamiliar about having to know these terms and concepts.  In today's
RIM world, with SO much changing and SO much to know, we tend to become
more isolated in our own disciplines.  Perhaps it is just how we deal
with information and knowledge overload.

Ginny Jones
(Virginia A. Jones, CRM)
Records Manager
Information Technology Division
Newport News Dept. of Public Utilities
Newport News, VA
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