While Dan's remark about a historian being relegated to a clerks position is amusing, I would hope that a historian might have a chance to ramp up the archivist learning curve a bit quicker than the person who was actually seeking work as a clerk.
Michael Sharpe
(not a historian but an occasional job-seeker who took the clerk's job)
-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Zelenyj, Dan
Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2005 10:09 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: New Archivist
I fully agree with Dave. There is a common misconception, in North
America (particularly in the US), among many records managers, and even
some archivists, that the archival and historical professions are
interchangeable. While it is true that many archivists have gotten their
start in the discipline of history, this was due more, than anything
else, to a lack comprehensive educational opportunities in the past; and
this has changed radically in the last 10 years with more full Archival
Programs and Archival Concentrations in various graduate faculties being
offered. Indeed, in Canada, the industry standard for professional
archival qualification for at least the past 15 years has been the
Master of Archival Studies Degree (or its equivalent in education and
experience). This formal learning background seeks to impart the basic
knowledge required of a records professional to deal with all aspects of
RIM (i.e. the knowledge required to function competently as a records
manager or archivist; I personally hold the view that records management
and archives functions are one and the same and we would all be better
served if the two "professions" were merged, but that's another topic).
Simply, an historian is not an archivist and archivist is not an
historian.
To offer a bit of from-the-trenches perspective, if a historian shows up
at the door of my archives (and this has happened) looking for work as
an archivist, if s/he has no formal archival training and experience,
s/he ain't gonna find anything much better than dusting the shelves; ok,
maybe some clerical work.
Just my personal opinion, respectfully delivered from the frozen north.
Dan Zelenyj
Coordinator, Archival Services
City of Vaughan
tel: (905) 832-2281 ext 3129
fax: (905) 303-2538
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
www.vaughan.ca
-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of David Gaynon
Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2005 11:17 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: New Archivist
While I try very hard to avoid political debates on the list serve it is
difficult for me to understand how you could describe someone with no
real
experience in either archives, records management, or the management of
large organizations as highly qualified to serve as Archivist of the US.
Dave Gaynon
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
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