I agree that ARMA has done a lot for the "profession" - or I wouldn't still
be a member and serving as project lead on the latest project: "Implications
of Web-based Technologies for Records Management."  But the term
"profession" is in our eyes and not everyone's. 

See 2 definitions:
#  An occupation, such as law, medicine, or engineering, that requires
considerable training and specialized study.
# The body of qualified persons in an occupation or field: members of the
teaching profession.

Remember the drive to have records manager (I believe that was the title -
but correct me if not) listed as an occupation in the Occupation Outlook
Handbook for 2012?  That got us nowhere. The only listing in the 2008-2009
OOH is:

# Record center clerks see: File clerks
# Record clerks see: File clerks

Or:
Information and record clerks see: File clerks

And yet archivists can proudly point to the following listing: Archivists,
curators, and museum technicians. 

Is anyone familiar with the reasons for rejecting ARMA's request to be
included? Part of it could be the lack of an established body of literature
and research. Specialized study includes both the training & education based
on acquisition of skills but also specialized knowledge. Having a quality
publication to share that specialized knowledge couldn't hurt and may help.
And who better to provide a forum but the premier professional organization
for records managers?

It would be interesting to do a study of journals for recognized
professions, such as law and medicine, to see who publishes them and where
the $ comes from. I do know many (if not most) are fee-based.

>> Over the last 50+ years ARMA has done quite a lot as profession. Don't
forget that they led the effort to eliminate legal files when no one else
saw the need. They have also through local chapters advanced the
profession.>>


Pat


________________________________
Patricia C. Franks, Ph.D., CRM
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San Jose State University

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