Dear Colleagues:

As the InterPARES project has been named in this discussion, I will 
jump in, but I will not give you an InterPARES answer.  I will give 
you the answer consistent with the theory of the records, however you 
wish to call it, archival theory, diplomatics theory, or records 
management theory.  InterPARES only relies on the theory of the 
record and builds on it, does not modify it.

What is a record has always to be assessed in context.  A record is 
made up of a document and its relationships with other documents, 
with the persons contributing to its creation (author, addressee, 
creator...), and with the activity that caused its creation.  Thus, 
it does not make sense to ask whether a picture is a record.  It 
depends.  It does not make sense to ask whether these specific 
pictures are records either.  It depends.  It will depend on where 
they will be accumulated and by whom. So, let's say that they end up 
in the book publisher's files from which the inauguration book will 
be produced:  they would be the records of the publisher.  Let's say 
that they end up with the files of the inauguration committee 
together with a copy of the letter soliciting them and with the 
contract with the publisher: they would be the records of the 
inauguration committee.  Let's say that they end up on an online 
album containing all the pictures of the inauguration:  they would be 
part of a publication, having subjected their individuality to the 
cohesiveness of an entity that is not a record.  However, the copies 
that each author would keep in his/her own files together with the 
letter requesting them, would be the records of the author.

Records are the documentary residue of activities and should be 
identified in the context in which they accumulate, never in isolation.

Luciana

At 07:38 AM 20/01/2009, you wrote:
>I received an email this morning from the Inauguration Team asking for
>people to take a picture of what they are doing when the President is sworn
>in...
>
> >Take a picture when President-elect Obama takes the oath of office. Then
> >send your photo to us. We'll be posting photos on our website, and some
> >may even be used in the official Inaugural book.
>
>The link in the email sends me to Photobucket, where I can upload the photo
>I take at the swearing-in moment.  I really do like this idea, but are
>these photos then considered records, because the government will be using
>them in the official Inaugural book?  There's a little disclaimer at the
>bottom of the Photobucket site:
>
> >This Official Barack Obama Inaugural Book Project is not affiliated with
> >the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) but has been licensed as the
> >Official 2009 U.S. Presidential Inaugural Book by PIC.
>
>So, if I take a picture, and send it to the Photobucket site, is that going
>to become a governmental record, or is it only a picture taken by an
>average Joe?
>
>I might just do it...if I can get my co-workers to smile!
>
>Kelly Hamilton
>Records Specialist
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Dr. Luciana Duranti
Chair and Professor, Archival Studies
Director, The InterPARES Project www.interpares.org
School of Library, Archival and Information Studies www.slais.ubc.ca
The University of British Columbia
The Irving K. Barber Learning Centre
Suite 470, 1961 East Mall
Vancouver, British Columbia  V6T 1Z1 CANADA
Tel: 604.822.2587
Fax: 604.822.6006
www.lucianaduranti.ca

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