Electronic Records in the Manuscript Repository

by Elizabeth H. Dow

Overview

Electronic Records in the Manuscript Repository defines the problems related to electronic records and digital documents, describes the steps the curator should take to manage those electronic records and digital documents, and suggests ways to learn the specific skills and perspectives needed to do the job well.

It provides an introduction to vocabulary, basic concepts, and best practices to date by collecting and contextualizing data from several real-world projects, and it contains almost 30 pages of references to resources that the curator can consult for information on specific topics. Dow starts with a review of archival concepts, including a look at archival practices, and then discusses the problems created by electronic materials in that context, as well as the research in progress to tackle these problems.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810867086
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	04/13/2009
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Elizabeth H. Dow is currently the head of the archives track in the School of Library and Information Science at Louisiana State University. She is the author of Creating EAD Compatible Finding Guides on Paper (Scarecrow 2005).

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction xi

1 Archival Concepts and Grand Strategies 1

2 What's the Problem with Digital Materials? 21

3 Solving the Problems: Systems and Tools 39

4 Long-Term Retention and Access 61

5 TDR or Dark Archive? 81

6 Solving the Problems: Implementing the Tools 97

7 Working with Your Donors 117

8 The Future of Curators, Archivists, and Digital Collections 137

Works Cited 145

Essential Tools 161

Beginner Bibliography 165

Continuing Education Opportunities and Workshops 171

Other Useful Works 173

More Resources 183

Index 185

About the Author 189

What People are Saying About This

Salvador Barragan

Trenchant and succint....This book is one of the most comprehensive to date.... Any archivist confronted with the electronic dilemma might find this a useful guide....A unique and varied perspective....Dow also gives a terse and penetrating analysis....A treasure trove of pertinent information....I highly recommend this book. It addresses most of the current literature in a systematic manner without overburdening the reader with technical jargon, and it serves the important task of discussing the essentials that archivists need to know and where to find them. This is what a good reference book does and this work performs that objective.

Editorial Reviews

Highly recommended for those who want an extremely accessible introduction to managing and preserving digital materials and would serve as a great reference to the topic.

Technical Services Quarterly

Trenchant and succint....This book is one of the most comprehensive to date.... Any archivist confronted with the electronic dilemma might find this a useful guide....A unique and varied perspective....Dow also gives a terse and penetrating analysis....A treasure trove of pertinent information....I highly recommend this book. It addresses most of the current literature in a systematic manner without overburdening the reader with technical jargon, and it serves the important task of discussing the essentials that archivists need to know and where to find them. This is what a good reference book does and this work performs that objective.

Salvador Barragan

I found the tone of this book refreshing—it was informal and sometimes even colloquial. .. Likewise, Dow not only deals with the book's subjects with candor, she is also candid with the reader about what her book is—and is not.

Provenance: Journal of the Society of Georgia Archivists

I found the tone of this book refreshing—it was informal and sometimes even colloquial . . . Likewise, Dow not only deals with the book's subjects with candor, she is also candid with the reader about what her book is—and is not.

Provenance

All librarians confront the issues associated with preserving digital materials. Though aimed primarily at archivists, this book is a great introduction to the various models of electronic preservation for all information managers. Dow (Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge) leads the reader through the maze of preservation standards and electronic protocols step by step. The management of electronic records is described in a well-reasoned fashion, current methods are illustrated, and ways to update the described practices are included. Reasons for accepting and rejecting electronic information in archives, the handling of that information in various ways, and the techniques of decision making are clearly explained. Each chapter is very well documented with bibliographic notes. VERDICT Essential reading for all archivists, records managers, and librarians faced with the ever-changing world of electronic information management.—Margaret Sylvia, St. Mary's Univ. Lib., San Antonio, TX

Library Journal