Leadership and Administration of Successful Archival Programs / Edition 1

by Bruce W. Dearstyne

Overview

Strong archival programs are rare, in part because the archival field has not given sustained attention to program leadership and management issues over the years. As a consequence, many programs are underfunded and undersupported and lack sufficient space, staff, and other resources to carry out their immensely important work. This collection of essays from eight of the archival field's notably successful leaders provides first-hand accounts of how to carry out planning, build coalitions and alliances, garner resources, empower and inspire program personnel, change program direction, and take programs in new, dynamic directions.

There is an abundance of literature on archival theory, techniques, and practice, but leadership, program building, and related topics are seldom covered in archival literature. This collection of essays provides varying perspectives, insights, advice, caveats, and other helpful information based on the experiences of highly regarded professionals in the field who have actually developed and administered successful programs. They address such issues as how to define program success, the traits of a successful program, leadership traits, and similarities and differences between archival program and similar programs, such as libraries.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313315756
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	10/30/2001
Series:	Libraries Unlimited Library Management Collection
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.44(d)
Lexile:	1480L (what's this?)

About the Author

BRUCE W. DEARSTYNE is Professor, College of Information Studies, University of Maryland.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Leadership and Archival Education by Richard J. Cox
The Art of the Possible: The Archivist as Administrator by Frank G. Burke
Ways and Means: Thinking and Acting To Strengthen the Infrastructure of Archival Programs by Larry J. Hackman
Strategic Approaches to Program Building in Government: From Local to International and Back by Lisa Fagerlund
Strategic Planning and Implementation at the National Archives & Records Administration: 1992-2000 by Michael J. Kurtz
Corporate Culture and the Archives by Philip F. Mooney
Archival Programs in the Academic Library by Lauren R. Brown
Leadership of Archival Programs by Bruce W. Dearstyne
Building Strong Archival Programs: Insights and Approaches by Bruce W. Dearstyne

Editorial Reviews

To all those working in archives, whatever the size or institutional affiliation, this collection of essays may serve either as consolation or annoyance. There is reasonable advice here on how professionals are to keep their sanity and their jobs. However, more than that, several of the authors demand that archivists move beyond their "monastic image" and enter the contemporary fray with a spirit of flexibility, dragging their collections with them. Of these articles a good number describe personal experiences and present case studies however one may judge the instructional value of such lessons. The annoyance comes from the emphasis on "strategic planning" and suchlike managerial jargon. For those who have been strategically planned to death, with no concrete results to show for their efforts, what could be more annoying? Editor Dearstyne (Coll. of Information Studies, Univ. of Maryland) notes that "models of excellence in archival leadership are scarce" and that "articles on archival leadership are even more rare." In that sense, this volume is a welcome addition to the literature. Recommended for all archivists/records managers. Barry Chad, Carnegie Lib. of Pittsburgh Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

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