No-nonsense Guide to Archives and Recordkeeping

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The No-nonsense Guide to Archives and Recordkeeping is ideal for professionals involved in the management of archives and records, especially if they are just starting out or without formal training, says the book's publisher Facet Publishing.

Facet says the book covers all aspects of record-keeping and archives management. It follows the records’ journey from creation, through the application of classification and access techniques, evaluation for business, legal and historical value and finally to destruction or preservation and access in the archive.

Based on the training days run by the author Margaret Crockett and her business partner, the book deals with records and archives in all formats. It uses checklists, practical exercises, sample documentation, case studies and diagrams to ensure an accessible and pragmatic approach, allowing anyone to get to grips with the basics quickly.

The book is divided into four main work areas:

  •     Current records: including creation, filing, classification and security;
  •     Records management: including aims, risks, planning, preparation and delivery;
  •     Archives management: including collecting policies, intellectual property rights, appraisal, digitisation and outreach; and
  •     Archival preservation: including policy, disaster prevention and repositories.

Crockett said: 'Managing records and archives is really interesting and rewarding but it is also really important: if we can't tame our paper and digital mountains into manageable documentation which tells the story of our lives, our organisations and our societies we cannot prove the things we need to prove and lose our memory of the past.

'My book aims to set out clearly all you need to know to understand the basic principles and concepts which underpin this often underestimated but crucial activity.'