Creating a local history archive at your public library

摘要

In her introduction, Faye Phillips refers to a previous manual by Enid Thompson, entitled Collections: A Manual for Librarians (1978), which has been, in the US at least, a 'bible' for those involved in the care of local archives. Phillips states that she has been aware since the 1990s that, with technological advances and the introduction of many new standards and policies, such guides needed to be updated or replaced. This book, described as a 'comprehensive manual and a guide', is indeed primarily a guide for librarians to assist them in the care of 'non-traditional library materials', i.e. archives, though it is perhaps also a useful reference tool for professional archivists working within library settings. The author refers to a recent survey of 70 libraries in the US which uncovered the fact that 90% had unlisted archival collections and that the custodians required guidance on how to process and make them accessible. As library training in the US 'rarely' includes archives modules, this short book (150 pages) seeks to bridge the gap between libraries and archives and also addresses the growing need for resources and knowledge about preserving digitized and born-digital collections.