I’ve been reading Advocating Archives:An Introduction to Public Relations for Archivists (ed. Elsie Freeman Finch),and one of the first things that she talks about in her chapter (Talking to the Angel) is the different,overlapping roles that archivists play with researchers and each other. The three user models that she discusses include archivist as servant,gatekeeper,or partner. All of those have different values in various circumstances. However,I’m wondering if it’s time to think about a fourth,somewhat overlooked role:archivist as decider.
In the context of the article,which was published in 1994,appraisal doesn’t fit into the definition of gatekeeper because the models are geared towards reference functions and interactions with specific patrons. However,appraisal is a huge piece of any archival puzzle. Basically,if the collection is not processed or minimally accessible,does not have even a collection-level description,doesn’t have any digital representation–does it really exist from the perspective of the user? Because archivists spend much of their time making decisions that indirectly and directly affect future researchers,I don’t think that appraisal can be left out of the equation.
Here’s why:as we make more collections digitally available,we are directly affecting the reference experience of users who do not seek the help or guidance of an archivist. While some patrons will still contact the archives for assistance,many others will assume that “everything is online,”particularly if no disclaimer exists on the website to remind them otherwise. Therefore,the act of deciding to emphasize one collection of records through additional access,whether by processing,digitization or cataloging access points has a profound effect on the experience of the end user/patron.
I’ve spent some time recently thinking about the relationship between archivists and researchers,and particularly enjoyed two articles by Catherine Johnson/Wendy Duff titled “Chatting Up the Archivist:Social Capital and the Archival Researcher,” and “Accidentally Found on Purpose:Information-Seeking Behavior of Historians in Archives.”Depending on the focus of your collections and the types of researchers that you typically have (or seek),I’d like to hear whether others have found these to be interesting,too. While I don’t think that patrons are at the forefront of every appraisal decision,I think that exactly where they fit into a collection or digitization discussion could be interesting to discuss further.