Archival science is the theory and study of the safe storage, cataloguing and retrieval of documents and items.^[1] Emerging from diplomatics,^[2] Archival Science also encompasses the study of past efforts to preserve documents and items, remediation of those techniques in cases where those efforts have failed, and the development of new processes. The field also includes the study of traditional and electronic catalogue storage methods, digital preservation and the long range impact of all types of storage programs. ^[3]

In 1540, Jacob von Rammingen (1510-1582) wrote the manuscript of the earliest known archival manual. He was an expert on registries (Registraturen), the German word for what later became known as archives. Rammingen elaborated a registry for the Augsburg city council - but could not be personally present there, and thus had to describe the structure and management of the archives in writing. Rammingen can be considered the father of archival science since this was the earliest published work dealing with that subject. However, Rammingen himself refers to earlier literature about records keeping. These earlier manuals were, however, usually not published. Therefore it is impossible to establish exactly when archival science was "born". Jacob von Rammingen's manual was printed in Heidelberg in 1571.^[4]

Traditionally, archival science has involved the study of methods for preserving items in climate-controlled storage facilities. It is also the study of cataloguing and accession, of retrieval and safe handling. The advent of digital documents along with the development of electronic databases has caused the field to revaluate its means and ends.^[5]

While generally associated with museums and libraries, the field also can pertain to individuals who maintain private collections or business archives.

Archival Science is taught in colleges and universities, usually under the umbrella of Information science or paired with a History program.

Professional organizations, such as the Society of American Archivists (SAA), seek to foster study and professional development. In 2002 the SAA published guidelines for a graduate program in Archival Studies,^[6] but these guidelines have not been adopted by the majority of universities. As a result, practitioners of archival science may come from a varied background of library, history, or museum studies programs. There is little uniformity in the education of new archivists entering the job market.

[edit] Some colleges and universities teaching archival science

North America

• Auburn University, School of Liberal Arts, History Department
• University of Texas, School of Information
• Simmons College, Graduate School of Library and Information Science
• UCLA, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies
• University of Michigan, School of Information
• University of Pittsburgh, School of Information Sciences
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Information and Library Science
• Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, New York University
• Graduate School of Library and Information Studies (GSLIS) McGill University
• École de bibliothéconomie et des sciences de l'information Université de Montréal
• University of British Columbia
• University of Toronto, iSchool

South America

• Universidad de Córdoba - Argentina*Arquivologia - Uel - Universidade estadual de Londrina - Brazil
• Universidade de Brasília
• Instituto de Ciência da Informação (Information Science Institute) of Universidade Federal da Bahia (Brazil)
• Universidade do Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil
• Universidad de La Salle, Facultad de Sistemas de Información y Documentación - Colombia
• Escuela nacional de biblioteconomía y archivonomía de Mexico
• Universidad central de Venezuela

United Kingdom

• University of Dundee, Centre for Archive and Information Studies
• Aberystwyth University, Department of Information Studies
• University of Glasgow, Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute (HATII)

Europe

• University College Dublin, School of History and Archives
• École nationale des chartes, Paris
• Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
• Università di Roma La Sapienza
• Vatican School of Paleography, Diplomatics and Archives administration, while not a university, grants certificates to advanced students in archives management
• University of Oslo
• Mid Sweden University

Russia

• Russian State University for the Humanities

[edit] Textbooks

• List of textbooks being used in archival, LIS, and related Courses. A comparative tool for curriculum development. Subject area categorization. Includes links to existing book reviews and offers the opportunity to contribute new reviews.
• E-books - Online full-text books for students of archival science and librarianship

[edit] Terminology guides

• Online Archival Terminology and Study Guide

[edit] Biographies of important archivists

• Online Biographical Dictionary

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] See also

• Archival appraisal
• Archive
• Archivist
• Encoded Archival Description
• Manuscript processing
• Media preservation
• Preservation (library and archival science)

[edit] External links

• Archives & Records Management Resources
• Colegio Colombiano de Archivistas - CCA (Colombian College of Archivists - CCA)
• Directory of Regional, State and Local Archival Organizations in the United States
• The Academy of Certified Archivists
• The Internet Archive
• The Society of American Archivists