Course program
The course aims to develop a mature awareness of the main theoretical and methodological aspects of the conservation and enhancement of historical documentation. It also intends to provide knowledge relating to the evolution of the concept of conservation over time with particular attention to technological evolution. Finally, the development of the concept of enhancement will be analyzed both from a regulatory point of view and with reference to the specific needs deriving from information technologies and the increasingly widespread use of the internet as the first point of access to archival documentation of historical interest.
Prerequisites
Anything
Books
F. Nemore, Cercando il bandolo della matassa: teorie, usi e prassi degli strumenti di ricerca archivistici, Roma, Bulzoni, 2023
F. Valacchi, L'archivio aumentato. Tempi e modi di una digitalizzazione critica, Milano, Bibliografica, 2025, pp. 75-160
F. Nemore, Le fonti orali tra memoria e memorialistica, in Documenti sonori. Voce, suono, musica in archivi e raccolte, a cura di D. Brunetti, D. Robotti, E. Salvalaggio, Torino, Centro Studi Piemontesi, 2021, pp. 453-468
E. Atzori, F. Nemore, Vero, verosimile, immaginario: archivi e archivisti e letteratura, in Nuovi Annali della Scuola Speciale per Archivisti e Bibliotecari, a. 32 (2018), pp. 229-254
Sebastian Mattei, Archival communication in the age of social media. The Italian case and the main strategies in the international context, in Jlis, vol. 12, n. 2/2021, pp. 39-53
L. Giuva, Gli archivi storici in Italia: una mappa della conservazione, in Archivistica. Teorie, metodi e pratiche, a cura di L. Giuva, M. Guercio, Roma, Carocci, 2014, pp. 99-135
M. A. Mele, The perception of archives and archivists in the public imaginary. A case study, “JLis” 16, 1 (2025), pp. 14-36
L. Pezzica, Rovesciare la piramide, in Dimensioni archivistiche. Una piramide rovesciata, Milano, Editrice bibliografica, 2021, pp. 11-22
Teaching mode
- lectures that provide the student with the theoretical, historical and legislative notions on the concepts of conservation and valorisation
- Focus on particular aspects of the course that will allow the student to approach both traditional communication models (guides and inventories) and through the tools offered by the internet (information systems, thematic portals, sites dedicated to individual archives, blogs, archiving on social networks)
Frequency
Optional but highly recommended
Exam mode
At the end of the course the student must demonstrate that he has learned the main theoretical and practical aspects of the conservation and enhancement of documentary resources. They will also have to demonstrate that they have acquired the specific vocabulary of the discipline, and the way of communicating it both within the archival community and to the public of the archives.
The exam will take place orally at the end of the course.
Lesson mode
The course shall be composed of:
- Lectures, providing students with notions on archival theory, and on history of archives, as needed for the carrying out archival activity
- Monographic lessons and seminars that provide the student with insights on central themes for the conservation and enhancement of the historical-documentary heritage
