Archive and Library Theory and Management

The course aims at developing a mature awareness of the main theoretical and methodological aspects of the archival discipline, especially as regards the preservation and cultural promotion of historical archives. It will also provide students with historical knowledge concerning both the evolution of the concept of “archive” and the development of the archival discipline over the centuries, until it reaches the current structure of national and international archival systems. The course will be composed as follows: 1. Records management: Records, archival records, and other kinds of records Archives and its nature Archives’ producers Phases of records management: reference numbering and filing process Tools for the keeping of current archives: management guidelines, reference number logbook, filing plan Intermediate archival repositories Selection operations, preservation guidelines, disposal of records to be destroyed Archival rules, at the national and local levels 2. Historical archives Arrangement: historical method in opposition to subject method, and their relationship to provenance and and pertinence principle Arrangement, and the description of historical archives International standards of archival description (ISAD, ISAAR, ISDIAH, ISDF, RIC) Archival description software Traditional research tools (inventories and guides) Online search tools: the National Guide of Italian State Archives and its system, online information systems on Italian archives (SAN, SIAS, SIUSA), thematic web portals The MAB (Museums, Archives, Libraries) issue: new models of integrated communication? An archival preservation map Archives and the public Archives and the new media: communicating archives in the Age of the Internet The archivist 3. Training tutorials

Anything

P. Carucci, M. Guercio, Manuale di archivistica, Roma, Carocci, 2021 F. Nemore, Cercando il bandolo della matassa: teorie, usi e prassi degli strumenti di ricerca archivistici, Roma, Bulzoni, 2023 G. Penzo Doria, A new archives definition, in «Jlis», 13, 2 (2022), pp. 156-173 I. Zanni Rosiello, Spurghi e distruzioni di carte d’archivio, in Ead. L’archivista sul confine. Scritti di Isabella Zanni Rosiello, a cura di C. Bianchi, T. Di Zio, Roma, Ministero per i beni culturali e ambientali. Ufficio centrale per i beni archivistici, 2000, pp. 273-303 G. Cencetti, Il fondamento della dottrina archivistica, in «Archivi» VI, 1939, pp. 7-13, ora in Id., Scritti archivistici, Roma, Il Centro di Ricerca Editore, 1970, pp. 38-46 G. Cencetti, Sull'archivio come universitas rerum, in «Archivi» IV, 1937, pp. 7-13, ora in Id., Scritti archivistici, Roma, Il Centro di Ricerca Editore, 1970, pp. 47-55 F. Valenti, Riflessioni sulla natura e struttura degli archivi, in «Rassegna degli Archivi di Stato», 1981, ora in Id., Scritti e lezioni di archivistica, diplomatica e storia istituzionale, Roma, Ministero beni culturali, 2000, pp. 83-113, C. Pavone, Ma è proprio tanto pacifico che l’archivio rispecchi l’istituto? in “Rassegna degli Archivi di Stato”, 1970, n. 1, pp. 145-149 ora in Intorno agli archivi e alle istituzioni. Scritti di Claudio Pavone, a cura di I. Zanni Rosiello, Roma 2004, pp. 71-75 G. Michetti, Ma poi è tanto pacifico che l’albero rispecchi l’archivio? In «Archivi & Computer», 2009, n. 1, pp. 85-95 F. Valacchi, Ripartire da Pavone. Spunti di archivistica, in «Parolechiave», 1-2, 2019, pp. 161-175 F. Valacchi, Quiddam divinum. Riflessioni sul metodo storico, in «Archivi» XV, 1, 2020, pp. 69-87

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 - Training tutorials, that will allow students to approach the reality of archives, and become familiar with the practice of archival work - Production of short essays, and making class presentations, focusing on aspects of the discipline, will allow students to approach archival research and practice through both traditional search tools (guides and inventories), and through the evolving tools offered by the Internet (Information systems, thematic portals, web sites dedicated to individual archives, blogs, archives on social networks, etc.)

Optional but highly recommended

At the end of the course, the student must demonstrate: that he/she has learned the main principles of archival theory and practice, and their evolution over the centuries; he/she has acquired the proper vocabulary of the discipline, and how to communicate inside the archival community and to the outside public of archives. The exam will take place orally at the end of the course.

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 - Training tutorials, that will allow students to approach the reality of archives, and become familiar with the practice of archival work - Monographic lessons and seminars that provide the student with insights on issues central to the development of the discipline