Research Issues in Archival Provenance

Abstract

This chapter reviews the conceptualization of archival provenance and the related concepts of archival fonds and original order and the ways these concepts have guided practice. Section 1 identifies problems entailed by the qualitative and imprecise conceptual approach traditionally applied to the issues involved in the management, use, and preservation of records, and suggests a multidisciplinary strategy to reformulate basic concepts. Section 2 describes problems arising from the traditional approach in greater detail. Section 3 indicates how a multidisciplinary strategy might be applied to both clarify theory and improve practice.