Archival choices: Managing the historical record in an age of abundance

Abstract

After briefly identifying some of the problems archivists face in administering modern records, the author discusses six elements of archival collection management: inter-institutional cooperation in collecting, disciplined and documented application of appraisal procedures, deaccessioning, pre-archival control of records, reducing record volume, and analysis and planning. The author suggests that there may well be other factors involved in collection management but concludes with an admonition to all archivists to seek alternative courses of action rather than habitually following practices of the past.