LIS 506 Government Archives
Course focuses on the specific settings, requirements, opportunities and challenges faced by organizations charged with the collection, preservation, access and retention of records created through the activity of governing. Starting from the notion of a "record' as it applies in a government context, this course explores the unique legal, social and ethical responsibilities of government archives. It investigates the imperative of the appraisal, preservation and access to those records in a democratic society. Government archives represent a key category of archival institutions that confront the tensions between access and recordkeeping, and this course explores traditional archival functions, using the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) as a point of analysis. In addition, the course will look at the challenges faced by State Archives as well as municipalities or towns. Topics covered will include the relationship and development of legislation and record keeping, the impact that that legislation can have on the mission of government, and the public's understanding and expectations of the institution. While the course primarily focuses on government agencies in a U.S. context, international government archives will be explored.