In Review:
The Secrets to Successful Archives and Records Management

Leading and Managing Archives and Records Programs: Strategies for Success
Author: Bruce W. Dearstyne, Ph.D.
Publisher: Neal-Schuman Publishers
Publication Date: May, 2008
Length: 347 pages
Price: $78
Source: Available at www.arma.org/bookstore

Nancy Dupre Barnes, Ph.D.

Leading and Managing Archives and Records Programs is a welcome addition to the archivist’s and records manager’s bookshelf series. It serves as a compilation of essays on leadership and management, written from multiple perspectives and capturing the collective wit and wisdom of more than a dozen respected professionals. Above and beyond the tactical advice it imparts, this book comprehensively details the recordsmanagement profession’smost pressing challenges.

Editor Bruce Dearstyne aptly sets the stage in Chapter 1 by providing not only an introduction to this volume, but a reality check as well. He offers a sobering glimpse into the profession’s current state of affairs. Many archives and records management professionals are members of the “baby boomer” generation and, for them, retirement looms near. There is concern that there are not enough younger professionals interested in these occupations to satisfy information management needs through the 21st century.

In addition to records management becoming a graying profession, it’s also failing to attract a diverse minority representation. Dearstyne indicates that approximately 10 percent of archivists and records managers claim minority group membership. U.S. Census Bureau projections indicate that minority group populations will grow from 28 percent to 50 percent of the total U.S. populace by 2050. Archivists and records managers bear the responsibility of maintaining organizations’ cultural identity and history. Minorities should be better represented and their collective voices should be heard.

Greater vocational awareness of archives and records management, both inside and outside the industry, is also warranted. One possibility to increase visibility and grow demand for workers is to achieve buy-in for the importance of professional certification. Professional certification efforts sponsored by organizations bestowing the Certified Records Manager and the Certified Archivist designations have, it would seem, fallen short of any mandate to boost awareness or foster greater interest in the profession. In fact, it seems that certification is far from universally embraced by professionals in archives and records management. Dearstyne notes that certification is held by a minority of individuals in both sectors. As an example, a visit to the Institute of Institute Certified Records Managers’ website shows that, excluding retirees, there are fewer than 800 names in that organization’smember directory.

However, even if interest in the profession can be stimulated – whether the United States has the systems and resources in place to train the next generation is questionable. The Society of American Archivists published the A*CENSUS in 2004, and according to that organization’s research, 71 percent of educators involved in archival education are 50 years of age or older. Upon reflection, itmight rightfully be said that archivists and records managers are, to use the biologist’s nomenclature, “at risk for extinction.”

As its subtitle suggests, the strategies for success that this book outlines are addressed to both archives and records programs. To create programs that are durable, valid, and integrity-based, historical and administrative services should be equal partners. From a realtime perspective, this is a marriage that has yet to be consummated, though. Throughout the book, the themes of unity and collaboration between archivists and records managers resound. These professions can (and should) synergistically co-exist. In Chapter 12, there is mention of the Australian Records Consortiummodel, in which the partnership of archivists and records managers is declared to be “inseparable.” In contrast, Leon Stout comments in Chapter 12: “… many archivists whom I have known have shied away from records management.” Relationship development requires concerted effort and work remains to be done. However, there is much to be learned by the integration of both professional sectors. In the face of ongoing technological improvements and the imperatives resulting from electronic record making, this directive can only gain momentum.

The majority of the chapters in this book are devoted to specific discussions of leadership and/or management issues, concerns, and processes. The diversity of experience is refreshing and provides grassroots glimpses into scenarios from a variety of venues: state government, the corporate world, and the nonprofit sector. There are some amusing anecdotes. For instance, in Chapter 10, Greg Sanford and Tanya Marshall relate a situation in which, within a state archives, a request for an additional archivist resulted in the delivery of an individual who was previously employed as a prison guard. (Perhaps the human resources department made this choice because this individual was experienced in security procedures?) And, in the same chapter, there is the confounding story of an early, pre-1950 attempt with the document appraisal process. Unfortunately, that errant appraisal attempt resulted in historical communications from our country’s founding fathers being physically defaced. The documents’ surfaces were marked in felt-tip pen with the words “this is an important document!”

The book touches upon a few areas of singular interest such as standards (Chapter 3), archives in a large university setting (Chapter 12), and the archivist and the corporation (Chapter 9). These subjects are pertinent and their inclusion is appropriate. The chapter pertaining to standards would have benefited from the inclusion of more detail regarding the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). As the guardian of American standards development, ANSI is a time-tested organization with roots extending back to 1918. In addition, somemention of standards activities sponsored by the Society of American Archivists and the International Council on Archives would have been helpful references and would have contributed to the esprit de corps between archives and records management groups.

One essential topic that is missing from the book is a discrete chapter on program evaluation and outcomes assessment. It is true that strategy, planning, development, and implementation should be led and managed by competently prepared professionals. However, to determine program effectiveness, efficiency, and quality, a formal evaluation should be undertaken on a regular basis. Just as there are content experts in the areas of leadership, management, and program development, a separate set of specialists continues to refine the knowledge domain of organizational outcomes research. A contribution from one of those specialists would have provided a very useful chapter.

As Gregory Hunter remarks in the book’s foreword, the archives and records management industry is at a crossroads. From a demographic perspective, this journey’s course may be turbulent and, some might even say, uncertain. While this volume, in total, provides excellent program-related advice for executives, managers, and managers-to-be, the book’smost stellar attribute may be its articulation of the industry’s current challenges. Dearstyne clearly recognizes the importance of this situation and, with this book, does a superb job of not only posing the tough questions, but revealing the answers within a readable and enjoyable format.

Nancy Dupre Barnes, Ph.D., can be contacted at nancy.barnes@armaintl.org.

From September - October 2008